Accueil > Balades à venir > CORSICA TOUR : from 15th to 21st October 2010

CORSICA TOUR : from 15th to 21st October 2010

vendredi 20 août 2010, par Barry

From Ajaccio, our port of arrival, to Bastia, from where we will be sailing back, we’ll be spending five fantastic days in the "Island of Beauty". This is a classic MEB tour, although this year we’ve made some modifications to the programme.

Like each year for the past twelve years, we will be taking the CMN ferry from Marseilles on the evening of Friday 15th October to arrive in the superb town of Ajaccio at sunrise.

We will then ride to the "Le Belvédère" hotel in Coti Chiavari, where we will establish our base camp. We’ll leave our luggage there and have a light snack before getting back on the road to visit the Campomoro peninsula, just south of Propriano, where we’ll have a picnic. It’s likely that we’ll be able to take a dip in the sea - the first of the tour - and admire the Gulf of Valinco. The return route to the hotel will go inland, through groves of cork oaks.

On the following day, we’ll leave the hotel via the coast road, bypassing Ajaccio before heading north to reach the wonderful Vico valley, following the course of the River Liamone. From Vico, we’ll drop back down to the west coast of the island via the Gulf of Porto and the "Calanche di Piana" ; beyond Cargese, there is a small surprise in store, and we will be riding a road that is undoubtedly one of the wildest ones we’ve ever ridden. The return to the Belvédère will be via... the famous "Pénitentier" special section, which needs no introduction !

On the third day, we’ll be visiting the inland villages : Olmeto, Martini, the Siu pass, Abellara, Ste. Lucie de Tallano, Aullène... all magical names that are a part of Corsican history that you’ll be learning about. There will be a picnic in a magical spot before returning to the coast with a special surprise for those who like taking a dip in spectacular surroundings. We return to the hotel via the "maquis" road.

Day 4 : we’ll be heading down south to the citadel of Bonifacio via a road that takes in oak forests and the coastal passes. Lunch will consist of fish in a magic creek with a dip in the sea included. We’ll then return to Sartène via the "Spéciale des Italiens" special section, with a pause in a village along the way for a quick drink. On our final day, we’ll be leaving the hotel early to head towards St-Florent via the Castaniccia and the Desert of the Agriates and - time permitting - entering Bastia via the Cap Corse. All idyllic places that will leave us with fantastic memories ! At 6:30pm we will be boarding the CMN ferry in Bastia to sail back to the continent. The passage will be the same as on the way out, and we will arrive in Marseilles on Thursday 21st October early in the morning.

Each day, we will be doing rides of between 250 and 300 km (155 - 186 miles), which will enable us to visit most of what can be considered as the most beautiful part of Corsica.

Half board, apéritif, wines and coffee are included in typically Corsican dinners each evening. Double rooms in a charming hotel. Exterior cabins (with portholes), meals and breakfasts in the restaurant on board the ferries.

IMPORTANT : THERE ARE ONLY FOUR PLACES AVAILABLE (two double bedrooms) !! For further information, and to book, don’t hesitate and send an email to meb@motardsenbalade.net. Closing date for booking : 12th September.