Robbietravels

The Backstory:
Last summer we had a sensational time with friends driving around four Greek islands in a three week trip. We especially loved the small villages in Crete and Naxos. Being in sight of water nearly every day we found to be tremendously soothing.
So for our summer 2012 trip we were thinking islands with culture. I researched Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica and Corsica won. I was drawn to what I’d read of the simple life there, the abundant scenic beauty, the distinctive culture (geopolitically they are French, in their souls they are Corsicans), the modest amount of tourism in September and, of course, the food and wines.
After our Burma, Northern Thailand and Southern Laos trip (December 2010) we admitted we were no longer inclined toward three week trips involving long drives on dusty, potholed cow paths in search of this mountaintop ethnic village or that sacred ceremony. This is no disparagement to our great adventures down pot holed roads and up mountainsides; we have relished each and every trip we’ve taken to so many wonderful places in Southeast Asia. But our bodies (ages 74 and 66) and minds were steering us toward new priorities and locales.
So the itinerary took shape: a few days in Nice before flying (fifty minutes) to Corsica, a week driving around central and northern Corsica and then a ferry to Italy. From the ferry landing in Livorno we’d drive north and east visiting several Italian Rivieras. We’d end up back in Nice and fly back to Los Angeles from there. In retrospect, three full weeks in Corsica would have been even better, enough time to visit most of the island.
(I promised myself I would get out some report within a month of our return, I’ve come close.)
Nice
Our British Air flight took us from LAX to Heathrow and on to Nice. We had comfortable seats that made into comfortable beds. I wanted to be seated upstairs but would have had to nab the seats ten months ahead and pay $50 per person for the perk of choosing seat months in advance. Fortunately the ones they automatically asigned us were fine.
As many may know, flying in and out of Heathrow is a pricy proposition, so much so that there are petitions going around in London to review the exorbitant fuel charges. For our routing LAX- Heathrow- Nice and return, the fuel charges were over $1200. However, I’d be labeled mal eleve to claim outrage when the Business Class tickets were procured with frequent flyer miles, which in turn came free when signing up for a BA Visa card. Thank you Bob (RHKKMK) for spotting that great deal.
Arrival at Nice’s International Airport was hassle free. The bags were unloaded promptly and we grabbed a bus to the Messina stop, the closet to our hotel. We had heard and read so many stories of bad experiences with cab drivers and ugly disputes over charges that we wanted to avoid that kind of welcome. Although those who know us would not think us folks who take buses, many “mature” tourists, some well heeled, with more luggage than us, were our seat mates.
I had wanted to stay again at the Hotel La Perouse but their rooms were twice the price they were eleven years ago, when I stayed there for a week. So we stayed next door at Hotel Suisse. The hotel (like La Perouse) offered all the room amenities we needed and our balcony had an expansive view all the way along the Bay of Angels. The hotel is set into the base of Chateau Hill, at the edge of the Old Town and a ten minute walk to the port.
After settling in we took a pleasant evening stroll through the old town to Oliviera (8 rue du Collet) where we had pre-booked dinner. The charming eatery is on a narrow street with outdoor seating from many cafes spilling into the alleys, pedestrians left to wend their way through the “aisle”. The owner of Olviera was a cheerful and welcoming host. Can’t recall what I ate but the warm air and outdoor gaiety made me forget about jet lag.
We slept in on our first morning and by 10:30 am, we were more than ready for croissants and espresso on Cours Salaya, the main thoroughfare of the old town. This day and the next meld into each other so who’s to say what we did when. Mainly, we did in Nice what we like to do most, walk, eat, people watch, window shop, eat and walk.
One of the hotel attendant’s gave us a recommendation for lunch down by the port, a fifteeen minute walk from Hotel Suisse. Le Local was a real find. Its on a side street just beyond the church that faces the port t 4 rue Rusca. The wait staff are friendly and the crowd very local. Within half hour of taking seats at an outside table, the locals poured in and every table, inside and out, was occupied. Our appetizers and platters (one seafood, one charcuterie) were so fresh and tasty we pledged to return for another meal but it didn’t happen.
Time to stretch our legs and walk (female code for shop). Some years ago I discovered a shop in Auxerre that had stylist clothing that fit me perfectly. I learned that its actually a chain, with branches throughout France. So Fred and I headed over to the Armand Thiery main store. I’d brought a very small extra carry on piece in case I hit pay dirt....and I did. We’ll leave my new fall fashions in the hotel’s storage until we return there for our final night of the trip. Each evening I enjoyed sitting and reading on our balcony, taking in the beauty of the changing light toward sunset.
The title of today is: being on vacation means never caring what day it is, except.... Before heading out for our last day we gave the hotel staffer our flight details so she could learn if the departure time was still as indicated. When we returned from the Chagal Museum in the afternoon, we got the news that the flight had left on time. But without us. Being in vacation mode we really lost track of the days. She bought us new tickets for Ajaccio for the following morning. It is really remarkable how two seniors with 19 years of post bachelorette education can lose their heads once they hit France.
Since we both neglected to look closely at the beautifully laid out itinerary I’d prepared, finger pointing was out of the question and brief self censure ensued. After Isimmered down (contacted car rental and hotel on Corsica), it was c’est la vie. Although this tiny (?) oversight on our parts cut short one day in Corsica, we really enjoyed having three full days to hang out in Nice.
While, we were busy missing our flight, we took a bus up to the Cimiez neighborhood to visit the Marc Chagall museum. It is really a gem. We toured it slowly and thoroughly awash in his vibrancy. In a small auditorium, there was a continuous showing of interview excerpts with Chagall. He comes across as such a spirited man, grateful for every day.
Our last evening we’d booked (so we thought) a special restaurant, Luc Salsedo. The walk was much further than it appeared on the map and then actually finding the place was a further challenge. Having reached our goal, I was ready for a great meal. Oops, our hotel had made the reservation for two nights earlier. C’est dommage, not one available table all evening. The hostess was very apologetic and helpful. She was able to get us a table at Le Tire Bouchon in the old town, 19, rue de la Perfecture. Very fine food and and appealing outdoor ambience.
Next morning the cab got us to the airport in twenty minutes; Sunday traffic was light. The hotel had arranged it and the cost was 30e. While unloading luggage at the airport, the driver demanded 55e from Fred. He demurred; we paid the 30e we had agreed to and went to check in amid the grumbles from the cabbie.

Samsaf

Great beginning to your trip report!

Lisathetraveller

Hi,
I just joined Fodors forum after lurking on it forever to tell you how much I'm enjoying your trip report. We will be spending 5 weeks in Nice this winter so am waiting to find out more about your shopping expedition. Sadly won't be going to Corsica as not the best that time of year. Loved reading about your laissez faire attitude upon finding out you had missed your flight!

schnauzer

Keep this great report coming. There is hardly anything on Corsica.. I am going next June so desperate to glean some good info. The more details the better - driving times, food, accommodation please!!!

What a scream missing your flight!!!

Schnauzer

Micheline

Lol! You really are laid back on your vacations. Missed your flight, missed your restaurant reservation.

Been twice to Nice but never made it to Cimiez. Another reason to return. Love Nice.

julia1

Looking forward to more! Love Nice! Love Corsica! Love Italian Riviera!

Robbietravels

lisathetraveller: shopping in Nice is best done by poking around. The Armand Thiery shop I mentioned is in a large "commercial complex" (mall), it takes up the whole block. Ask anyone to point it out. You may already know its best to concentrate your shopping to one store (i.e one for cosmetics, one for handbags/shoes, etc) so you are eligible for the VAT refund upon spending about $250++ at any participating shop.

Lisathetraveller

Thanks for the tip. We just got back from Berlin & found some great prices on German brands. The only experience I have shopping in Nice is going into the Mephisto Shoes store several years ago. I'm not much of a shopper but Berlin has stimulated my appetite & there are European that are very pricey here but not as much in Europe. As I'll have 5 weeks, I'm sure I'll familiarise myself with what's available. I had never heard of Armand Thiery.
Enough shopping! Onto the test of your trip.

Robbietravels

On to Corsica...
In planning our trip to Corsica, we had the mistaken impression that we could see what we wanted to see on the island in eight days. Then we bought the Michelin map and saw how big the island is. We decided to concentrate on the northern half of the island, mostly along the west coast and through the central mountains. The access from Ajaccio, the capital of Corsica, is good going from the west coast to the central mountains and also driving north along the west coast. The beauty spots seemed closer to each other in the north half. At the narrowest part of the northern peninsula, it is a short drive to cross to the east coast to take the ferry from Bastia, Corsica to Livorno, Itlay.
Our fifty minute flight was a breeze. We picked up our Budget rental car at the Ajaccio Airport and headed for the town of Ajaccio, twenty minutes away. A note about car rentals in France. You are required to purchase a minimum amount of collision damage waiver insurance; its pre-figured into the price. If you have a credit card that will pick up the excess liability, then you are fully covered. We used our British Airways Visa because it does not charge any nasty foreign transaction fees.
In planning our trip to Corsica, we had the mistaken impression that we could see what we wanted to see on the island in eight days. Then we bought the Michelin map and saw how big the island is. We decided to concentrate on the northern half of the island, mostly along the west coast and through the central mountains. The access from Ajaccio, the capital of Corsica, is good going from the west coast to the central mountains and also driving north along the west coast. The beauty spots seemed closer to each other in the north half. At the narrowest part of the northern peninsula, it is a short drive to cross to the east coast to take the ferry from Bastia, Corsica to Livorno, Itlay.
Our fifty minute flight was a breeze. We picked up our Budget rental car at the Ajaccio Airport and headed for the town of Ajaccio, twenty minutes away. A note about car rentals in France. You are required to purchase a minimum amount of collision damage waiver insurance; its pre-figured into the price. If you have a credit card that will pick up the excess liability, then you are fully covered. We used our British Airways Visa because it does not charge any nasty foreign transaction fees.
I loved driving the twisting roads up the mountains to Corte. At we gained altitude green valleys yielded to forest, trees clinging to steep escarpments. Fred was feeling quite ill with nausea and stomach ailments and thought he had food poisoning. So I drove extra slowly, which allowed me to take in the scenic beauty of the forested wonderland.
I loved driving the twisting roads up the mountains to Corte (and the roads were in excellent condition!). At we gained altitude green valleys yielded to forest, trees clinging to steep escarpments. With each turn Fred was feeling more nausea and stomach ailments and thought he had food poisoning. So I drove extra slowly which allowed me to take in the scenic beauty of the forested wonderland.

Robbietravels

OOps! sorry for the double entry.

schnauzer

keep going..... (without the double entries that is...)

Robbietravels

Finally, some time to write up more of Corsica.

As we drove through a high valley, it began to sprinkle. Still the mountains that cradled the valley were lovely. After a sharp turn, through the trees and drizzle, it appeared like an apparition. High on the mount ahead of us were the slender, colorful houses of Corte clinging to a huge rock formation that overlooked the confluence of two river. The Citadel sat like a crown atop the town structures. In the background were high mountain peaks. The setting reminded me of the family castle of Aurora, illustrated in your old book on Sleeping Beauty.Wow, wow, wow. This magical scene had not been photoshopped; it was authentic and very inviting.
Now to find our hotel, Duc du Pardoue. Shouldn’t be hard, only a few streets in, out and through the town, even in the now pelting rain. On the main road through town there was a detour sign so we detoured and that took us away from town. I had the hotel’s map in front of me yet couldn’t gain access to the hotel. I parked at Plaza Paoli, the tiny plaza cum parking lot of the upper town, and asked at each shop around the plaza. The locals didn’t seem to know of our hotel or my French pronunciation was so bad as to render the name unrecognizable. Finally, a cafe worker, wanting a smoke break, walked me part way there and explained that I had turned too soon. Thirty feet beyond where I kept turning away from town per the detour sign was a tiny,tiny lane on which our hotel stood.
We parked in front of the hotel and dragged our luggage up two flights of stairs and settled in. The hotel location was good, the hotel was basic and in keeping with the low tariff. Fred collapsed on the bed and slept for hours. The hotel receptionist encouraged me to try her parents’ restaurant. I walked the few blocks back to Plaza Paoli and followed a foot path just above the plaza.
Soon I came to the cafe whose name I cannot recall. The tables are all outdoors under a trellis. I read from my Kindle and sampled my first Corsican meal. The starter was a terrine of vegetables that was delicious. The white boar stew was tough and had no distinctive flavors other than a generic gamy flavor.
Fred was still asleep when I got back to our room. You have to use the card key to turn the lights on and I didn’t want to disturb his sleep; so I crawled around in the dark and found my way into bed.
In the morning Fred felt somewhat better but still under the weather. We walked a bit in town, which at some point in the mid 18th century was the capital of an independent Corsica. Apparently Corte has taken on new life and a hipper vibe since a university reopened here in the recent past. I wanted to walk up and down every side road but, no time.
We drove down the hill from Corte and found the turnoff to La Vallee de la Restonica. Had we been on track we would have spent the whole day hiking and driving around these sublime mountain roads. As it was, we drove about five miles into the valley, parked and hiked a while following a stream deeper into the valley. The weather was perfect (high 70s), the crisp air and blue skies made the forest come alive. The locals are environmentally conscious and those who patrol this preserve work to keep it in its pristine condition. Hindsight tells me that 2 1/2 to 3 days would be a reasonable amount of time in this area. There were several valleys I wanted to see, a gourmet restaurant to dine at and several villages all within twenty five miles of Corte.
In order to get from Corte, at the heart of the central mountains, you have to take a circuitous route since there is no road going directly from east to the west coast. We drove north, higher in the mountains via the D 18 until we could link up with the D 84 going south west. The road was narrow and twisty but the scenery was jaw dropping. The Foret de Antone was a magical pine forest with scented breezes that cooled the hot sun. There was little motor traffic in this region. We did encounter a mama pig nursing her pigletts by the side of the road. Some time later traffic consisted of a herd of some thirty goats leisurely making their way across the road.
The balance of the drive, all the way to Piana, on the west coast, was filled with more exquisite scenery. One of the
prime tourist destinations/natural wonders of Corsica are Les Calanques (the cliffs). They are giant red granite cliffs and cliff formations rising over eight hundred feet from the sea below. Wind and water have sculpted them into gnarled, weird shapes.
We had read that tour busses on these roads with hairpin turns make the drive difficult in summer. Here we were in early September with the French children back at school yet it still took us nearly two hours to go the ten miles from Evisa to Piana. All cars were at a dead standstill for twenty minutes at a time while a tour bus negotiated a hairpin turn at a place where two tiny cars would have trouble passing each other. So some motorists got out of their cars to complain to their fellow motorists or snap photos, use the bathroom of the cafe or stay put and futilely honk their horns. Now we know that it only makes sense to drive Porto (just past Evisa) to Piana or back before ten in the morning or after seven in the evening. Tired from the drive we skipped our intermediary stops at Evisa and the Spelunca Gorge thinking we’d visit them on the day we did a boat tour out of Porto.
We arrived at Hotel La Scandola in Piana a bit frayed around the edges, Fred from his motion sickness (he’d changed his diagnosis from food poisoning, a physicians’s prerogative ) and me from the traffic tangles. Our room at La Scandola was on the top floor with a beautiful view of the sea and these astounding cliffs. The village of Piana is tiny and I chose it over the hustle and bustle of Porto. We walked around the compact village; the houses were all well kept, some were close to the cliffs, affording sensational views of the Gulf of Porto. After a lousy dinner at the touted restaurant La Voute we walked back to our room and turned in.
Next morning after our daily hot fresh croissants and cappuccinos we drove a few miles on the D81 back in the direction of Porto and parked the car. Along with a few other tourists we walked along the highway to see these cliff formations up close against the dazzling blue sea far below. No wonder the Michelin map gives Les Calanches three stars.
Feeling inspired and invigorated by our walk we devoted the rest of the day to doing as little as possible. The owner of the hotel suggested we drive twelve kilometers to Arone beach where her boyfriend owns the restaurant Le Casabianca (Plage d’Arone, Piana).
The half hour drive afforded more uuus and aahhs as we drove past view of the Gulf to views of this tiny bay and sheltered beach. By the time we walked along the pure white sand beach to the restaurant, we were ready for lunch...and what a memorable lunch it was. The outdoor terrace with shaded umbrellas has views of the pristine beach with its green clad mountains behind. The seafood was outstanding and the service first class, about $115 with wine and dessert. After our two hour lunch we walked down the restaurant’s steps to the beach where we secured chaise lounges reserved for restaurant guests. There we stayed for a very long time . The water was cool and clear and very swimmable.
While on my lounger I felt a tiny sting on the front of my right leg but there was no culprit in sight. That critter gave me a nasty bite. It began to swell and sting after a few minutes and over the next few days was hot, swollen and painful in spurts. Cortisone and Benadryl did little to relieve the intermittent stinging.

schnauzer

Hi Robbie,
thanks for continuing the report. I am hanging on your every word as there is so little detail around. I am sorry to hear about your bite - I wonder what on earth it could have been.

I am thinking of coming from Ajaccio to Piana then head north. It is becoming really difficult to work out travel times, accommodation etc. No wonder I have given up on Corsica in the past!!!

What was your hotel like in Piana, there doesn't appear to be much choice, would you recommend it?

I have zoomed in on the google maps to see both Porto and Piana are in fact inland. I thought they were right on the coast. Where exactly are the calenques? I note your suggestion about getting on the road before 10. Did you do any boat trips from Piana to the Scandola National Park?

Sorry this sounds like the Spanish Inquistion.... I am just so frustated with finding out info. We only have a week - 7 nights and I don't want to racing around but don't want to be hanging around in the 'wrong spot' either.

My thoughts are arrive Ajaccio, pick up car, have a sticky beak at Ajaccio (depending on flight arrival times) head to Piana - spend 2 nights. On full day in Piana do a boat trip to the National Park, next day head north through Calvi and have accommodation in either L'ile Rousse or Alagola, stay four nights in this area, making sure we go inland to artisan villages etc. Spend last night near to the airport at Bastia/Borgo as we both will have v. early flights.

What do you think of this plan? Should we change it to 3 and 3 nights?

ANY help would be so appreciated, I am tearing my hair out. I am organising for myself and a friend so don't want to botch it up.

Many thanks,Schnauzer
please continue with your report asap!!!

Smeagol

Personally I would choose I'lle Rousse over Algajola to stay ( just has more going on) BUT it is more touristy, they are literally 10 minutes apart. There are some fabulous beaches between the two. And Calvi is again just 15/20 minutes away. (the citadel in Calvi is absolutely worth a look, with some great views over the bay.)
Le Chariot restuarant in Algajola is a great place for a long leisurely lunch if you do stay there ( or even if passing through)

aprillilacs

I'm enjoying this report, Robbietravels, and looking forward to more. Corsica is on our list of must-dos in the next few years, based on recommendations from other people we've met during our various travels. It's great to get some detail, and also to hear that you think 3 weeks would be a good amount of time to spend on the island. Fits our travel style perfectly.

So funny about the missed flight. We mistakenly booked--and prepaid--the same night in two different places once (Asolo and Venice). Like you, we were simply not reading our own itinerary. So sad!

frenchgirl

Hi Schnauzer,
I'm french and I know well Corsica. Between Ajaccio and Piana, with a car, the journey take 1.5 to 2 hours. The roads are mountain roads, so it take a lot of time, even if the mileage is short !

Calanches is a big geologic site (red rocks) between Porto and Piana. It could be seen by the road (D81) or by boat (in Porto).

Porto and Piana are on the coast but it is mountains flowing in the sea. The two towns extend from an altitude of 0 to 1000 meters.

You can do boat trips to calanches AND the Scandola National Park from Porto.

Robbietravels

Thanks frenchgirl for answering some of Schnauzer's questions. I'll tackle a few now and some will be answered as my saga continues. Look at the website www.hotelscandola.com. The photos are accurate. The patio that is shown at night is an outdoor lounge overlooking the gulf and a perfect spot to sit and read or have a drink before dinner. The hotel was very nice, clean and attractive room. Balcony with a killer view of town, mountains, the sea. Hotel staff friendly and helpful; one spoke English, others were patient with my Pimsleur French. Yes, I would recommend it. We like to take things slowly so three days touring around Piana was fine, 2 1/2 would also do. The weather can play havoc with boat trip plans as you will read shortly.
Glad I'm not the only one asleep at the wheel Aprillilacs. Nice to have contact with you again Smeagol.

Robbietravels

On the subject of insects, bees and mud wasps are everywhere. Restaurant La Casabianca offers women (who seem to react less kindly to bees on their food than men) fans to shoo them away. No wonder, N Bonaparte, their famous native son, used the bumble bee in his emblem of sovereignty (well, there are actually two differing explanations as to how the bee got royally elevated but that’s another story).
Back at La Scandola we made reservations to go on a boat excursion next morning. The half day trip leaves from Porto and tours the calanques from the water (supposed to be even more dramatic than from land) and cruises around the Scandola Nature Reserve, which can only be accessed by boat. I was delighted that we could see both these star attractions in one tour from Porto. In the afternoon we’d do our touring of Evisa and the Spelunca Gorge.
We walked from the hotel toward the main square, a tiny area surrounded by a few outdoor cafes. It was nearly sunset and the cliffs became a fiery red as the sun glowed on these twisted formations; the sunset magic can be seem from every part of Piana. Just before the turn to get on D 81 going out of town we found U Campaneli, a few blocks from our hotel. DH has good instincts when it comes to picking restaurants, so I followed his lead. I had a set Corse meal that featured the best lamp shank ever. Fred was not impressed with his wild boar stew. Our fellow diners on the small terrace were friendly Europeans and the host/owner was quite charming. We walked around town a bit and then headed back to the hotel as sprinkles began to fall.
Next morning we had an early buffet breakfast so we could get to Porto early. The receptionist came to our table to deliver the bad news. The captain in Porto had just called her to advise that the trip was cancelled because of bad weather. I was really, really disappointed. The weather didn’t look bad from our end of the gulf. Maybe the captain didn’t book enough passengers to make the trip worthwhile for him. Damn, if we’d known of this weather front, we could have done the trip yesterday...but who checks maritime weather on vacation, says the woman who doesn’t even check the date of her flight to Corsica!
Oh, what to do. After a long morning walk on the main road going south (that means we saw three cars in an hour) we drove back to the beautiful beach at Arone and had another magnificent meal at Le Casabianca. We again sat on the terrace facing the small bay; today a couple of mid sized yachts anchored near the beach. “Our” waiter remembered us and brought us the drinks we’d enjoyed yesterday, from aperitifs to wines to coffees. It was a bit cloudy part of the afternoon but the day was warm, the waves gentle and the dogs glad to play fetch in the sea. I was now on bug patrol, yesterday’s bite was still shooting sprays of venom through my leg and accompanying surges of pain and itching. Dr. Fred declared it a spider bite....which took three weeks to heal. May my attacked know his karma.

Robbietravels

I mean my attacker!

Robbietravels

On my beachfront chaise this afternoon I’d finished Revelation: A Mathew Shardlake Mystery by C.J. Sansom. My reading this trip runs from who done it, to why did it happen that way to what meaning does it have. So I’ve interspersed my mystery novels with a biographical tome, A Team of Rivals by D. K. Goodwin is about the lead-up to the 1860 Republican nomination of Lincoln and his historic tenure as President. Spielberg’s upcoming movie is based on this book. When I take the time and have the privacy to meditate and it has been sporadic, I read a bit of Reflections on a Mountain Lake by Ani Tenzin Palmo. And I deny having finished the titillating trashy trilogy concerning Fifty Shades.
Dinner was at the Hotel restaurant just one door east of our hotel as it was rainy heavily now, the captain has been vindicated. I can’t recall the hotel/restaurant name but it was a “must miss” meal.
Today, Thursday, was a long driving day. We left Piana and had to go east to Porto to catch the D81 going north to Calvi. More stunning scenery. Both the pass (Col de la Croix) and the Golfe de Girolata are Michelin two star sights. I gave it six wows and three omgs. Without the tour busses and stunning sea view around each bend, the driving was a breeze on these roads with stunning sea view around each bend, We arrived in Calvi early afternoon and settled in at Hotel St Christophe. According to recent research Christopher Columbus may have been born in Calvi rather than in Genoa as previously claimed.
Calvi was the busiest and most tourist driven small town we’d encountered so far. We had lunch at one of the quayside cafes that faced many handsome yachts with mountains in the near background. Waterfront food is usually not good in our experience but the view was worth the average food.
Fred had another bout of car sickness driving up the coast so he went to the room to rest. I took a long walk along a rampart that followed the sea. On my walk I discovered that the restaurant where we’d booked dinner that night was only a fifteen minute walk from our hotel. Yea, no need to move the car and hunt for a parking spot.
Later we walked to U Fanale. We had an outstanding meal and dining experience. This time the dining lived up to the reviews. On the terrace we were seated next to a couple who spoke a language heretofore unheard by us, English. We had an enjoyable chat with them during dinner. They were from South Wales and have rented a flat in Calvi for a week or two for the past few years. Sounded like a good idea to me.
We walked around Calvi a bit more next morning before we left. I think I had under rated its charms due to driving fatigue. It really is a lovely area and the water here is a brilliant sapphire blue. With many excursion possibilities I think Calvi deserves a stay of at least two nights and two and a half days. And since it was bustling in mid September, I wouldn’t recommend it in mid summer.