Corsica Is France

I think we can honestly say that we now KNOW Corsica. On an island that is approximately only 162 km long and 60 km wide we rode over 1600 km (around, across, from the top to the bottom, and back again). This island is full of bikes and we know why...the roads are good and they wind through some very nice countryside and along some fantastic beaches. The riders may be a little crazy, passing on blind corners and traveling at such a high speed I am sure they saw nothing but the road directly in front of their front tire.

We rode the head of the island, about 100 km, and it took us all day. We visited Corte, in the center of the island, and did a great afternoon hike up the Restonica valley. At the end of the island we saw the fort of Bonifacio, and stayed near the beach of Roninara, located in a beautiful bay. We found the small village of Campomoro, with good hiking along the coast AND had a fantastic beach which was not very busy. Traveling back up north, on the west coast we drove through Piana and Porto, in between which is the Calanques de Piana, an amaze drive that shouldn't be missed. Oh I forgot the Asco Valley, a twisty ride along a creek and up to a ski hill with a hike into the Asco wildlife reserve. One of the things we love about traveling is meeting people and we met up with old friends, Stefan and Emma (actually they are not old, younger than us) from a previous trip and spent three very windy days in Lozari catching up on travel stories. We left them on the morning of our departure from Corsica, (on which we were taking the night ferry to Nice) and then still we had more sights to see as we rode to a view point above Bastia where we had a nice view of the port.

Now for just one small rant...We camped the trip on Corsica and a few things drove us a little crazy about the campsites.  Can you believe that in the washrooms they do not supply toilet paper...you must bring your own. And, they do not supply toilet seats...are we expected to bring our own as well? When we questioned them about these oddities they replied "sir, we get 1000's of tourists here a year, are we expected to supply paper for so many people? (as if we don't get a lot of tourists in Canada, and we supply paper). As for the seats, I guess the French can't be trusted not to steal them. Ok, I feel better and to tell you the truth we really enjoyed the French and our time in France. 

As the time came to leave and head north for return trip to Germany, the temperature dropped and we found ourselves in 9-11 degrees riding in the morning. At this time we had to remember the days of riding in 40 degree during the earlier months of our trip.

As we left Krk, Croatia, the clouds were moving in the rain was not far behind.

Small villages on Corsica were nestled in the mountains...

And in vineyards...

And along the sea in remote bays.

An old gas pump, standing watch over the new at the gas station, was no longer in use but interesting just the same.

Sometimes we wondered what wound drive the people to build villages in such precarious places?

Lac de Melu, a great one hour hike after an amazing drive up the Restonica Valley from Corte.

Ken, with the Restonica Valley in the background.

Corte, in the heart of Corsica, has the most amazing fortress that I am sure was totally impenetrable.

The island has many of these old roman bridges.

We may have a little more packing room than these two Fiats.

A great hike around the Punta Di Compomoro had us scrambling over rocks along the waters edge.

Just because I love them.

Ken, wake up! It is time to go back to camp for happy hour. A tough life.

What is crazy about this picture? Note the speedometer...note the vehicle ahead of us.  Is this a little dangerous? A quad driving on the highway at 101 kph?

The drive between Piana and Porto, called the Calanques de Piana, was possibly the most spectacular on our trip to Corsica. The color of the rock changes with the time of day and the lighting.

The beach at Marine de Porto.

At Porto, we had such a bad thunderstorm we were very lucky to find this little cabin/tent to sleep in. A great idea! Upstairs there was a double bed, and under the tent there was picnic table ( not something you find very often on Corsica) and a clothesline.

On a hike in the Gorges of Spinonca, we walk on trails that have been uses since the 15th century.

Roads in the past now become cobblestone hiking trails.

These pigs are domestic but they run wild I the mountian, like we would see our cattle in Canada grazing on crown land.

Ken is happy whe he can walk in the woods, it reminds him of home.

This island is really one giant rock and this is just one, big one. Volcanic holes which have been eroded by time and the elements filled with rainwater...yes, from our huge thunderstorm.

Another view of a small village, the sea and the twisty roads leading to and from the village.

Too cool, we met up with our friends, Stefan and Emma, for a few nights in Losari. We first met them in Canada in 2011, then in Baja, Mexico in 2012 and now in Corsica, France. I love it!

The view of Bastia, the port we arrived and left from, taken from over 900 mts at a telecom/military station above the city.

Moby ferryline's Moby Dada, the biggest and newest in their fleet.

Back in mainland France, we began to see other types of bikes beside the typical adventure bike that was so popular on Corsica. Note the dog driving.