Amazed By Corsica: Porto Ota-Calvi-Asco-Bastia
With Corsica boasting five scenic drives each reputed to be breathtaking we have planned to follow at least three of them during our stay on the island, so having had two days to explore the amazing Calanques de Piana we build a second spectacular drive into our journey to our next base. Corsica is very much more mountainous than we knew, these are proper mountain roads with narrow twists and turns, precipitous drops and sometimes unforgiving rock on each side. They are an absolute joy to drive but require maximum vigilance too.
This one is a 22 kilometre drive from Porto Ota to the picturesque mountain village of Evisa, a route with all of those attributes and qualities and all of those dangers. In our days here we have seen the remains of crashed cars hundreds of feet down the mountainside, wrecked cars left to rot in passing places, and floral tributes to those who presumably didn’t heed the warnings. These roads demand respect.
It’s galling therefore when our “under inflated tyre” warning light flicks on somewhere on a narrow pass miles from anywhere, choosing its moment carefully so as to cause as much distress as possible. As we are soon to discover, there are no tyre services in a small town like Evisa and, knowing our rental car is not equipped with a spare wheel, we wander the village, grab a quick coffee then soon creep back to Porto Ota with fingers crossed and palms a bit sweaty. The machine at the gas station shows no sign of a problem, saying all tyres are fine, but the dashboard is telling a different story. Over the stone bridge, the old woman at the auto shop says they’re closed till 2pm, and to come back in an hour.
2:05pm the door opens and a guy who looks about ninety years old shuffles down the steps, opens the workshop doors and puts great effort into steadfastly ignoring the fact that we are there. I explain the problem in my best French. His response is gruff, impassive and accented, but I catch the words “non”, “mechanique” and “demain”, none of which are what we wanted to hear. It’s back to crossed fingers and sweaty palms and a 90-minute drive on spectacular roads to our next base at Calvi. We stop regularly for views and photographs and each time we do so, the tyres look fine. We’re growing more confident.
After settling into Calvi we head next morning to a tyre shop down the road. He checks all four and finds everything fine, just like we did yesterday. Except he now gets in the car and does techie type things with the touch screen and within seconds he’s smiling and satisfied. The warning light has gone off. “Pas de probleme avec les pneus”, he explains, “la probleme est le computer”. Now that’s something I can relate to in any language.
We can’t believe we’ve never heard of Calvi before as a recognised holiday destination, because in terms of a standard two week getaway place it has everything you could ever want: great location, superb food, an ancient citadel, quaint centre, an attractive waterfront and white sand beaches which stretch some six kilometres along the coast, starting right in the town. The beaches really are idyllic, that white sand being lapped by crystal clear, gentle waves and fringed by verdant pine and chestnut trees. There’s even a short railway running 45 minutes along the coast from Calvi to Ile Rousse, a journey of stunning views which bring home just how many beautiful quiet beaches there are along this stretch.
This section of coastline is so lovely that, as we say, it’s hard to believe we don’t already know about it. Most visitors here seem to be from mainland France with a smattering of Germans – maybe Calvi hasn’t targeted the British holiday market. We also have to mention our accommodation here, which is great fun, on an old school campsite where camper vans and tents outnumber lodges by about two to one.
Our great little pad is a pod of timber construction with spacious veranda, down a track from the campsite’s pool, shop and cafe which all remind us of holidays decades ago. It’s years since either of us stayed anywhere like this and we find it hugely enjoyable, perhaps to our surprise. We almost feel reluctant to move on, so comfortable is our little wooden home.
And so to the last of those spectacular drives, and this one is no less magnificent than the others, possibly even pips them in the gobsmack department. Eastwards and then inland from Calvi, along sumptuous coastlines and up into the mountains towards the section which gives this drive its reputation, the Asco Gorge. The village of Asco is beautiful in its own right but the gorge is unbelievably spectacular: enchanting, dramatic and constantly surprising. Each twist and turn brings more gasps of disbelief. It’s an amazing, stunning drive through incredible scenery.
Beyond Asco village we park up and head on foot down the steep track into the valley bottom where an ancient stone bridge spans the water with character and style. This picturesque bridge – the Ponte Génois d’Asco – is around 600 years old, constructed by the Genoese in the fifteenth century, and creates a beautiful, peaceful scene on the babbling river.
It’s fair to say that we are seriously impressed by Corsica, particularly this northern section. A week hasn’t been long enough to do full justice to this wonderful and dramatic island which is so much more mountainous and spectacular than we had ever imagined. Truly, we had no idea it was such an amazing island. Maybe we’ll be back for more.
But for now, that’s it. Our final drive is from Asco to Bastia where we once again bid farewell to the rental car, enjoy a meal at a restaurant by the port and bed down for our last night on Corsica. Tuesday comes and it’s an early start, today we have not just an early ferry to catch from Bastia to Livorno on the Italian mainland, but also a succession of train journeys which will take us to our next destination.
Tuscany awaits. We’re heading to Siena.
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20 Comments
Suzanne@PictureRetirement
The bridge photo alone was worth any harrowing moments spent getting there. I’m a white knuckle rider, so probably not for me, but it is amazing.
Phil & Michaela
Very impressed by Corsica, Suzanne – much more than we expected to be.
Eha Carr
Well, with my current (and probably future-for-a-while!) computer problems, I am thrilled Mr Google was kind enough to reach this post! What fabulous photos of mountain and sea scenery, atmospheric townships and a rather lovely pad for a temporary stay 🙂 ! Great memories made! And, now > Tuscany . . . one of my most beloved places in the world . . . cannot wait!
Phil & Michaela
Corsica really is spectacular, so many great landscapes…
Lynette d'Arty-Cross
It’s such a gorgeous island as your fantastic pictures show. When I visited it was May (20 years ago now), uncrowded and stunning. I’m glad to hear that there wasn’t anything wrong with your tire. Cheers.
Phil & Michaela
Fabulous island, so scenic.
restlessjo
This one really tugs at my heartstrings, Phil. You remember I mentioned a blogger friend who loved Corsica (and Calvi in particular, so I’m familiar with many of these images). Did you know Drake Noir? He posted daily, with a keen sense of humour. He was a Liverpool fan, and a keen biker and sailor. One day he just disappeared from WordPress and I spent weeks trying to find out what happened to him. I feared the worst because he wasn’t a guy to not say his goodbyes. There was always the possibility that he would end up at the bottom of one of those drops. I so hope not! It looks a very beautiful place xx
Phil & Michaela
No I don’t know the name, Jo. We were though very taken with Corsica, could easily have made it a longer stay.
Terrie
Just catching up. We also loved Corsica. We traversed the island by train and yes were surprised as we went up and over the mountains with snow! Loved your reading.
Phil & Michaela
Hi Terrie. What a spectacular, scenic island. Probably should have given it more than a week.
Toonsarah
I had heard that Corsica has some amazing scenery (and had also heard of Calvi) but your photos look even better than my expectations! The drives look stunning but daunting, you’ve done well to handle them. I do sympathise with that dashboard light incident as we’ve had similar false alarms with hire cars.
Monkey's Tale
I guess I don’t know much about Corsica either. Asco Gorge looks stunning and Calvi does look perfect. Don’t spread the word until we get there to see it unspoilt. 😊 Maggie
Phil & Michaela
Too late I fear 😂. Spectacular island, so much to see.
Phil & Michaela
It really did exceed our expectations by some distance. An exciting island full of dramatic scenery.
Annie Berger
You ‘lucked out’ in having chosen to visit Corsica, but I know full well how much time and effort is spent planning any vacation! Corsica looks positively breathtaking, Phil. I knew next to nothing about it, prior to reading your posts. Sorry to hear about the tyre problem – that must have been quite concerning, until you realized it was a computer glitch!
Phil & Michaela
It was! Corsica seriously exceeded expectations, Annie. Spectacular island full, we may even go back one day!
WanderingCanadians
These certainly look like scenic drives. Glad to hear there was nothing actually wrong with your car. Good thing you rolled the dice and continued driving. Safe travels to Siena.
Phil & Michaela
Yes, seriously worth it – terrific island full of spectacular scenes
grandmisadventures
Incredible pictures! I love that bridge over the gorge!
Phil & Michaela
A beautiful spot indeed!