Roundtrip from Calvi through the Balagne part 2
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RouteXpert Catherine De Groote RouteXpert
Last edit: 04-12-2022
Route Summary The Balagne is a world in itself whose breathtaking beauty combines the mountains and the sea with magnificent panoramas, picturesque villages surrounded by fruit trees and vineyards, and idyllic roads in between where you will need all your concentration. But that tension is well worth the Balagna. All this makes this route definitely worth 5 stars.
The tour is split into two parts to give you plenty of time to enjoy it. The second part starts at the B&B in Castirla and goes back to Calvi.
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Verdict
Duration
9h 17m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
167.91 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review After Ponte Castirla you enter the Défilé de la Scala di Santa Regina, one of the roughest parts of the island. The road is partially cut into the mountainside and runs high above the gorges of the Golo along a barren, windswept landscape with lonely, sharp rocky outcrops. The quiet road offers every opportunity to take it all in.
In Calacccia you make the attractive circle around the lake. Further on, past Albertacce, the climb to the Col de Vergio begins, which at over 1400 m is the highest passable col in Corsica. The road to it runs between the larches of the large Forêt de Valdu Niellu. The road surface is good so you can fully enjoy it. The view of the col unfolds in two directions: to the east you can see the interior with the valley of the Golo and to the left Monte Cinto, the highest point of Corsica; to the west is the coast with the Gulf of Porto. The descent is also worth it.
The city of Porto is one of the most attractive cities in Corsica, also because of its marina and the Tour Génoise. There are many restaurants here. Nicely located is the restaurant La Mer. Tasty dishes are served. Your plate is also sufficiently filled. Moreover, 'a room with a view' with the wonderful sound of the sea in the background!
The Porto Tower, built in the 16th century, is located at the foot of the gulf, on the rocky promontory overlooking the mouth of the Porto, in the town of Ota. It dominates the village, the marine and the small harbor from the top of its rock, at a height of 45 m. Its function was therefore to guard the horizon, in relation to the other towers of the gulf, and to protect the population of the region in case of alarm. It is part of the highly ingenious network of Genoese towers that circled Corsica during the Genoese era.
The other peculiarity is that it is a 'square' tower. Its square shape makes it look more like a fortified castle, when its role was not to defend but to warn.
From the terrace you can enjoy a remarkable view over the entire Gulf of Porto, but also over the lower part of the village and the surrounding mountains.
For motorcyclists, this area is the jewel in the crown of beautiful Corsica. The D81 between Porto and Galéria offers about 50 km of bends between sea and mountains with phenomenal views from the Col de la Croix and the Col de Palmarella.
The coastal route takes you via Olmo along the Gulf of Crovani. Just before Calvi, a poorly maintained road leads to the Chapelle de N.-D. de la Serra, where the view over the bay of Calvi is unforgettable.
Soon you reach the terminus Calvi. The citadel, the symbol of 6 centuries of Genoese domination is well worth a visit. In the historic city center you will find lovely streets and squares, ramps and stairs and beautifully restored old houses.
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Use of this GPS route is at your own expense and risk. The route has been carefully composed and checked by a MyRoute-app accredited RouteXpert for use on TomTom, Garmin and MyRoute-app Navigation.
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Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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Corsica
About this region
Corsica (, Upper Corsican: [ˈkorsiɡa], Southern Corsican: [ˈkɔrsika], Italian: [ˈkɔrsika]; French: Corse [kɔʁs] (listen); Ligurian: Còrsega) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the French mainland, west of the Italian Peninsula and immediately north of the Italian island of Sardinia, which is the land mass nearest to it. A single chain of mountains makes up two-thirds of the island. In 2018, it had a population of 338,550.
The island is a territorial collectivity of France. The regional capital is Ajaccio. Although the region is divided into two administrative departments, Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud, their respective regional and departmental territorial collectivities were merged on 1 January 2018 to form the single territorial collectivity of Corsica. As such, Corsica enjoys a greater degree of autonomy than other French regional collectivities; for example, the Corsican Assembly is permitted to exercise limited executive powers. Corsica's second-largest town is Bastia, the prefecture of Haute-Corse.
Corsica was ruled by the Republic of Genoa from 1284 to 1755, when it seceded to become a self-proclaimed, Italian-speaking Republic. In 1768, Genoa officially ceded it to Louis XV of France as part of a pledge for the debts it had incurred by enlisting France's military help in suppressing the Corsican revolt, and as a result France went on to annex it in 1769. The future Emperor of the French, Napoleon Bonaparte, was a native Corsican, born that same year in Ajaccio: his ancestral home, Maison Bonaparte, is today a visitor attraction and museum. Because of Corsica's historical ties to Tuscany, the island has retained many Italian cultural elements and many Corsican surnames are rooted in the Italian peninsula. Corsican, the native tongue, is recognised as one of France's regional languages. Corsica is the smallest French region by population.
Read more on Wikipedia
The island is a territorial collectivity of France. The regional capital is Ajaccio. Although the region is divided into two administrative departments, Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud, their respective regional and departmental territorial collectivities were merged on 1 January 2018 to form the single territorial collectivity of Corsica. As such, Corsica enjoys a greater degree of autonomy than other French regional collectivities; for example, the Corsican Assembly is permitted to exercise limited executive powers. Corsica's second-largest town is Bastia, the prefecture of Haute-Corse.
Corsica was ruled by the Republic of Genoa from 1284 to 1755, when it seceded to become a self-proclaimed, Italian-speaking Republic. In 1768, Genoa officially ceded it to Louis XV of France as part of a pledge for the debts it had incurred by enlisting France's military help in suppressing the Corsican revolt, and as a result France went on to annex it in 1769. The future Emperor of the French, Napoleon Bonaparte, was a native Corsican, born that same year in Ajaccio: his ancestral home, Maison Bonaparte, is today a visitor attraction and museum. Because of Corsica's historical ties to Tuscany, the island has retained many Italian cultural elements and many Corsican surnames are rooted in the Italian peninsula. Corsican, the native tongue, is recognised as one of France's regional languages. Corsica is the smallest French region by population.
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Statistics 
13Amount of RX reviews (Corsica)
16506Amount of visitors (Corsica)
683Amount of downloads (Corsica)
Route Collections in this region The 10 most downloaded routes in France from RouteXpert Hans van de Ven
Hello and welcome to this collection of the Top 10 MyRoute app downloaded routes in France.
There will be a great new event to be announced soon, where all these routes can be driven.
Download them all now and place them in a new "Top 10" folder, so that you always have them at hand.
If you are going to drive one of these routes in the meantime, track them with the MRA Mobile App or with MRA Navigation. Take some photos (moments) along the way as these will come in handy.
Create a travelogue of your Top 10 driven routes and add the recorded track to it.
There will also be some great prizes on offer, so keep an eye on the MRA-RouteXperts page and your mail.
The 10 routes are:
1. Villard de Lans through the wild Vercors
2. Provence Mountains and Lakes
3. From Saint Michel de Maurienne to Barcelonnette South of the Col du Galibier
4. Western Alps from Barcelonnette to St Sauveur sur Tinee
5. R03 Round trip Ribeauville
6. Round trip Appietto Asco Appietto
7. Round trip Appietto Osani Appietto
8. R05 Round trip Urbes
9. R04 Ribeauville to Urbes
10. R02 Wissembourg to Ribeauville
There will be a great new event to be announced soon, where all these routes can be driven.
Download them all now and place them in a new "Top 10" folder, so that you always have them at hand.
If you are going to drive one of these routes in the meantime, track them with the MRA Mobile App or with MRA Navigation. Take some photos (moments) along the way as these will come in handy.
Create a travelogue of your Top 10 driven routes and add the recorded track to it.
There will also be some great prizes on offer, so keep an eye on the MRA-RouteXperts page and your mail.
The 10 routes are:
1. Villard de Lans through the wild Vercors
2. Provence Mountains and Lakes
3. From Saint Michel de Maurienne to Barcelonnette South of the Col du Galibier
4. Western Alps from Barcelonnette to St Sauveur sur Tinee
5. R03 Round trip Ribeauville
6. Round trip Appietto Asco Appietto
7. Round trip Appietto Osani Appietto
8. R05 Round trip Urbes
9. R04 Ribeauville to Urbes
10. R02 Wissembourg to Ribeauville
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Discover Corsica in 3 great tours or 6 tours in a row
These tours will introduce you to three regions of Corsica.
The Balagne is a region in northeastern Corsica with a rich history that has developed its own identity over the centuries. The region has long been a prosperous garden of Corsica and proud of its architectural treasures. The Balagne is a world in itself whose breathtaking beauty combines the mountains and the sea with magnificent panoramas, picturesque villages surrounded by fruit trees and vineyards, and idyllic roads in between where you will need all your concentration. But that tension is well worth the Balagna.
The Castagniccia, land of chestnut trees, is the greenest region of Corsica. Very different in character and appearance from the rest, it is a region of small villages and hamlets and steep wooded hills. It still has the charm of authentic Corsica. It is one of the most sparsely populated regions. Exploring Castagniccia is a fascinating experience. There are no autoroutes here, rather a maze of small winding streets that wind up and down the hills and past the small villages. Rather, it is the harmonious whole that has the appeal. The roads are a fantastic challenge for the motorcyclist.
The south of Corsica is the most touristic part of the island. The long beaches with blue-green water, coves and cliffs have been very popular for years. Inland lies the impressive Alta Rocca massif. Here rise the stately 'Aiguilles de Bavella'. Behind Porto-Vecchio is a large forest and rocky area with beautiful views of the sea. Nearby is the Massif de l'Ospédale. Fortified city of Bonifacio has a spectacular location. The prehistoric menhirs of Filitosa are World Heritage. Porto-Vecchio is also called the 'city of salt'. In and around the harbor in the lower town you will find a maze of streets, terraces and shops. Ajaccio is the largest city in Corsica and the capital of the Corse-du-Sud department. The city is also known as the birthplace of the French Emperor Napoleon.
The Balagne is a region in northeastern Corsica with a rich history that has developed its own identity over the centuries. The region has long been a prosperous garden of Corsica and proud of its architectural treasures. The Balagne is a world in itself whose breathtaking beauty combines the mountains and the sea with magnificent panoramas, picturesque villages surrounded by fruit trees and vineyards, and idyllic roads in between where you will need all your concentration. But that tension is well worth the Balagna.
The Castagniccia, land of chestnut trees, is the greenest region of Corsica. Very different in character and appearance from the rest, it is a region of small villages and hamlets and steep wooded hills. It still has the charm of authentic Corsica. It is one of the most sparsely populated regions. Exploring Castagniccia is a fascinating experience. There are no autoroutes here, rather a maze of small winding streets that wind up and down the hills and past the small villages. Rather, it is the harmonious whole that has the appeal. The roads are a fantastic challenge for the motorcyclist.
The south of Corsica is the most touristic part of the island. The long beaches with blue-green water, coves and cliffs have been very popular for years. Inland lies the impressive Alta Rocca massif. Here rise the stately 'Aiguilles de Bavella'. Behind Porto-Vecchio is a large forest and rocky area with beautiful views of the sea. Nearby is the Massif de l'Ospédale. Fortified city of Bonifacio has a spectacular location. The prehistoric menhirs of Filitosa are World Heritage. Porto-Vecchio is also called the 'city of salt'. In and around the harbor in the lower town you will find a maze of streets, terraces and shops. Ajaccio is the largest city in Corsica and the capital of the Corse-du-Sud department. The city is also known as the birthplace of the French Emperor Napoleon.
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