Scala di Santa Regina, Niolo

The Scala di Santa Regina is a huge Canyon that runs from the Niolo to just north of Corte. I love Gorges and this is one of the most impressive I have seen in Corsica, with rust coloured granite rocks that plunge down deep ravines to the river Golo at the bottom.



We’d found ourselves on the road by accident, and once on it, there are very few opportunities to stop and admire the view. The most impressive section for me was of course the viaduct, but there were also some interesting rock formations, tunnels carved into the granite rock, and the sheer scale can’t fail to impress.



Luckily, the road is only just wide enough for two cars to pass, so as we were following a huge great truck and a caravan (gggrr!), there were plenty of opportunities to take photos out of the windows!!



The name Scala di Santa Regina means ‘Stair of the Holy Queen’ and legend has it that St. Martin was ploughing a field when the devil seized him and threw him on top of the Niolo. When he fell, the mountains shattered and he started to fall into the valley. He prayed to the Virgin, and she created the Scala to allow him to descend safely.