Corsica, May 2022 −  Travels −  Captain Tom

Corsica, May 2022

The first time this year we go on tour again. Like last time, it goes in the spring to Corsica. A little earlier (instead of June already in May) and actually that is a little more pleasant from the temperatures. However, there was also some more rain.

Marcellus from Extreme Tours has organized everything for us again and we are going with a total of 8 people. But we drive in two groups and so everything remains easy and pleasant. We meet again and again at viewpoints, coffee places and lunch restaurants.

We had many animals (donkeys, goats, cows, pigs, horses) on the road and also a lot of dirt both as a result of the rain and from the animals. Two days of rain did not stop us from driving. There were also the usual but harmless bike incidents: Once not starting, an emergency repair because of a lost screw, an overturn while parked.

So we have experienced a lot and had a really nice tour
1The group

We are eight this time: Michi sr, Beat, Marcellus, Franz, Tom, Michi jr, Maxi and Peter

2All pictures

We took more than 3000 photos together. I have summarized all of them and put them into a 5-minute video

3The journey to corsica

We come from different directions. For me, the trip takes two days. First I drive to Franz. There the bikes go on the trailer and we drive to Savona in Italy to the ferry.
Michi sr and Michi jr come with the bike from a place near Munich to Savona.
Marcellus drives with the trailer from Ammersee lake to Beat in Switzerland and then together with him to Savona.
In Savona we leave the cars and trailers and go in the evening onto the ferry.
At 6 o'clock in the morning the ferry arrives in Bastia/Corsica. Maxi and Peter are in Sardinia and go from there directly to Corsica.
We meet all together then for breakfast in Bastia before we start the tour.

I leave Berlin
The bikes are on the trailer
Nice dinner with Dagmar and Franz
I can cuddle the dogs.
On the way to Savona
Getting fuel in Switzerland
Maxi and Peter are already on Corsica and make first encounters with the islanders
Marcellus has picked up Beat
Michi sr and Michi jr ar on there way
I discover a camouflaged new BMW X7 in Switzerland
Maxi and Peter at Bocca di Sorba
We have reached Savona in best weather
Bikes get unloaded
Joint dinner in Savona
Entering the ferry
4Bastia-Calvi

Early in the morning the ferry reaches Bastia. We meet Maxi and Peter and after a breakfast we drive along the north coast to Calvi.

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Bastia in sight. The pilot boat has dropped off the pilot and is heading back to port
French breakfast with coffee and croissant in Bastia
View back to Bastia
The video shows how incredible the curves are on Corsica and also how well the four of us (Tom, Franz, Peter, Michael) can ride together.
Nice place for a morning coffee
A local passes by
Morning coffee
Nonza with a great view to the beach
Lunch in Nonza
Route barrée - the road is closed and we have to look for a bypass.
The bypass looks promising
Coffee break in the afternoon
Nice view to the mountains on our way to Calvi
Dinner in the marina of Calvi
5Calvi - Loop to the rocks of Calanques de Piana

We drive a beautiful loop to the south. The red rocks Calanques de Piana are waiting for us. But before that we go over the Bocca di Verghju and in the afternoon we drive a great coastal road to the Bocca di Palmarella and from there back to Calvi.

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First stop on Bocca di Salva
Nice view back to Calvi
Bocca Campana is covered with gravel
Morning coffee in Moltifao
The other group stops on Col de San Francescu before joining us in Moltifao.
We go into the mountains
The cow looks a bit excited
Us four on Bocca di Verghju
Bocca di Verghju
Stop at Calanques de Piana
Michi jr at Calanques de Piana
Calanques de Piana
Specific hole in the rock
We ride to Plage d'Arone beach
At Plage d'Arone
A small visitor
Afternoon coffee at Plage d'Arone
Goats at the coastal road to Bocca di Palmarella
Brilliant view at Bocca di Palmarella
We observe low-level flights of an Airbus A400M in the evening
6Calvi-Zonza

We change hotels from Calvi in the north to Zonza in the mountains in the south. After a little while on a coastal road we go into the mountains and into the Vallée de Restonica. The sun slowly disappears and we have some rain in between.

Peter and Maxi leave us after morning coffee for a tire change in Ajaccio.

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Bocca di Palmarella in the morning
Bocca di Palmarella
Big bullet holes at Bocca di Palmarella
Many goats
Morgenkaffee am Strand von Sagone
Pigs in our way
Route barrée - construction workers waved us through though.
We go into the mountains
Vallée de Restonica
Arrival at the end of the road
Big sandwich for lunch
Die tote Kuh (eigentlich ein Stier) hat uns alle erstaunt
Pigs again
Hotel Le Tourisme in Zonza - nice rooms
Hotel Le Tourisme - decoration
Hotel Le Tourisme
7Zonza - Rundtour West

It is raining cats and dogs. But we still want to go to an agricultural cooperative in Bastelica to taste Corsican ham, sausage and cheese. We adjust the route and set off.
Maxi and Peter sit out this day.
Beat has visibility problems with the helmet visor and has to turn back after a short distance.
Marcellus and Michi sr go to Ajaccio for a tire change after visiting the agricultural cooperative.

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It is raining cats and dogs
Col de Saint-Eustache in the rain
Tom and Michi jr arrive at Col de Saint-Eustache
Col de Saint-Eustache
There is nothing offered at the agricultural cooperative - but there is the reference to Chez Paul
Fine corsian food at Chez Paul
Chez Paul
We are obviously in the right place
Maxi and Peter enjoy the day in Zonza
Coffee break in Petreto-Bicchisano
Col de Saint-Eustache again
The video shows the ride of Marcellus and Michi sr. on the D420, the eastern ramp of the Col de la Tana, in the rain
Back to Zonza
8Zonza - Südwestrunde

The rain continues. According to the move of the rain areas, we reverse our planned loop. Successfully: We even have dry roads in between. However, it rains properly at the beginning and when we reach our main destination Bonifacio it is pouring.

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Ready to go
Village in the valley
Col de Saint-Eustache again
Morgenkaffee in Petreto-Bicchisano
Bocca di Roccapina
Bocca di Roccapina
Lunch
The fortress of Bonifacio
Bonifacio on the sandstone cliffs - with good will you can see the stairs down to the sea, the Escalier du Roy d'Aragon (Stairs of the King of Aragon).
Beautiful view of Porto-Veccio from the viewpoint L'Ospédale
Lac de l'Ospedale
Back to the hotel in Zonza
Nice dinner in Zonza
9Zonza-Bastia

Already the last day. It goes back to Bastia to the ferry. But before that we want to cross Bocca di Bavedda (Col de Bavella). However, it lies in the fog. Later we drive into the Asco valley. In the afternoon we reach Bastia again.

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Franz is ready
Col de Larone
Traces of a wild fire
At the Ponte Grossu we have a beautiful view of the Solenzara stream and the mountains
Nice viewpoint with sight to the eastern coast
Vineyard
Farewell to Maxi and Peter. They drive back to Bonifacio and from there they cross over to Sardinia.
Very small cow in Asco valley
We are on top of the Asco valley
Asco stream
Emergency repair - a screw got lost
Done with Duct tape and Gopro screw
On our way in Asco valley
Lunch in Asco
Marcellus discovers a mouflon later on
The video shows me and Michi jr. in the Asco valley riding downhill
We reach Bastia in the afternoon
A final coffee and I have the opportunity to create the tracklog of the day.
At the ferry
The video shows in timelapse the entry into the ferry
Beat and Tom are waiting for departure
10The journey back to Berlin

The ferry drops us off in Savona at 6 in the morning. While Michi sr and Michi jr go straight home, we have breakfast in Savona. Then we load the trailers and head back to Germany.
The following day I make the remaining 600 kilometers to Berlin.

Farewell to Michi sr and Mich jr at the ferry in Savona
Breakfast in Savona
Coffee and croissant
Unloading and Loading
Bikes are on the trailers
Italian in Savona
Last Italian Espresso
The following day yellow canola fields...
... and yellow dandelion meadows
I am back to Berlin
In total I made 3146 kilometers (1954 miles) in 8 days
11Our target area

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