Corsica

Travel Story

We just received our brand new semi-recumbent tandem bicycle from the bike shop and we were looking forward to trying it as soon as possible.

We had heard positive travel stories about Corsica from our mates, and at the time of this trip, we were staying in Marseille, which is one ferry away from the island.

It made sense to us that Corsica would make a superb playground as it would offer a warm climate, acceptable road conditions and fantastic sceneries.

Notice that we chose to visit Corsica in winter as we thought there would be fewer tourists and the atmosphere would be more laid-back, while experiencing comfortable temperatures. We could confirm our intuition as we saw lots of touristic facilities, fortunately empty in this season.

Overall feel

What we appreciate

• Landscapes
• Bike-friendly drivers
• Favorable weather, especially in winter
• Exotic culture, different from the French mainland

What we dislike

• The traditional diet is mainly based on pork

In details

Stats

• Way of travelling: Bikepacking
• Starting date: December 3, 2022
• Duration: 14 days
• Distance: 500 km

Crossing the border

We took the ferry from Marseille to Bastia. It takes about 13 hours to cross the Mediterranean sea. The vessel was well equipped and we could have a comfortable travel. There was a special place for parking our bicycle on board, where ropes and pads where provided to attach the bike.

From Marseille, the staff insisted that we took a shuttle and stored the bicycle inside the luggage compartment. We didn’t think it was a good idea but they left us with no choice. Actually, if you don’t check-in at the pedestrian gates but go directly to the gates for the car-drivers, you’ll be able to cycle your way directly until the ferry, and with much less hassle.

Fab 🇫🇷

As a French national, you just need to present your ID card or your passport.

Mina 🇯🇵

Mina had a long-stay visa for France which allowed her to stay inside the Schengen area. Corsica is part of France, i.e. part of the Schengen area.

Otherwise, Japanese passports’ holders can stay 90 days in 6 months inside the Schengen area.

Road condition

There is an official cycle route called “Grande Traversée 20”, a.k.a GT20, that starts in “Cap Corse” (North cape) and that crosses the island through its length until Bonifacio. We intended to follow it at first, but had to re-route because of the harsh conditions that winter brings on the road. Instead, after arriving in Bastia by ferry, we cycled all around the “Cap Corse” following the coastline. We then came back to Bastia and headed South via the the highway, until Bonifacio. From there we rode towards Ajaccio by making a stopover at Guitera-les-Bains, as wanted to have a hot bath there.

In general, the road condition is adequate and drivers will gently pass you safely. Especially on the GT20 sections, which included the “Cap Corse” and a short part of our itinerary around Bonifacio.

However, between Bonifacio and Ajaccio, the road felt a little less safe as the drivers would not be as mindful on the highway. We then decided to take a country road to avoid the business of the highway, but we then had to deal with endless sections of potholes.

The East coast’s road was fast and easy to ride but monotonous and boring.

Expect to climb up many hills on the way. We had to push our bike a few times as we were riding a loaded tandem. It should be more manageable if you ride a standard bicycle.

Accommodations

We only stayed one night in a budget hotel at the end of our trip in Ajaccio, so we don’t have much to say here. We noticed on the way that many accommodations were closed because of the winter season though.

Freedom camping

We did freedom camping almost everyday. Since it was winter, most of the shops were closed, and we would use the empty facilities as one-night shelters near the towns. Otherwise, we would camp on the beach or near ruins. The locals didn’t mind much, but it might have been because it was winter and there wasn’t any tourists around.

Don’t leave any food or rubbish outside your tent. Farm and wild animals are free-roaming and might damage your belongings while foraging, although they are not aggressive.

Facilities

Corsica is well equipped. The facilities are clean and well maintained. You can find supermarkets pretty much everywhere except in the “Cap Corse”, where the local shops where closed in winter. We noticed that pizzerias were popular even though we couldn’t try them much in this season.

Although most of the businesses will accept the credit card, they often require a minimum amount of purchase.

Regarding the toilets, you can find inside the large supermarkets, or at any café, bar, restaurants…

Refilling your water bottles is not a big challenge as you can find public water taps frequently. The water from the tap is fresh and tastes good. In the most remote parts, the water might not be drinkable or there might not be any tap at all. In this case, you can ask the locals and they will likely provide you water.

We only had to stop at a bike shop once for checking our tyres’ pressure. You can find them at least in the main towns, which are never to far from your current location.

Communication with the locals

Most of the locals can speak French and the Corsican dialect. They were really helpful and will gladly tell you about the Corsican culture if requested. We asked them many times for tips and advice, such as the best restaurant or the tastiest local specialty around.

As a proof of their friendliness, one night we were camping near the beach, a local brought us a blanket in case we would feel too cold. We thought it was a really thoughtful gesture from that person.

Food

Corsican cuisine is heavily based on goat cheese (brocciu) and pork delicatessen. It’s not normally part of our diet, but Mina had the opportunity try homemade sausages and she enjoyed it.

We strongly recommend the brocciu cheese. It tastes fantastic. Once you start, you cannot stop.

We were also lucky to be there during the orange season. The oranges were juicy and sweet. We encountered many fruit stalls on the side of the road where we could find them for a couple euros per kilogram.

In general, Corsica produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, to our surprise.

Beverage-wise, the Corsican coffee tastes more similar to the Italian brew, than the generic watery French coffee you would find on the mainland.

Last but no least, pizzas seem to also be part of their culture. There were heaps of pizzerias on the way, but we couldn’t try any of them as they were closed for winter. We only ate them once we were in Ajaccio and they were top notch.

Vegetarian friendly:

⭐⭐⭐☆☆

Since pork-based delicatessen is the local specialty, it’s not easy to find vegetarian food in the smaller shops. At the restaurant, pizzas seem to be the safer choice. Otherwise, pesto is also part of their specialties, although it contains brocciu, a ricotta-like cheese.

What we eat:

• Baguettes
• Eggs
• Brocciu
• Mozzarella
• Brocciu-based pesto
• Canestrelli
• Pizza
• Coffee
• Oranges

⭐ Fab's favourite:

Brocciu: local fresh sheep cheese made during autumns, winters and springs.

⭐ Mina's favourite:

Corsican chicken eggs.

5 memorable places

Guitera-les-Bains	Free natural hot spring bath
Cap Corse	Never ending dramatic landscapes
Bonifacio	Historic citadel surrounded by gorgeous Mediterranean fjords, with a legendary view on precipitous cliffs
Roccapina	Viewpoint on the magnificent Corsican coast
Bonaparte’s House	History museum built inside Napoleon’s family house (if you are into Napoleon)