Gravona

The Gravona is a river on the island of Corsica, France. It flows from the center of the island southwest to the Gulf of Ajaccio. Its entire course is in the Corse-du-Sud Department of France. The Gravona Valley conducts the main highway, Route N193, from the capital city, Ajaccio, to the Col de Vizzavona, where it goes through the pass and down to Corte and Bastia. At its upper end the Gravona is a crystal-clear mountain stream cascading over falls and rapids into trout-filled pools. At its lower end nearly all of the Gravona's flow serves to water the densely urban area of Ajaccio.

Geography

The source of the Gravona River lies in the Ruisseau de Capiajola on the slopes of the 2,352 metres (7,717 ft) Monte Renoso in the center of the island. The brook becomes the river and then flows past the base of the 1,161 m (3,809 ft) Col de Vizzavona between Monte Renoso and the higher 2,389 m (7,838 ft) Monte d'Oro, joining the Ruisseau de Petra Longa and then the Ruisseau de Foce, which comes down from higher up in the col. Route N193 and the narrow-gauge railway, Chemin de Fer de Corse, from Ajaccio leave the Gravona River Valley at that point and go over the pass to Corte. On the other side of the col from which the Ruisseau de Capiajola flows is the source of the Prunelli River, which runs parallel to the Gravona and has the same effluent. On the other side of the Col Vizzavona is the source of the Vecchio River leading to the other side of Corsica.