La Costa Serena La Cte Des Nacres
Look at a map of Corsica. See this flat section that stretches from tang de Diane to Solen-zara That's the Costa Serena and the C te des Nacres. Never a high point on the tourist trail except, maybe, if you are a nudist , the Costa Serena and the C te des Nacres are often merely charged through on the way to the Far South. But it's well worth slowing down and making detours from the arrow-straight N198. Pack an open mind and investigate the possibilities. Though Al ria won't win the award of...
Climbing Monte Cinto
Many summer visitors to Calacuccia come to attack Monte Cinto 2710m , Corsica's highest peak. It's a six-hour climb from Lozzi p246 , above Calacuccia and the valley bottom. Here, you can leave your car beside the pair of camp sites if you're at the wheel of a 4WD, it can take you further up the pitted track but don't risk it in an ordinary saloon car . If you're planning to tackle the summit and return in the same day, you'll need to make a very early start, both to enjoy the cool of the early...
Les Calanques Les Calanches
The phantasmagorical rock formations known as Les Calanques rear up more than 400m above the sea in teetering columns, towers and irregularly shaped boulders. Truly awe-inspiring, they're a highlight of any visit to Corsica. As you sway around switchback after switchback along the D81, one breathtaking vista follows another. Gargantuan granite shapes, naturally coloured with iridescent shades of pink grapefruit, ochre and ginger, resemble a Dali painting. Guy de Maupassant, who visited Corsica...
Plage De Piantarella
Say 'Plage de Piantarella' to windsurfing and kayaking fiends and you'll see an ecstatic smile on their faces. With its shallow lagoon, this lovely bay ranks among the best spots in southern Corsica for water sports. With a kayak, you can navigate to Sp rone and Pertusato if you're fit, you could go as far as lie Lavezzi on a calm day. Two ventures offer courses and rent gear Bonifacio Windsurf g 04 95 73 52 04 www .bonlfaclo-wlndsurf.com Plage de Piantarella S May-Sep Kayak funboard rental Is...
Boat Canoe Hire
If you prefer independence and setting your own pace, consider exploring Scandola and Les Calanques in your own boat. Smaller models don't require a special licence. Le Go land g 06 81 06 88 08 S mld-May-Sep On the river's left bank rents motor boats per h a lf- f u 11 day from 75 115 . Patrick amp Toussaint g 06 81 41 70 03 S Jun-mld-Sep A jolly pair who rent both motor boats per half- fu II day from 75 115 and canoes per hour half-day full day from 10 25 40 .
SLEEPING EATING Gyq
Hotel L'Aiglon 04 95 26 10 65 hotelaiglon tiscali .fr s 48, with bathroom 47-58, d 70, with bathroom 62-80, per person with half-board 53-77 S Apr-mid-Oct Not much has changed here since the 1950s, and charmingly so. This pretty stone house with its wide terrace overlooking the maquis still feels like a family home. The 18 sparse rooms are bright and simply decorated with colourful, museum-quality fabrics and quaint country furnishings. You can browse a dusty copy of a French policier novel or...
The Northern Tip
Just over 10km west of Macinaggio along the D80, you can make a 15km round-rip detour to visit Barcaggio Barcaghju , Corsica's north ernmost village, and its spectacular beach. Otherwise accessible only by boat or by walking in along the Sentier des Douaniers, it has a magnificent beach with great views of the protected islet of Giraglia. To get there, turn right at Ersa onto the narrow D253, which winds its way through the maquis to reach this remote spot. The hamlet's only accommodation, H...
BOAT TRIPS Dpn
Have Va 04 95 2802 66 www.naveva.com adult child 48 22 S May-Sep organises boat trips to the Scandola nature reserve, passing by Capu Rossu and Les Calanques. Boats leave the harbour at 9.30am and return around 4.30pm. The fare includes a two-hour stop at Girolata and a half-hour swim in an inlet. Chez Fanny 04 95 26 44 43 rue Colonel Fieschi a souvenir shop, sells tickets. Croisi res Grand Bleu 04 95 26 40 24 http croisiere .grandbleu.free.fr In French rue Marbeuf adult child 40 20 , a local...
Via Ferrata
Another fun and dizzying approach to Corsica's mountains, Via Ferrata literally, 'Iron Path' in Italian is increasingly popular on the island. It uses intriguing and often ingenious combinations of ladders, metal brackets, chiselled footholds and even bridges to allow progress on steep or vertical cliffs. Steel cable, acting as both a handhold and security, is bolted to the rock at waist level, with walkers clipping onto it with a lanyard dynamic rope and karabiner system. In short, it's a mix...
WALK TO PISCIA Dl GALLO
if the heat and crowds of Porto-Vecchio get too much for you, escape to the cool, calm surroundings of the For t de L'Osp dale, 25km above town, where you can take a 90-minute walk to the Piscia di Gallo waterfall and back. The start of the walk, marked by a signpost, is near a couple of snack bars beside the D368, 1km on from the Barrage de L'Osp dale. It's an easy walk through pine forests and maquis. A short way into the forest on the D368 from L'Osp dale, a road peels off left to the hamlet...
SLEEPING Rdk
Camping Kevano Plage 04 95 71 83 22, fax 04 95 71 83 83 camp sites per adult tent car 8.50 4 4 Pi-anottoll S May-Sep A solid three-star, with good facilities. It's about 400m from Plage de Kevano. Auberge Coralli 04 95 77 05 94 rte de Bonifacio d 44-59 S Apr-Nov This auberge, located right by the N196, features good rooms, which are rented by the week in July and August. The restaurant mains 14 to 19 is famed for its hearty dishes, such as agneau de lait r ti roasted milk-fed lamb and c te de...
Ajaccio for Children
With its fairly compact centre, Ajaccio is easily navigable on little legs or big ones pushing buggies . Most hotels will provide cots on request, but few offer a babysitting service. Restaurants, unlike many in northern Europe, will accommodate children at any hour. On summer nights there are market stalls and funfair rides around the port area just south of place Foch. Le Petit Train d'Ajaccio g 04 95 51 13 69 www .petit-train-ajaccio.com in French is a tourist 'train' that makes two circuits...
Citadel Upper Town
From the marina, the atmospheric Mont e St-Roch leads to the citadel via Porte de G nes Genoa Gate pedestrian access only . This gate was the only way of getting into the citadel until the Porte de France was built in 1854. To the north is the Bastion de l'Etendard admission 2.50 , a remnant of the fortifications built in the aftermath of the siege in 1553. It is home to the M morial du Pass Bonifacien Memorial to Bonifacio's Past admission 2.50 , where various episodes in the town's history...
Parc Aventure 1
In search of new sensations Try Bavellaventure g 06 13 22 95 06,06 22 29 38 84 www.jpqulllcimontagne .com in French S mid-Jun-mid-Sep , about 2km from Col de Bavella direction Zonza look for the kiosk on the roadside . This Parc Aventure boasts a sensational setting, with the Aiguilles de Bavella forming a perfect backdrop, as well as the Golfe du Valinco to the west. It comprises three different circuits, of varying levels of difficulty. Yes, there are tyrolean slides, including a thrilling...
HIGHLIGHTS Efg
Get the best views of wonderful Bonifacio p196 from a boat No Holds Barred Lose your inhibitions and party the night away in chic Porto-Vecchio p203 Time Machine Ponder Corsica's bizarre pre history at Filitosa pi82 and Cauria p193 Adrenaline Fix Try kitesurfing or windsurfing pi94 at Plage de Piantarella or Plage de la Tonnara Sun and splash on the idyllic beaches of Palombaggia p209 , Cupabia pi81 or Tra Licettu p193 True-blue Corsican Explore the cobbled alleyways of mysterious Sart ne p189...
La Casinca
Never heard of this micro-r gion You may be forgiven, because this must be one of the least travelled areas on the island - a blessing if you want to get away on your own. Falling between the Golo River to the north and the Castagniccia to the south, the Casinca is a remarkably well-kept secret, less than an hour's drive from Bastia. It comprises a necklace of tiny, hillside villages set among forests of chestnut and olive trees, with tall stone houses looking out over the eastern plains. Time...
Marignana
This hamlet, on a mountainside between Ota and visa, was famous in the 19th century as the scene of a prolonged and bloody vendetta and, later, as the hideout of the partisans of le maquis during WWII. Nowadays, in addition to its reputation as a producer of rich charcuterie, it's an R amp R stop for hikers on the Mare a Mare Nord and Mare e Monti trails. At the convivial bar and restaurant of Ustaria di a Rota g 04 95 26 21 21 dm with without half-board 33 15, d 35 , you can indulge in fine...
Canyoning 1
Of the stellar spots for canyoning in Corsica, the Bavella area tops the list, with two major canyons that draw adrenaline junkies like bees to a honey pot Canyon de la Vacca and Canyon de la Purcaraccia. Both are very atmospheric you can expect various jumps, leaps in natural pools yeah , rappelling and tyrolean slides. But access to both canyons involves a preliminary 30- to 50-minute hike. The time spent in the canyon is about three hours. In total, the outing lasts about five hours, more if...
Pascal Paoli Pioneer
Pascal Paoli, Corsica's revolutionary leader, was at the head of Corsica during its short period of independence between 1755 and 1769. On the island, Pascal, known to Corsicans as the 'father of the nation', is held in the same esteem as - and certainly with more affection than - Napoleon Bonaparte himself. Son of Giacinto Paoli, a distinguished rebel leader in the struggle against Genoese occupation, Pascal was born in 1725 in Morosaglia, in the Castagniccia region, where since 1889 his ashes...
Operators
The major operators, each able to arrange most activities, include the following Aqa-Canyon g 06 20 61 76 81, 04 95 78 58 25 www .aqa-canyon.com Levie Canyoning. Corse Odyss e 04 95 78 64 05 corseodysseegiaol .com Quenza Based In the g te d' tape in Quenza see p214 . Canyoning. Corsica Canyon 06 22 91 61 44 www.corsica -canyon.com Corsica Madness 06 13 22 95 06,04 95 78 61 76 www.corsicamadness.com in French Zonza Canyoning. Also rents mountain bikes 15 per day . In Terra Corsa 04 95 47 69 48...
La Costa Verde
The Costa Verde has lopsided charm, which can be attributed to its schizoid nature. While the coastal section of this microregion is nothing to write home about, the hinterland is dizzyingly beautiful, with stupendous landscapes, a collection of villages perch s strung over mountain ridges and a fistful of religious buildings steeped in history. Although it's less than half an hour's drive from Bast a, this unknown corner of Corsica falls below many travellers' radars we're not complaining ....
Chambres D Hotes U Spitaghju
Le Refuge 04 95 70 00 39 Cartalavonu dm with half-board 35, d incl breakfast 65 S Apr-Nov This well-kept inn is nesded in the For t de L'Osp dale at the end of the hamlet of Cartalavonu. You are brilliandy placed for exploring the area and for climbing the Punta di a Vacca Morta. For budgeteers, there's a g te d' tape with six-bed dorms, each with its own bathroom. If privacy is a priority, opt for the no-frills but OK doubles. The restaurant mains 9 to 19, menu 49 focuses on Corsican staples,...
Detour Vallee De Lortolo
Promise you won't tell too many people about this timeless valley that feels like the end of the world. From Sartene, take the D50 direction Mola to the southeast. The narrow road plunges downhill amid spectacular scenery - mountains, vineyards, forests and fields - you didn't know existed. Soak up the atmosphere until you reach the floor of the valley. In the middle of nowhere, like an apparition, the camp site and equestrian centre U Cavaddu Senza Nome 04 95 7718 47, 06 21 16 39 35...
Nonza
This charming hamlet is quite the most attractive on the cape's western coast. Presided over by a fortified tower, its stone houses seem about to tumble down the steep hillside and into the bay below. Enjoy a brief wander through the meandering lanes, so tight and precipitous that no vehicle will ever negotiate them. Nonza's social hub is Caf de la Tour, with the village fountain topped by a squat bust of the ubiquitous Pascal Paoli beside it. The ochre and oxblood fa ade of its 16th-century...
Diving Fnu
Whatever your level of expertise, you'll find your slice of underwater heaven in Bonifacio. Due to their proximity to the coast, the lies Lavezzi are very popular among divers. See p81 for more details. Two dive centres Barakouda 04 95 73 13 02 http dub.barakouda .free.fr in French rte de Porto-Vecchio On the road to Porto-Vecchio, about 2km from the centre. Dolfinu Biancu 04 95 72 01 33, 06 14 24 51 88 http perso.wanadoo.fr dolflnu.biancu av Sylvere Bohn On the harbour.