Monti a Mare

Having completed our hike at the highest road pass in Corsica we are now going to head for the seaside town of Porto less than 10 km away as the crow flies but almost 1500M lower in altiude. To get there we will be making a very steep descent through the Gorges di Spelunca area past the mountainside towns of Evisa and Porto.

We stop off first in Evisa. Dana is pretty tired from the hike and we decide this will make a good lunch stop. It's a small narrow town overlooking the gorge on one side. The guide highly recommends a local restaurant, A Tramula which has a small balcony with a teriffic view. We arrive just in time to snag the last table available for their lunch service.

The menu includes a very delicious sounding three course meal but that really seems like too much food. Instead, Dana and I opt to share two appetizers, each of which turns out to be as large as a regular dish. The first, a Brocciu omelet is very light and perfectly cooked but a little light on the flavor side. The second is a delicious chestnut flavored Terrine au Sanglier which is essentially a pate of pig (or chopped liver made with pig instead of chicken liver). Given the abundance of local chestnuts as food for animals, the local pigs end up having a chestnutty flavor to them. A unique quality to Corsican Charcuterie.

Lunch over we get back into the car and continue our journey to the coast. Originally, I had hoped to hike along a trail that runs between Evisa and Ota by descending into the Gorges di Spelunca. Instead we're taking the long way around via the D84 which follows a long and winding course around the spectacular gorges. The road, as is typical, hugs the side of the mountain on one side leaving the other side open to the towering rock walls and dramatic vistas of this unique landscape. I got a few pictures from the car but the best way to see it yourself is to go to Google Maps and look up Evisa, Corsica. You'll see the D84 as it  winds it's way towards the coast. Zoom in for a street view somewhere along the twisty curves and you should be able to see the same awe inspiring and slightly terrifying views.

GR20 Meeting

This morning we are going on a slightly more strenuous hike to the Bergeries de Radule (even though most guide books rate this as fairly easy).

Bergeries are mountain huts where Corsican shepherds (called bergers) tend their flocks during the summer months. These particular bergeries are located only a short distance (probably about 1 kilometer) from the Col De Verghio, the highest mountain pass in Corsica. This is about 25KM from Calacuccia and is reached by taking a winding road through a large pine forest. 

We park the car at the pass right in front of the large statue of Jesus and set out on the trail. This is the same trail we were on yesterday just somewhat further up the way. The path slopes up for a while providing a great look at the entire valee de Niolo. 

We can see that the path is heading toward a large stone wall with almost no vegetation. The Bergeries is just at the base of that wall. 

We have to carefully clamber down rocks, in some places with the assistance of chains.  

Finally we cross over a small mountain stream via a couple of wooden planks and we have reached the Bergeries. 

One of the unseen bonuses of having reached the Bergeries is that for the last several hundred feet we have actually been hiking a very small portion of the GR20 hiking trail. The GR20 is widely considered to be one of the best trails in the world. It runs along the spine of Corsica's mountains offering a 15-20 day mental and physical challenge that even the best hikers can find difficult. The rewards include some of the best landscapes and high mountain ridges imaginable. I wish I was physically able to do a trail like this but it just isn't possible. Instead I'll just have to settle for making this very brief appearance on the trail.

DI mare a Monti

After lunch we take a short drive around the Vallee de Niolo passing through the small villages of Calacuccia, Albertacce,  and Casamuccoli. We've got some time to kill before the tourist office opens up and this seems like a nice way to do it as we stop the car on several occasions to get some photos of the dramatic landscape. 

The center square of Casamuccoli is virtually deserted but for some cows and bulls just hanging out in the park like teenagers without anything better to do. 

There is a cow hidden behind a tree in this photo, can you spot it?

Once the tourist office is open (sign says 230 but it really means 3PM) we get information on a nice short hike that we can take to an old stone Genoese bridge next to a mill. The hike turns out to be a part of the Monti a Mare trail which leads all the way to the coastline if we were going to continue following it. 

We thought that the hike would likely be an unexciting trek through the woods but within minutes we are treated to incredible vistas as we hike on a ridge above a river. This brings us even closer to the mountains that we had seen earlier. 

Within about 30 minutes we reach the bridge and mill. The bridge is a great example of the structures that the Genoese built all over the island to help with transportation of people and goods. 

After returning from the bridge hike, we check into Casa Balduina, our residence. The woman who runs the place is both quirky and likable. We end up going back to the center of town for dinner. I try Beignets  de Brocciu which is essentially fried batter with a little Brocciu cheese. There is so little cheese in the batter it's mostly just empty calories without much taste. Still, the cheese is tasty. 

For a main course I have Souris d'Agneau in a myrtle and thyme sauce. The sauce is very good although the particular piece of lamb (is it a shank? Can't quite tell) could have been a little better cooked. Not bad though. 

Road to Calacuccia

And now the challenging driving begins. Up until Corte we have been exclusively on N designated roads with central dotted lines and borders but now we will be driving on D designated roads. These are usually narrower, more remote roads that go through rougher terrain. We're only traveling about 25 km today but it aims to be a very hair raising 25Km. 

We get a taste of this right away as we leave Corte and head north to a small mountainside village called Castirlu. The road clings precipitously to the mountain side as it approaches the town. 

After Castirlu we join up with D84 for the drive through the Scala dI Santa Regina. The road is a narrow 10 km ribbon through a canyon. Apparently this was a completely impassable route until Napoleon had prisoners come up into the mountain to blow up enough rock to allow space for a road. It's a gorgeous but slightly terrifying drive as you often don't know what's coming around the next corner and if it's a large vehicle like a bus, there may not be enough room to pass safely. 

Fortunately, we make it through with only a few vehicles heading in our direction. 

Leaving the canyon we arrive in the Vallee de Niolo, a sheltered valley high in the Corsican mountains that is one of the least visited but most beautiful places in Corsica. 

We're here to spend the night in the town of Calacuccia but unfortunately we have shown up a little too late to visit the tourist office and a little too early to check  into our pension, Casa Balduina. 

We decide to stop for lunch at the local bar. A couple of people are eating what looks like small pizzas. I look at the menu and realize, since pizzas are not identified anywhere, that the dish I'm looking for is bruschetta (in this case pronounced with a "sk" sound). 

I order one with tomato sauce, ham, mozzarella and gruyere cheeses. It's basically a pizza on top if a large but reasonably thin slice of country bread. It's a very tasty cross between a normal pizza and the bruschetta that we are normally used to (you know, the one with the "sh" sound). 

Corte

After three great days in the South, today will be mostly about heading into the mountains. 

We make our way up the coast from Porto Vecchio stopping to spend some time at Pinarellu beach for sun and a basic lunch.  After yesterday's beaches, this one is only so so. 

We continue up the coast for another 45 minutes. The road is pretty easy with lots of straightaways for passing. It's basically resort town after resort town. To the West we can see the mountains that make up the central spine of Corsica. We get a brief glimpse of the Aguilles de Bavella, a series of sharp jagged mountains which we could have driven closer to but which would have required an extra 3 hours on narrow and windy mountain roads. 

Eventually we reach the turnoff for Corte at which point we head West along N200, another main highway, which follows  the valley carved into the landscape by the Tavignano River. 

Ahead in the distance we can see a gigantic rock wall with a town situated at its base. This is Corte, former capital city of Corsica and still the gateway to the mountains of the region. 

3 KM before town, we stop off at L'Attrachju, our accommodation for the night. It's a really nice small hotel with a very modern clean design. There are maybe 6-8 rooms and the family that owns the hotel lives in a separate private area. The guest rooms are all on the second floor and ours features a terrace of at least 500 sq ft with stunning mountain views. 

We then headed into Corte proper. It's another very quaint town. This time featuring a central citadel that perches dramatically  on a rock overlooking the town.  

We grab dinner at U Museu, a pleasant restaurant just below the citadel (which was closed for the day unfortunately). I have another wild boar stew, this time flavored with thyme. I also finally try a Corsica Cola, Corsica's local answer to (and likely copyright infringement of) Coca Cola. Strangely it tastes more like Pepsi.

After dinner, back at the hotel, I sit out on the balcony taking in the night sky while listening to music. I haven't seen this many stars in ages. I even manage to spot a few shooting stars (which have been demystified as merely space debris burning up as they enter Earth's atmosphere). 

I'll have what she's having

After checking into the Hotel Marina Corsica outside Porto Vecchio we decide to head up to the old town for dinner. 

Like many other "old towns" old Porto Vecchio is located behind ramparts on top of a hill overlooking the actual port itself. The pretty and narrow cobblestone streets are filled with souvenir shops and restaurants offering three course meals with views "from our terrasse". 

Our plan is to walk around and see what's available but Dana has zeroed in on one of the first restaurants that we walked by, A Cantina di L'Orriu. It's a small wine bar but its kitchen is highly recommended. Dana has spotted a particular dish that she really wants and while I successfully convince her that we should explore other options, no other menu interests her more and we return to the Cantina just before their 7PM opening and get seats in their streetside terrasse. 

I order the Escalope de Veau Corse Panee a Ma Facon avec Pommes Grenailles Poellees a la Panzetta. This is a pan fried veal scallop done in the chef's secret way with potatoes fried with some pancetta. 

When it first arrives I note that the quality and texture of the veal is excellent but I'm having a little trouble identifying any flavor. It seems a little bland. The potatoes have an immediate spicy kick so I'm surprised the veal doesn't also stand out. I decide to wait patiently to see if a flavor reveals itself. Fortunately it does. A couple of bites later and I'm tasting an amazing sweetness in the coating of the veal. The surface of the veal has been caramelized with sugar or honey and it's actually working perfectly. Now I can't get enough of it and, as befits a really good meal, I start taking smaller bites in order to prolong the experience. 

Now as good as my dish was, you might be wondering about Dana's, the one that brought us here in the first place. She'd ordered the appetizer Tartine de Chèvre Frais Grille aux figues fraiches et miel de maquis (fresh goat cheese toasted on bread with fresh figs and Maquis honey). 

As good as my dish was, hers was even better. Even though it was only an appetizer it was big enough to serve as a main course and came accompanied by a salad. 

How good was it really? It was so good I decided (at Dana's prompting) to order it for dessert. Hey, it's a sweet dish with cheese and figs. That passes for dessert in most of France. It was a good decision and this was unarguably our best meal yet. It may be hard to top this one. 

Best Beach Yet

We're now on the road to the Plage de Palombaggia, generally considered to be Corsica's ultimate beach. It's probably only a mile or two from Santa Giulia as the crow flies but since it's part of a peninsula that bulges out from the coast we end up on a road for what seems like fifteen minutes climbing and descending past resorts and luxurious private beach homes. 

When we finally reach the beach area we pass the series of empty paid parking lots and find a spot within a 1 minute walk of the beach. Obviously in high season this beach is completely mobbed but the end of September is just nearing low season and apparently Sunday afternoon is also a quiet time for beach going. 

Well the guides were right. As nice as Santa Giulia was this beach is just that much better. There's much less wind so the water is as calm as I've ever seen it.  Even Dana is very impressed calling this one of the best beaches she's ever seen. 

We spend the next two hours alternating between the sun and the sand. Since Dana likes sunning herself I get the water 70% of the time.  It's a good deal for me. 

I'm not the biggest fan of beaches but I had to tear myself away from this one and if you can find me another one like Palombaggia (or its sibling from this morning) I'll be there.