Crossing the GR20 at the Col de Bavella (1217 m.)
Docking at Porto-Vechio
Fresh bright Corsican summer morning arriving in stunning Porto-Vechio after the overnight crossing from Marseille. Immediately that island feeling, fantastic sandy beaches to the left; big rocks on the right. Road signs pockmarked with spare bullets. Petit-déj at drive-in boulangerie next to the gun club range at Lecci and already +28°C by 9 o’clock.
Embarkation, Marseille
Anse de Favone, Tour de Pinarello (Genoese tower on headland)
Lecci
Leaving the coastal highway and holiday homes at Solenzara, up the road to the Col de Bavella (1217 m.), the towering granite topography reminding me of Yosemite. The surface good enough and views very scenic but not easy to see round the corners so limited on sport opportunities.
Top of the col and crossing the GR20, the mythic long-distance footpath that is a rite of passage for so many, military included. Down from the col, I stopped for lunch at a country boulangerie at Zonza (778 m.) and found a forest clearing for a sieste under towering Lancio pines.
Crossing the GR20 at the Col de Bavella (1217 m.)
Col de Bavella (1217 m.)
Looking west from the Col de Bavella (1217 m.)
Zonza (778 m.)
Down the west-facing side of the island ridge - the Alta Roca region. I found huge forested valleys steep and untouched by glaciers, topped by charming hill towns. Lots of roads, lots of villages. The wind from the west, Le Ponant, became gusty and cool.
I ended my day at Sartène (330 m.), a comparatively large hill town built of granite blocks squared and strong, Sartène commands a view down to the Mediterranean and the sunset was fantastic.
Food and local wine good at a family restaurant: ham and melon with a taste of Cap Corse vin cuit. Then, there’s no such thing as a definitive daube as they are all different, every time round, but this was pretty much perfect: sanglier (boar) well tender, sauce slightly peppered and full of flavour and body. Pasta just right. Local red wine based on the Nielluccio grape varietal, related to the Tuscan Sangiovese. But I didn’t take full advantage of the musicians honouring the Fête de la Musique into the dark night.
Just one day but it was a brilliant day.
Sartène
Sartène
Interesting to ride my CBR600RR again after the new ZX-4RR. The 600 feels a far bigger bike. Much more low down power, don’t have to scream it.
Sartène sunset
Corsica 2019