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Corsica by CarBy Nancy PodioOn a whimsical suggestion from our daughter, we decided to
spend the last week of our European vacation in Corsica. With only two weeks'
advance reservations for the ferry from Nice, France and a car to be picked up
in Ajaccio, Corsica, (birthplace of Napoleon), we boarded the train for Nice.
Our reservations were for the fast ferry (three hours vs. five for the slow
one) which departed at 7:45 am. With breakfast from the coffee bar onboard, we
settled in our comfortable seats to enjoy our cafe au lait and croissants. Fortunately the farm where we had a reservation was on the
road into town making it easy to find. There were two cottages, one main house,
and a new pool on the hill above the sheep pasture. As the food was served
family style on the porch of the main house, we shared the lamb stew, wonderful
homemade cheeses and local wine with
The next day was spent driving the length of the island on
the eastern coast road to Bonifacio (Bunifazou in Corsican.) After miles of
rough granite mountains, suddenly we descended into a ravine of white sandstone,
which ended at the
The next day we drove along the coast to find several beaches filled with young wind surfers and kite surfers. At times the wind seemed near storm force and the surfers skimmed out of sight quickly. After about five hours of driving we reached Calvi on the north coast where we had to leave the car and board the ferry back to Nice. Luckily we had a few hours to enjoy an outdoor lunch by the harbor, watching sailboat tenders bring the sailors from the anchored boats to the dock and back. Travel Information: Hotels: Bonifacio Hotel Genovese Restaurant in Bonifacio Photos by Tony Podio |
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Four
hours later after sighting two whales and several sailboats en route, we docked
in Ajaccio alongside some very large cruise ships. We had directions to the car
rental agency (Avis, Hertz and others are available) and found it was closed
from noon until three. Bummer. We had our rolling suitcases in tow. So we found
a cafeteria close by and had a three-hour lunch. Our itinerary included the
first night at an "agritourisme" in Corte, a town in the center of Corsica.
Winding up the mountains on narrow roads for three hours, we finally came over a
hill to see Corte in the distance, a fort on a steep hill with a village
surrounding it.
other travelers. After visiting the museum,
hiking a mountain trail beside a clear rocky stream, and finding our way back
for another home-cooked dinner at eight, we collapsed into a quiet night's
sleep.
harbor of this medieval village. Looking up to the old town and fort, we searched for a way to our hotel
perched on the cliff by the fort. A one-way road filled with tourists was well
marked with signs for the Hotel Santa Teresa. There was even ample parking for
guests. Our room looked out to the sea towards Sardinia, which we could barely
see through the windy mist from the sea spray. Standing on the balcony we could
see sailboats and fishing boats tossing on the choppy waves under a brilliant
blue sky.
Just down from our hotel we walked to
the famous stairs which legend recounts were cut into the cliff on one single
night in 1420 by soldiers of King Alphonse V of Aragon in an unsuccessful
attempt to capture the fort above. In order to
see these rugged cliffs better, we braved a one-hour boat trip out of the
natural harbor. Along the coast were inlets perfect for pleasure boat anchorage
with white sand beaches and turquoise water.
A light lunch of salad and
crepes on one of the walking stepped streets before visiting the small aquarium
gave us strength to walk up and down through the old town before heading back to
the hotel for a nap. Dinner of fresh steamed mussels and lobster at the "U Castille" restaurant with a balcony overlooking the sea at sunset provided a
treat for the end of the day.