We have rented a villa for 2 weeks at the end of September just outside Calvi, on the coastline. This will be our first visit to the Island so any information about restaurants, trips we should consider (we have a hire car) places to avoid etc; would be very useful.
Hopefully the weather will still be warm. Are there any markets that take place, if so on what days? Looking forward to our visit
the scenery on some of the photographs look fantastic.
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There are plenty of good restaurants around Calvi and Ile Rousse.
As for beaches you have a great beach running for 4k in Calvi.
a favourite of ours is %26quot;LOZARI beach about 5k outside Ille Rousse just off the main N1197 road.
As for driving ? you are spoiled for choice for dramatic and wonderful scenery. To familiarize yourself with the slow winding roads, the drive up to St Florent is good, and the town is very picturesque. A tour of the Balagne region in the mountains behind calvi is superb. head for Calenzana, and wind your way to St Antonino,and over to Speloncato, lovely old villages with good roads and great views.
A wonderful drive through the most dramatic landscape,has to be the one to Porto, Piana, Evisa and Pont leccia You take the Calvi airport road and a mile or so after the airport you%26#39;ll see the junction for Porto, the drive to Porto will take you a few hours with stops for photographs. Porto itself has plenty of places for food, and a big stony beach. after Porto the drive over to Piana is just stunning.
You now have to return to Porto and head inland for the Spelunca gorge and Evisa. It%26#39;s all mountains and forests now.
{unless you want to retrace your steps to Calvi)
After Evisa you then head for Calacuccia, heading for Francardo where you%26#39;ll join the main road N193 toward Pont Leccia, and the N197 back to Calvi. It%26#39;s a long drive that will take most of the day with a few stops, but well worth it.
Michelin maps are available in the newsagents and supermarkets.
Bon voyage.. Alf
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Thank you Alf, I will look up all the place names on a map I have. Sounds as if is a trip that must be done. We are getting quite keen now to go...only 3 more weeks.
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You%26#39;re welcome Burford, please remember the interior roads are very slow to drive on, as they are most narrow in places, the drive around Porto, Piana and Evisa is mostly second and third gears for mile upon mile, so give yourself plenty of time for all your trips.
Alf
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From the third week in September up to mid October is a lovely time to visit Corsica, the crowds have gone but the weather should still be good, the restaurants are relaxed and pleased to see you, the beaches are quiet - bliss.
The drive Alf has mentioned will give you a good flavour of the island, a mixture of stunning sea vistas approaching Porto on the coast road and then inland through the mountains back to Calvi. It is a long day but well worth it, just make sure you go on a blue sky day to get the best out of it. I have a view over the bay of Porto on my screensaver so am reminded daily just how beautiful that coast is.
You have probably researched restuarants on this forum, in Calvi itself there are plenty the best of which we found to be U Fanale and U Minellu. The set menu at Chez Fifi was good value (down a side street, a few rows back from the marina). Happy holidays.
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Thank you the White family, you obviously know Corsica so well. The next few weeks are going to fly by and then we will be in Calvi. Will write a trip report after our holiday - I love reading everyone%26#39;s adventures. Are there any street markets similar to the ones on the mainland?
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I was hoping one of the locals may advise here as I can only remember a market on the big open space opposite Super U which is used as a car park in high summer. I%26#39;m not sure how often the market was on. I know what you mean about weekly (or twice weekley) markets on the mainland, can remember them from holidays in the south of France. Perhaps Alf can remember from his recent stay ??
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Isle Rousse has a daily market just off the main square in the mornings,from about 7 0clock till midday.
I think there may be a small one on certain days in Calvi. the largest is down in Ajjacio.
you may find some more detailed info on one of the Corsican websites.
Alf
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If you drive to Porto, the pizzeria Les Galets, on the Plage de Bussaglia is a good place for lunch. Excellent pizzas, good Pietra beers, and a smashing view. In Evisa we ate at Restaurant U Mulinu, which was great, and really helpful. Beyond Evisa, there are some lovely walks in the forest, and tame pigs in the car parks. Corte is a must see. The Plage de Perajola beach well east of L%26#39;Isle Rousse is lovely, and we liked Bastia, and the Nebbio wine making area. We stayed a week, and if we had our time to do again, we would do the drive to Porto, and up to Evisa once, not twice, and would drive round Cap Corse instead. The drive to Porto has lovely views, but there%26#39;s precious little between Calvi and Porto, and the drive is long, slow and hard going. It%26#39;s really not much fun for the driver. Calvi is expensive. I would eat at the restaurant of the Hotel Christophe Colomb, and at U Fanale. I would avoid %26quot;Le Jardin%26quot;, and Chez Doume. I Scalini in Sant Antonino is a terrific lunch spot.
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Thank you Idler. It is only 10 days before we arrive in corsica and the information will be useful. It sounds like a beautiful place and I%26#39;m sure we will have a great holiday.
We will eat out a number of times but will also cater for ourselves. Hopefully the weather will be kind and show us some sunshine.
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Don%26#39;t know if you will have internet access as you are already in Corsica. You may want to try a day trip by boat to Ajaccio through the calanques (world heritage site) with just enough time in Ajaccio to see Napoleon%26#39;s birthplace. There is a nice little hike just north of Calvi up to the abandonned village of Occi. Also it is not too far to drive to where you can hike a bit on the GR-20. And don%26#39;t forget to visit Christopher Columbus%26#39;s alleged birthplace and find out why it is not inconsistent for him to be at the same time Genoan and Corsican. Also the train ride into the interior is very interesting. We were there in 2006 and are planning to return sometime next year to hike across Mare a Mare Centre or Sud. You will have a great time!
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