CORSICA SPRING TOUR

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Dates:	April 12th-22nd 2009 10days/10 nights 7 days/7 nights tour option April 15th-22nd
Cost:	10 day tour £1,995 based on £1.= £1.10 € ( Euros price 2,195€ fixed ) 7 day tour £ 1,395 based on £1 =1.10€ ( Euros price 1,535€ fixed )

DESCRIPTION: A 10 day tour,(with a 7 day tour option), including a 7 day tour of France's spectacular "island of beauty,"Corsica in the Mediterranean in April where spring time is especially beautiful with the air full of fragrances of wild flowers.The 10 day tour starts with an overnight ferry crossing to St.Malo and over three days travels down to Nice on the Cote d'Azur with overnight stops in the Loire Valley,Millau and the Cote d'Azur. Participants on the 7 day tour make their own way down to Nice where they join up with the 10 day tour.On day 4 we catch the afternoon ferry from Nice to Bastia on Corsica's north east coast.Our 7 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. Seven days later we arrive back in Bastia to catch the overnight ferry back to Toulon.

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Provisional Itinerary

 

 

 

Sunday, 11th April overnight ferry from Portsmouth at 8.30 pm to St Malo

Day 1 Monday, April 12th St Malo to St Patrice(Loire Valley)

Ferry arrives St Malo at 8.15am. On leaving St Malo we take the pretty coast road east to our charming breakfast stop in a small secluded bay near Cancale before continuing along the coastal road overlooking the Mont St Michel bay.The route then heads south cross-country on quiet 'back-roads' to a lunch stop in the charming medieval town of Vitre. From Vitre we drive to Le Mans to visit the world famous motor museum before heading south, still on minor roads, towards the Loire Valley and our hotel for the night - the stunning 4* chateau hotel,Chateau-de-Rochecotte.

 

Day 2 Tuesday, St. Patrice to Millau

After leaving Chateau Rochecotte we drive south east across country to Chateauroux where we take the autoroute to Limoges and Brives.Just south of Brives we leave the autoroute and head south east to Rodez and then on to the Millau gorge where we have the opportunity to view, arguably, the world's most beautiful suspension bridge. From here we then drive into the stunning Gorges des Tarn where our hotel for the night is a stunning 16th-century chateau on the banks of the river Tarn in the gorge itself

 

 

 

 

Day 3 Wednesday, Millau to Villefranche-sur-Mer(Cote d'Azur)

We continue along the stunning Gorges du Tarn to Florac and continuing on scenic backroads drive through Ales down to Nimes where we take the motorway to Nice.Leaving the motorway we drive to Villefranche -sur-Mer where our hotel is situated overlooking the bay and is less than 20 minutes to Nice port where we catch the Corsica ferry tomorrow afternoon.We visit Villefranche harbour tonight for a pre- dinner drink and to celebrate our arrival on the Mediterranean,Corsica is just a four hour boat ride away and tomorrow we will be on the island!

Day 4, Thursday, Nice -Corsica via ferry to Bastia ( Participants on the 7 day tour join us this morning )

 

In the morning there will be an opportunity to visit nearby Cap Ferrat and the beautiful Ephrussi de Rothschild villa and gardens before we drive to nearby Nice 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 on the outskirts of Bastia.

 

 

 

 

Day 5 Friday, Bastia to Corte

 

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 6, Saturday, 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 7 Sunday, 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, (see photo below right).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.and Petreto Biccisano.

 

 

 

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Day 8 Monday, Propriano to Piana

We start the morning's drive with a detour into the mountains.driving back to Sartene we turn left onto the scenic D69 and drive up to the Col de St Eustache before returning back to the N196 north of Propriano at Petreto Bicchisano.driving a few miles south we turn off onto the D57 to visit the most famous prehistoric site on Corsica, Filtosa.It was here that one of the most important alignments of anthropological menhirs were found dating back to the second millenium BC to 700BC. After our visit to this amazing site we drive along the D155 which at La Castagna starts to hug the coastline as we drive to Porticcio and on to Ajaccio .Here we take the A81 over the Col de Bastiano through Sagone to Cargess a village with strong greek connections due to Greeks fleeing here in the 17th century.From here we head inland still on the D81 to Piana our next overnight stop.Piana occupies a panoramic position overlooking the Golfe de Porto.

 

 

 

Day 9 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.

 

 

Day 10 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 then drive 2 miles out of town and visit the Parc de Selecia gardens, unique in Corsica.We then continue another 3 miles 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 9.00 pm ferry to Toulon ( arrives 7.00 am tomorrow morning)

Day 11, Thursday

Ferry arrives at 7.00am in Toulon.Participants are free to make their own way home.

 

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