CORSICA AUTUMN TOUR

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Dates:	October 13th-21st 2009 9days /8 nights
Cost:	£1,695 ( 1,695 € )

Description

A 9 day tour of France's spectacular "island of beauty,"Corsica in the Mediterranean.The tour starts with an afternoon ferry from Nice to Bastia on Corsica's north east coast.Our 9 day tour takes us clockwise around the island on stunning coastline roads with picturesque sea scapes and over mountain passes and villages where time appears to have stood still. Nine days later we arrive back in Bastia to catch the overnight ferry to Toulon.

NOTE; This tour starts in Villefranche- sur- Mer next to Nice.Villefranche is the last night's destination on our Provence Autumn/French Gorges/Beaux Villages tour so the Corsica Autumn Tour can be done back-to-back with our Provence Autumn tour.Alternatively participants on the Corsica Autumn tour can make their own way down to Villefranche-sur-Mer.

Provisional Itinerary

Introduction

For some time we have been tempted by a tour of Corsica having heard so much about its sheer beauty, and twisting roads with spectacular views and sea scapes that we have decided to dedicate a whole week to driving almost the entire island !

Our first 2009 Corsica tour takes place in April but anticipating a high demand we have decided to offer the same tour in October as well.

 

 

Day 1 Tuesday, October 13th Nice -Corsica via afternoon ferry to Bastia

 

Our hotel in Villefranche- sur- Mer where we spend the last night of our Provence Autumn tour is less than 20 minutes to Nice port where we catch the 14.15 ferry to Bastia on the north -east coast of Corsica.Our ferry arrives 19.15 so we make our way to our hotel which will be our base for the next two nights.

 

Day 2 Wednesday, Bastia tour of Cap Corse return to Bastia

Today we explore the northen tip of Corsica known as the Cap Corse which is approximately 25 miles in length and no more than 8 miles wide.From Bastia we drive 10 miles up the eastern coastline to Erbalunga where we stop to visit on foot this pretty village with its small harbour and stone houses and fish restaurants.We then continue our drive up the eastern coastline to Macinaggio, the most popular tourist harbour on Cap Corse where fishing boats are anchored next to yachts that stop here after sailing across from Italy.After a coffee we drive inland on the D80 to Rogliano and over Col St. Nicolas.At Eisa we turn off the D80 and head north on a minor road to Barcaggio on the northern tip of Cap Corse.A small village, Barcaggio has retained the spirit of the past and part of its charm is its small harbour and beautiful beach overlooking the island de la Giraglia.We then return from this"time warp" to the D80 and drive west to Canelle with its stone houses clinging to the mountain side covered in bougainvillea before arriving at nearby Centuri on the north west coast.This charming 18th century fishing port, also a scuba divers' paradise is our lunch stop.After lunch we continue south a few miles to Nonza a fascinating village which clings to black rocks which fall steeply to the sea.We continue south to Canari one of the larger of the local villages with a beautiful 12th century church and on to St Florent our afternoon stop and Corsica's answer to St Tropez. Here you can stroll along the streets with brightly coloured houses and walk along the promenade overlooking the expensive yachts in the harbour.Leaving St Florent we turn off the D81 onto the D82 towards San Michele where we visit Corsica's best example of 13th century Pisan Romanesque church architecture.Returning to Oletta we take a minor road across to Col de Teghine where we turn east and drop down to nearby Bastia back to our hotel.

 

 

Day 3 Thursday, Bastia to Corte

 

Following a day mainly devoted to driving along coastal roads, today is devoted to the mountains where the scenery in the north east side of the island is more attractive than the coast line.We leave our hotel and head south on the N193 to Casamozza after which we keep right on the N193 up into the mountains stopping at Ponte Nuovo to admire the ruined bridge where the French army in 1769 defeated the Corsican patriots lead by Pascal Paoli.We then continue to Ponte Leccia where we turn off the N193 onto the N197 before turning left into the Vallee de l 'Asco and into the Gorges de l'Asco one of the most beautiful, yet isolated areas in Corsica.Driving through the stunning gorges we arrive in Asco which, in the 16th century, was an important centre of Corsican resistance against the invading Genoese troops.We continue driving into the forest of Carrozzca to Haut Asco a small ski resort where we enjoy a coffeee before returning back through the gorges to Ponte Leccia.Here we head south on the N193 once again turning right onto the picturesque D84 at Francardo driving through Calacuccia and up to the summit of the Col de Vergio where we turn back and drive around the lake at Calacuccia this time on the D218 back to Castiria.Here we head south on the D18 to Corte the cradle of Corsican independence and patriotism where in 1735 the constitution for an independent Corsican state was drafted before Corte became Corsica's capital in 1755 after being liberated by Pascal Paoli.We spend the rest of the afternoon exploring Corte's old town on foot including a visit to the Citadel and the Musee de Corse which houses an impressive anthropological collection detailing the history and culture of Corsica.After our visit to Corte we drive a mile south and then turn right onto the D623 which takes us into the Gorges de la Restonica where our hotel is located just a mile along the road on the banks of the fast flowing river which descends from Mont Rotando at 2,672 metre above sea level.

 

Day 4 Friday, Corte to Porto Vecchio

 

We start the morning with a drive up the picturesque Gorges de la Restonica and then return back to the N193 and head south to

 

Venaco and Vizzavora where the adventurous can walk to the impressive waterfall the Cascade des Anglais a beauty spot much admired by early English visitors to this area.We then return to Vivario where we turn right onto the D69 and drive over the Col de Sorba to Ghisoni.Here we continue east through a narrow gorge called the Defile de l'Inzecca to Pinzalone where we turn south onto the D44 to Poggio and Prunelli di Fiumarbo the main village in this area dominated by a fortified church.We then continue east to the N198 where we turn right and head south to Solenzara a lively port and seaside reort and our lunch stop.After lunch we head inland again to the Col de Larone and Col de Bavella.Here the rugged pinnacles of the Aiguilles de Bavella create one of the most exciting landscapes in Corsica and our route passes through rocks that glow red at sunset.In springtime the thyme and flower covered meadows are apparently breathtaking.Our route through the mountains eventually takes us back to the coast at Porto Vecchio where our hotel is located on the coast with its own small beach.

 

Day 5 Saturday, Porto Vecchio to Propriano

 

From Porto Vecchio we drive south on the N198 to Bonafacio which is perched on a promontory overlooking an inlet.To fully appreciate the beauty of Bonifacio it is advisable to take a boat trip from the marina visiting the sea caves and other points of interest as well as admiring the stunning views of Bonifacio from the sea.After Bonifacio we take the scenic N196 coast road stopping off at the nearby Ermitage de la Trinite to admire the church and stunning sea views. We then continue on the N196 to Sartene a fortified medieval town with cobbled streets where we stop for a stroll before continuing to Propriano our next overnight stop.This attractive harbour and seaside resort has beautiful beaches and caves dotted around the Golfe de Valinco

Day 6, Sunday, Propriano to Piana

.After Propriano we turn off the N196 onto the pretty coastal road the D157 which takes us to Olmeto plage.We then continue to Abartello and Filitosa where we stop to view the 4000 years old life size stone warriors that were discovered here.After Filtosa we head towards Ajaccio but on a small scenic coastal road.We head back a couple of miles to Abartello then turn right just before and then left onto the D757 towards Porto Polo.We then turn right onto the D155 through Tassinca and Acqua Doria then turning left onto the D155 we drive through la castagna to Porticcio then turning left onto the N196 head for Ajaccio, a busy and noisy town famous for being Napolean's birthplace. Leaving Ajaccio we visit the nearby Pointe de la Parata to admire the viewpoint before returning to Ajaccio where we take the ring road around the N194 then turn left onto the D81.We then drive over the mountains to the coast at Vida and on to Cargese where lots of greek refugees arrived a few centuries ago fleeing from the war with Turkey.We then continue to Piana, a pretty town where our hotel is based.

 

 

 

Day 7, Monday, Piana free day

A free day to explore this beautiful region

Day 8, Tuesday, Piana to Calvi

 

We leave Piana and drive along the most scenic coast road on Corsica along the Calanques de Piana a series of granite rock formations which change colour from bright red to pink to gold depending on the time of day.We then arrive in Porto where we enjoy a morning coffee visiting the town and appreciating the views with the option of a boat ride to fully appreciate the stunning coastline.

 

Leaving Porto we head back into the mountains through the Gorges de Spelunca to Evisa and up to the Col de Vergio this time up the west side.We then return back to Porto and continue north on the D81 to Osani over the Col de la Croix and drive the coast road to Calvi our next overnight stop.

 

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Day 9 Wednesday, Calvi to Bastia

 

 

 

We drive up the N197 to Lumio approximately six miles where the route starts to get very pretty to L'ile Rousse our morning coffee stop.Here we can enjoy the Riviera style promenade,shops and port. Keeping on the N197 we continue another 2 miles to Parc de Selecia where we visit the gardens, unique in Corsica.We then continue to Lozari where we turn right away from the coast towards Ponte Leccia.after a few miles however we turn right off this road onto the D71 the "Strada di l'Arligioni or Artisans' Road a route encompassing some of the most characteristic craftsman's workshops many of which are located in perched villages with fascinating architecture and panoramic views.We visit en route a dozen villages stopping to admire the craft work before arriving in Pigna the main village before joining the N197 coast road just south of L'Ile Rousse.We then retrace our route north before turning left onto the D89 towards St Florent and drive through the Desert des Agriates 60 square miles of green desert which although once highly cultivated is now virtually uninhabited.Eventually we arrive in St Florent where we stopped for afternoon coffee on our first full day on Corsica thus completing our clockwise tour of the island.From St Florent we drive a few miles furthe north to Parimonio where we turn right and climb up the Col de Teghine, from where we descend into Bastia to catch the 9.00pm ferry to Toulon ( arrives 7.00 am tomorrow morning)

 

 

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