Friday 5th July 2019 The original plan for the journey to Bonifacio was for us to make a three hour journey by bus, changing at Scopetto. However, the time spent rehydrating around marinas on this trip had proved inspirational for Robert and he had discovered we could catch a tourist boat to Bonifacio. This revised route would only take an extra half hour and would include views of the city from the sea and take in various significant geological features on the way, which appealed to the geography graduate in him. Having bought the boat tickets on our first night in Ajaccio Robert did not inspect them until we were waiting on the quay to board the boat only to discover that the tickets had been issued for the day we arrived in Ajaccio two days earlier on 3 July. Fortunately the ticket office opened at about 07:30 and Robert was able to go and point out the error – the credit card receipt proved that we had in fact purchased our tickets long after the boat we were booked on had already sailed. Travelling by boat to Bonifacio was a real treat. The route hugs the coastline past successive […]
Corsica
Thursday 4th July 2019 Matilda had read in the guide book about Filitosa: the most famous prehistoric site on Corsica with Neolithic anthropomorphic menhirs situated about 50 km/30miles from Ajaccio. She felt that this would make a change from citadels and it would be worth a visit to see these megalithic stones carved with ancient faces and weapons. However, after making several enquiries it became apparent that the site is best accessed by road so she has promised herself a return visit to this beautiful island in Alan the motorhome to see some of the places not readily served by public transport. Our walk through Ajaccio took us through the market in Piazza Foch, which smelt strongly of cheese and was selling all manner of Corsican produce and foodstuffs. We walked on past the harbour and the citadel, which is not open to the public as it remains under military command and where there were donkeys grazing in the old moat. Place d’Austerlitz, formerly and locally known as the Place du Casone, features a statue of Napoléon at the top of a stone pyramid flanked by two flights of steps and triumphant eagles to left and right. The statue is […]
Tuesday 2 and Wednesday 3 July 2019 As the Calvi area is known for six kilometres of long white sandy beaches we decided to delay breakfast and start the day with a stroll along the bay and a refreshing swim. The beach is indeed sandy and slopes gently down so is ideal for children. In some places there is a thin band of brown and white pieces of vegetation floating where the sea meets the land, looking like sections of ticker tape streamers which we assume came from the bark and the cones of the nearby pine trees. But in general the sea is clear and you can see shoals of small fish casting shadows in the shallows which panic and scatter as you walk along in the surf. The beach has many cafes with rows of loungers and parasols for rent. We noticed the prices at one: €30 for the front row with prices decreasing as your proximity to the sea recedes. We opted to put our clothes in a pile out of the sea’s reach and enjoyed a cooling dip in the clear turquoise Mediterranean before returning to our hotel to wash off the sand and salt. Having […]
Sunday 30th June – Monday 1st July 2019 Because of the tight corners needed to negotiate the gradient of the inland mountains, the Corsican trains run on narrow gauge track and they are some of the most scenic routes in Europe. In contrast to the Himalayan trains in India however, the rolling stock is modern and significantly more comfortable. The train from Bastia to Calvi travels southwards down the east coast then cuts across the central mountains to the west of the island. It then travels along the western coast past the beautiful beaches at L’Île Rousse, Corbara and Algajola. As we arrived on the train, Calvi Citadel is proudly visible at the far end of the bay. The Citadel here presents a more complete profile to the world than its equivalent in Bastia and impressive bastions overlook the sea on three sides. Like the Citadel at Bastia, it was also built by the Genoese as protection for the port and local trade. Quay Landry runs along the side of the marina and port and offers a wealth of waterside ice cream parlours, cafes and bars with parasols to provide shade and is the perfect spot to cool down and […]
Friday 28th – Saturday 29th June 2019 Our overnight ferry from Toulon, originally scheduled to depart at 21:00, was delayed by several hours. We had hoped for a picturesque departure at sunset but it was already dark when we finally boarded at close to 23:00. The concierge proudly informed us that our cabin had a window but it was not until the morning we realised we were right at the stern with views over the wake. Unfortunately, this also meant that we were above the engine room. Although we were safely tucked up in bed and dozing by the time all the cars, motorhomes and lorries had been loaded and the ship was ready to depart we were wide awake as soon as the captain and pilot revved up the engines to manoeuvre their way out of port. Everything in the cabin – the doors, the prefabricated shower and toilet unit, the aforementioned window, the bed and the metal ladder for the optional extra berth – seemed to rattle, shake or squeak in a discordant cacophony. Fortunately, as we braced ourselves for a sleepless night on board we must have reached open sea; the side thrusters were turned off […]