This was another beautiful morning at Calvi. Everything looks like early spring in Munich. In the hotel, we were woken up by the sun. Our first impression of the day was the view of the citadel and the harbour. Everything is totally different from home.
After the mandatory “petit dejeuner”, we take the bikes out of the garage. Shortly after 9 a.m., we start towards St.-Fleurant. The first stop on the way is Lumio.
The fat road – “red” on the map – leading there is less frequented than we had feared. Moreover, there is a broad cyclist’s path next to it on almost all the way. So we are a little distance from all the traffic. The 200 height metres to Lumio were not really a burden.
From Lumio, we ride on along the N 197 to L’Ile-Rousse. The route runs parallel to the narrow-gauge railroad of CFC. Once in a while, we see the narrow tracks. At noon, we relax in L’Ile-Rousse.
For sustenance, we drink some hot chocolate sitting on the idyllic market square. Then we stroll a little through the small alleyways and enjoy the view of a big SNCM ferry departing from the harbour.
On the way back, we discover a small market. It is full of traditional Corsican delicacies. This is the last chance to go shopping. We buy Corsican Salami made from wild boar, bacon and cheese for those who stayed at home. I am sure there will be a nice smell coming from our saddlebags in the afternoon.
On we go. 8 kilometres from L’Ile-Rousse, we leave the N 197 (in Lozan). Now we ride 11 kilometres on the N 1197 until we reach Monetta. Here, we take the incline to the Bocca di Vezzu, that is a pass, but it is only 311 metres in altitude.
From here, we are back in paradise. Even the incline does not put the slightest damper on it. After all, it is only 300 metres.
From the Bocca di Vezzu, we roll along between altitudes of 300 and 350 metres for 10 kilometres. Everything looks so beautiful that even going by bike you are too fast to take all the scenery in properly. So we decide to make several stops in order to enjoy.
Before we start the decline of 8 kilometres to St-Fleurant, we pause for a Pietra (that is the local Corsican beer – I very much recommend it). Shortly before 5 p.m., we arrive earlier than expected – regardless of all the strolling and stopping we did – at our destination: St.-Fleurant. Today, we only rode around 70 kilometres.
St.-Fleurant has only 1,500 inhabitants, but it is a really nice small town with a wide-spread harbour. It is not as mundane as Calvi (to me, Calvi seemed like Corsica’s St. Tropez or Nizza), but very lovable. We end up at the hotel Central, eat wild bear and will certainly soon be in our beds.
After all, our last leg tomorrow to Bastia (24 kilometres) is through the Col de Teghime. The Col de Teghime is an impressive 536 metres high. And we have to arrive at the Livorno ferry at 12.30 p.m. – So we should be well-rested before we start.
RMD
(Translated by EG)
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