Today we get our first glimpse of ‘The Beautiful Isle’ of Corsica as we arrive in the historic city of Bastia. Corsica is comprised of 2 departments, ‘Corse du Sud’ in the south and ‘Haute Corse’ in the north. Bastia is the modern day capital of the northern region; a relatively small city with a bustling port and beautifully picturesque harbour.

Upon arrival at our hotel we will assemble the bikes and while there is no official guided riding scheduled for today, depending on arrival times, there may be an opportunity for a quick spin.

Alternatively you may wish to explore the city on foot. We’ll dine together in one of Bastia’s many excellent restaurants and perhaps enjoy a bottle or two of Pietra, the local chestnut flavoured beer.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 1,300 Metres Approx.

After breakfast we saddle up and head out for our first day of Corsican riding. Leaving the hustle and bustle of the city we head out on a stunningly beautiful coastal road. The main part of the day will be spent riding around the ‘Cap Corse‘, the island’s largest and most prominent peninsular.

Beyond Bastia the road rolls gently through small settlements and pretty fishing villages and the coastline is peppered with numerous Genoese towers in varying states of disrepair. If we’re blessed with a clear day we will enjoy views of neighbouring islands Elba and Monte Cristo to the east.

We’ll regroup for coffee in the village of Maccinaggio close to the tip of the peninsular before we begin the first and most significant climb of the day. It’s not a major climb by anyone’s standards, topping out at just over 350m, but we’ll wait until we’re over it before preparing lunch. The afternoon will be spent exploring the coastline further as we head south down the western side of the cape. The western coast is more dramatic than the east and the riding is a little more challenging although the final stage flattens out again and takes us through Corsica’s prime wine growing region and delivers us to St Florent where we can rest up and sample the local specialty of sparkling Muscat.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 1,300 Metres Approx.

We leave the coast behind us for a while this morning as we climb out of St Florent and continue southwards into a region unlike anywhere else on the island; Le Désert des Agriates. The region is named after the Corsican word agriates which means ‘cultivated plot’ or ‘garden‘. Staring out across the parched orange landscape it is difficult to imagine that the inhabitants of Cap Corse would once brave the rugged coastline by boat in order to climb the hills to tend their crops amongst the wild maquis and rocky outcrops.

We drop down rapidly out of Les Agriates, cross the national road and then continue on very minor mountain roads which lead us through numerous tiny artisan villages. After lunch we continue along the Route des Artisans, stopping for coffee in the tiny village of Belvedere, high in the hills above the town of Ile Rouse (Red Island). Finally we arrive in the glitzy resort town of Calvi where we’ll dine in the old town in the shadows of the ancient citadel.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 1,000 Metres Approx.

Leaving Calvi we’ll begin an unforgettable ride along a route which is widely recognised amongst cyclists as one of the most beautiful coastal routes in Europe. The first stage undulates along a rugged coastline of tiny beaches and turquoise coves. The surface might not be the smoothest we’ll encounter this week but the views do more than compensate and will take your mind off the odd lump or two! The road improves as the morning progresses and by the time we reach our coffee stop we’ll be cruising along. A beautiful 11km climb (Col de Palmarella) follows, taking us to a stunning viewpoint 400m above the coastline.

Dropping down from the summit, we’ll have lunch before pushing on through numerous coastal villages. Again the views are breathtaking as we approach the tiny, eucalyptus flanked town of Porto where we stay for the next 2 nights.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Ascent: 2,000 Metres Approx.

Today offers various options depending on preferences and energy levels. The first is to simply relax and enjoy Porto. There is a small beach and harbour and numerous cafes, bars and restaurants in which to while away the hours. It is also possible to take a sightseeing boat trip along the coastline for a unique view of the Golfe de Porto. We recommend however that everyone takes a morning ride, climbing out of the bay to the village of Piana. The road rises through the World Heritage ‘Callanche de Piana’ – fantastic natural granite sculptures which must be seen to be believed.

It’s possible to retire in the village of Piana, take a coffee and return to Porto for the afternoon, whereas those hungry for more riding can press on around the coast before heading inland to experience one of the island’s toughest and most challenging climbs. “What goes up must come down” and an incredible descent through the dramatic Spelunca Gorge follows as we return to Porto.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 1,800 Metres Approx.

This is the big day!! The challenge, as we tackle the Col de Vergio, Corsica’s highest paved road, starts almost as soon as we leave Porto. At 1,471m it may not be the highest mountain summit in the world but we must remember that we will be riding from sea level. Thankfully the vast majority of the climb is gentle so we can enjoy the awesome views of the Spelunca Gorge and savour the experience as we go.

A coffee stop in Evisa, two thirds of the way up, is possible (probable!) and will allow us to re-group before tackling the final and more challenging stage through the often-misty pine forest. A descent through the pines takes us to lunch after which we will continue downwards through the Scale de Santa Regina. If nothing else will make you want to return to Corsica, the descent through this magnificent gorge which runs alongside the Golo River, Corsica’s longest, will do so! As exciting as it is beautiful it’s the most fun you can have with your pants on! One final re-grouping at the bottom of the gorge before the last 11km (approximately 6 uphill and 5 downhill) sees us arriving in Corte, Corsica’s fantastically rustic ancient capital city.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch
• Ascent: 1,600 Metres Approx.

Our last day on the bikes sees us heading back to the north-eastern coast to complete our circuit and, just as with every other day in Corsica, it is packed with surprises.

Having picked our way through the Corte’s bustling centre, it isn’t long before we join the network of minor, virtually traffic-free roads that lead us deep into the “Castagniccia“, the island’s sparsely populated chestnut forest, a region rarely visited by tourists and one which seems to have been untouched by modern life.

The road rises, gently at first, through a series of tiny villages until we reach Bustanico, after which the road switches back and forth dramatically and ramps up sharply towards the first summit of the day.

What follows is a rollercoasting ride through some of the island’s wildest territory. Eventually we reach the summit of the Col de Pratu, our last significant ascent and a perfect spot to have lunch before making our way back down out of the mountains, via a series of beautiful rural roads, and back to where we started in the outskirts of Bastia.

• Meals: Breakfast

Our final Corsican breakfast had to come, and with tired legs and great memories we take a transfer back to the airport for our flights home.