Two weeks, one island, one motorcycle
I've blocked out two weeks this summer for the motorcycle and Corsica. The plan: a loop around the island, with most nights in fixed places so I'm not packing up every single morning. Below is the route as it stands — fourteen days, eight bases, one rest day per week built in.
The route in broad strokes
- Bastia — arrival by ferry, 1 night
- Calvi — via the Balagne, 2 nights
- Corte — inland, 2 nights
- Porto — back to the west coast, 2 nights
- Propriano — staging stop heading south, 1 night
- Bonifacio — the cliffs, 2 nights
- Porto-Vecchio — beach stop on the east coast, 2 nights
- L'Île-Rousse — last two nights before the ferry, 2 nights
Total: 14 nights and 13 riding days, four of them genuinely short. The return ferry leaves L'Île-Rousse in the evening, so the last day still has time off the bike.
Day by day
Day 1 — Toulon → Bastia
Overnight ferry from Toulon, arrival in Bastia early morning. No rush off the boat: coffee at Place Saint-Nicolas, a loop around the old harbour, and only out of town around eleven. First night in Bastia.
Day 2 — Bastia → Calvi (~125 km)
Along the D81 past the Désert des Agriates and into the Balagne. Lunch stop in Sant'Antonino or Pigna. Arrival in Calvi late afternoon.
Day 3 — Calvi
Rest day. Citadel, beach, dinner in the harbour. Bike stays put.
Day 4 — Calvi → Corte (~90 km)
Inland via N197 and T20. Tight mountain roads, the elevation keeps the pace honest. Arriving around lunch, afternoon for the old town and the Citadelle.
Day 5 — Restonica valley
First stretch of the D623 on the bike, then park and continue on foot to Lac de Melo. Full day, back in Corte for dinner.
Day 6 — Corte → Porto (~85 km)
Via the D84, the most beautiful road on the island. Through the Col de Vergio, past the Aïtone forest, and down to Porto with the Calanques in view.
Day 7 — Porto / Scandola
Boat trip from Porto harbour to the Scandola nature reserve and the Calanques de Piana from the water. Half a day, bike stays put.
Day 8 — Porto → Propriano (~95 km)
West coast via Cargèse and Olmeto. Lunch stop in Sartène. Onwards to Propriano in the afternoon. One night — mainly a staging stop.
Day 9 — Propriano → Bonifacio (~70 km)
Short ride down the N196. Arrival before lunch, afternoon for the cliff-top old town and the descent of the Escalier du Roi d'Aragon.
Day 10 — Lavezzi islands
Boat trip out to the Îles Lavezzi from Bonifacio harbour. Snorkelling, packed lunch, back in the late afternoon.
Day 11 — Bonifacio → Porto-Vecchio (~30 km)
Shortest leg of the trip. Afternoon at Plage de Palombaggia or Santa Giulia.
Day 12 — Porto-Vecchio
Second beach morning, possibly a short loop into the Alta Rocca. No long rides.
Day 13 — Porto-Vecchio → L'Île-Rousse (~245 km)
Longest day. East coast on the T10 to Ponte-Leccia, then inland to skip Bastia. Early start, arrival late afternoon.
Day 14 — L'Île-Rousse → ferry
Market on Place Paoli, coffee, hose down the bike. Boarding the overnight ferry to Toulon around 20:00.
Preparation
- Ferry: overnight Toulon → Bastia outbound, L'Île-Rousse → Toulon return. Both with a cabin. Booked as soon as Corsica Ferries opens the summer schedule (late January).
- Accommodation: every night locked in beforehand. In July and August there's no chance of walking in late.
- Luggage: two side cases (clothes, rain gear), top case (helmet, loose items). No tent — every night in guesthouses or hotels.
- Bike: full service before leaving, new tyres, chain lube on board. Tyre repair kit and jump leads in the top case.
- Clothing: cooling vest for the hot days, fleece for the mountain passes. The gap between Bonifacio at sea level and the Col de Vergio at 1,477 m is significant.
And now?
In a few weeks the bike goes in for its service and after that it's just counting down. If the route ends up looking different in practice I'll write a follow-up.