Discover Corsica by car
One of the best ways of visit Corsica is the car: by taking your own vehicle or by renting a car on site, you will have everything freedom to stop at the edge of sublime coves, charming villages and other places to enjoy your stay on the best island of beauty . And even if you usually prefer public transport for prices and proximity to the local population, Corse remains one of these places where you really have to visit everything by yourself whether by car, motorcycle or, for the bravest, by bike.
Flickr – Terretta
Plus, one. road trip in Corsica is the best way to explore all the corners of the island and to meet the inhabitants of this region apart from France, who are really very welcoming.
It is difficult not to falling in love with Corsica because the island has everything (or almost). Breathtaking beaches with crystalline water, breathtaking mountain landscapes, small villages where time seems to have stopped, beautiful forests and rivers, all on an area of 8,680 km2.
Here's one. route to visit Corsica by Road Trip :
Step 1: from Ajaccio to Sartène
From the airport of Ajaccio, you can directly rent a car (to be booked in advance). In a few minutes you will get your vehicle back and you will be able to start your journey on the south and inside the land, direction Sartène.
Shop in Sartène – Flickr – Jean-Christophe
Perched on a rock, with its medieval structure, narrow streets and granite houses, Sartène embodies the essence of Corsica: calm, introverted, sometimes even a little rough, but also capable of being extremely warm.
Stage 2 : Sartène, Zonza, Bavella
Crossing the pretty village Zonza , the winding road to the mountains will reward you with superb views. Here and there, you will surely find wild pigs walking along the road, sometimes even lying on the sidewalk.
The Needles of Bavella – Flickr – Laurent Gébeau
All of a sudden, Bavella needles stand on the horizon, beautiful rocks and summits that dominate the landscape. You can take the time to go hiking in this picturesque massif of Corsica, but there may be a lot of people if you visit Corsica in the summer. It is worth coming in spring or fall.
Step 3: Corte and the Restonica Gorges
Close streets leading to the citadel, old houses that seem a little overlooked... that’s why the village of Corte is fascinating. This is the former capital of Corsica during the short period of independence in the middle of the 18th century.
The Corsican Republic was short-lived, but the old city kept its pride and strictly kept its traditions, beginning with language .
Corte – fotocommunity – Denis DONTENVILLE
From below, the houses perched at the top of the hill offer a beautiful view of the village, while from the top of the citadel, the view over the mountains and the surrounding forests of Corsica Regional Natural Park .
♪ Gorges de la Restonica , nearby, are breathtaking and well known for beautiful hikes, with nothing but a wild landscape to admire while walking on one of the many paths. This is one of the highlights of this road trip through Corsica and a place you couldn’t reach without a car.
Gorges de la Restonica – Flickr – Florian Lefeuvre
Step 4: from Corte to Ota
Some extra winding roads through the mountains and you will see the blue of the sea. Stop! Algajola for lunch (beat the good fresh fish), and for a walk along the white sandy beach, then continue your trip to the charming village of Ota .
Wikimedia – Pierre Bona
Dude Gulf of Porto , one of the only UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Corsica, the road climbs up to Ota, a charming village loved by the mountain. It’s a haven of peace , popular with hikers who come here for day trips or who make a stop along the hiking trail Mare e Monti “the less sporty equivalent of GR 20 for connoisseurs).
A walk Gorges de Spelunca , a glass on the terrace overlooking the mountains and the village, Ota invites to stop for a few days to enjoy the silence, the beauty of the landscapes and to live as a local in the streets or in a bar. An authentic corner of Corsica that you will love for sure.
Step 5 : From Ota to Ajaccio
This last step of this road trip in Corsica is also the most picturesque. The ideal is to leave Ota just after sunrise and reach the Calanques of Piana , when the sun is still low and the colored rocks in pink, contrasting with the dark blue of the water below.
Calanques de Piana – Flickr – Michal Osmenda
On this last part of the road trip, you can stop along the coast to admire the beaches. If you feel nostalgic, just think that you can come back for a new road trip because there are many other routes and meaning to take.
Useful information
Go to Corsica : the cities of Bastia, Ajaccio and Calvi are connected by ferry from Marseille and Toulon in France, but also Savone, Genoa and Livorno in Italy. To go by ferry to Corsica, check the offers on the specialized website Direct Ferries . If you want to get through the air, check the flights to Corsica in advance as some lines are in place only periodically. To find cheap flights to Corsica, compare prices on Skyscanner .
Driving in Corsica : Provide sufficient time, because most roads are winding, often narrow and sometimes in poor conditions. The landscape is so beautiful that there is no need to rush.
Accommodation : Corsica is not a destination for small budgets, so if you are looking for cheap accommodation, your best bet is to sleep in stage cottages, inns for hikers, mainly in small villages and offering half board in dormitories. Also keep overnight rental on rental sites House Trip , Bedycasa or Wimdu.
Here is the road trip described above:
On the map, point F masks point A. The starting point is good from Ajaccio
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