Corsica Honeymoon

Hi

I am planning to go to Corsica for my Honeymoon in late August. Currently, we are arriving in Bastia Airport and plan to drive across to Piana and spend 6 nights in Les Roches Rouges and investigate this area which looks spectacular. After this we plan to spend our last 5 nights in Algajola and sail out from Ille Rousse to Nice. I am looking for advice on the following:

1) The drive from Bastia to Piana, while it looks short on the map, I hear the roads are quite bad and I am wondering how long this journey would take us.

2) Any must see things in the Piana area?

3) Any recommendations on where to stay in Algajola in terms of hotel or even self catering.

4) Would Calvi or Ille Rousse in terms of a days shopping and how late does the tram connecting these towns run in the evening.

5) Are there any other recommended day trips to nice beaches or towns near algajola?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers

Brian

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Brian, sounds like a good schedule to me. First of all, congratulations on your forthcoming wedding.

Here are some thoughts on your queries:

1. If I were you, I%26#39;d drive down through the middle rather than via the coast. The roadworks near Porto will almost certainly be finished by August, but it%26#39;s still a very twisty, edgy drive, especially southbound, and it%26#39;s not for the faint-hearted. So take the road via Ponte Leccia, Corte, Vizzavona and Ajaccio - then go back up the coast to Cargese and on to Piana.

2. Yes - the Calanches de Piana is the most famous local beauty spot , but you will be told about that when you arrive. If you are into history, the Greek church at Cargese is also worth a visit, and there%26#39;s a lovely river walk between Ota and Evisa, near Porto.

3. I%26#39;m no authority on hotel accommodation. However, I%26#39;m sure you will find somewhere if other posts on this site are anything to go by - but move soon! August gets busy round here!

4. Calvi and Ile Rousse are both nice small, boutiquey shopping places with some quite decent clothes shops - though some are a little pricey. You can find out about the tram times on www.corsicbus.org.

5. Take your pick! Algajola beach is very nice itself, but there are several little jewels along the tram line - Ste Restitude, Arinella, Giorgio... I could go on, (and others probably will).

Have a great time!

DTR

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Hello Brian - good choice for a honeymoon and the crowds will be thinning out by late August.

The shortest route from Bastia to Piana is not one I would recommend to the first day of a first timer - it might put you off for good! Part of the road is the Scala di Santa Regina and is one of the most frightening roads in Corsica. Then the road climbs to the highest pass on the island, the Col de Verghio, before falling to the coast at Porto. Very picturesque, but you may like to leave it until you are fully accustomed to Corsican roads. I don%26#39;t think the length of time taken is particularly important. A reasonable alternative, much longer but much easier roads, is to go via Ajaccio and Cargese. You could spend a day and night in Ajaccio.

Piana itself is not directly on the coast. The obvious %26quot;must see%26quot; which you actually can%26#39;t miss is %26quot;Les Calanches%26quot;, fantastic rock formation penetrated by the Piana-Porto road. Very busy with tourists during the day, but lots of walks, short and long, in the area.

Do have a coffee and pizza in the village square in Piana and watch the world (or rather lots of tourists) go by.

The nearest beach is the Plage d%26#39;Arone along the D824 from Piana, but you might like to visit Cargese, bigger than Piana and lots of beaches to choose from. The other way are the Spelunca Gorges and the Foret d%26#39;Aitone and also the very tricky road to Calvi - lots about this in the Forum.

You have to appreciate that Algajola is a VERY small place. There are a couple of beach side hotels and a few other places to stay, but of course the tramway is a big plus here. Train times on www.corsicabus.org. Lots of beaches along the route of the tramway and further along from L%26#39;ile Rousse by car are Lozari and Ostriconi beaches.

Calvi and L%26#39;ile Rousse are also small towns and I would not imagine you could actually spend a day shopping in either place. Both are very pleasant to stroll round and explore.

The Haute Balagne is a must for a day out from the places on the coast and again this has been described on this forum before.

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Sorry, I meant www.corsicabus.org, NOT corsicbus.org. Aardvark, please tell my wife you can%26#39;t spend a day shopping in Calvi and Ile Rousse!!! How many things do you try on?! DTR

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Come on, Derek! Do you really spend any part of your Corsica holiday watching your wife shop for clothes?? Leave her to it and go to the beach with a couple of bottles of cooled Corsican beer, like any normal hubby!! Bad for your credit card bill, but otherwise excellent!%26quot;

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I think we%26#39;re setting these soon-to-be-weds a bad example! However, I must say shopping%26#39;s not really my thing and prefer the beer %26amp; beach suggestion. (;-)

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I%26#39;ve only stayed once in any of the hotels in Algajola but I%26#39;ve met several people who have stayed in others. They are all really in the 2-3 star range (and some are more in the 1 star).

The only remotely honeymoon contenders I would say are:

the beau rivage - right on the beach and featured in a few package brochures, no pool, fairly basicmainly fish restaurant with limited choice. 2 stars http://en.hotel-beau-rivage.com/en/

the ondine - 5 minutes from the beach, right in the village, still overlooking the sea, with a pool, and a well-regarded restaurant. Maybe 2-3 stars.

http://www.hotel-londine.com/

the pascal paoli (which is actually in the commune of aregno) modern but low rise and quite tasteful, back from the beach, across the main road, still no distance from the beach. many more facilities - pool, tennis courts, night club (could be a drawback). 3 stars.

http://www.hotel-pascal-paoli.fr/

It depends how much luxury you want but you won%26#39;t find top of the range in Algajola. But these are all well situated and I%26#39;m sure quite comfortable. At that time of the year you might have to take half-board so the quality of the restaurant would be important.

I have stayed in the Hotel St Joseph, which has no restaurant or public rooms to speak of, clean, friendly and basic; and friends have stayed in l%26#39;Esquinade, ditto. Both 1-2 stars and not really suitable for a prolonged stay, but reasonably priced. And if you stayed there you wouldn%26#39;t be tied down for dinner - there are half a dozen restaurants to choose from in the village.

There is lots of self catering, too much to recommend - try gites de france, abritel, etc, although august will be difficult. you need to book soon.

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Hi

I am really glad that I posted this message. Thanks to everyone for all the great advice about hotels, driving and the quality of corsican beer! I just ask for one last piece of advice, can you tell me what your opinion of Ille Rousse is. It seems to have faired badly in guide books who complain about the crowds in August and the poor quality of the beach. We are kind of limited in the second destination in our honeymoon as we are leaving from the ferryport in Ille Rouuse very early on our last morning and we really dont want to split our trip up into more than two destinations in terms of hotels. That is why I thought algajola seemed an attractive option. However, if I thought Ille Rousse was a good option, I would give it serious consideration also. All we are looking for is a nice hotel on or near the beach with good potential for day trips.

Cheers

Brian

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Ile Rousse is terrific - don%26#39;t believe what they say in the guidebooks. It has rather more of a French feel than some of the other towns in the area, but don%26#39;t let that put you off.

Yes, it will certainly be crowded in August (as will most other places in Corsica) but the beach is great - clean, safe, with very clear blue water. I can%26#39;t understand why anyone should complain about it.

The main road connecting Calvi, Ile Rousse, Algajola and Ponte Leccia is of very high standard and you will be able to whizz along there very swiftly on the morning you have to catch your ferry wherever you decide to spend the last week. Europcar and Hertz both have drop-off points near the port, and you%26#39;ll probably find you leave your car at one of these depots when you leave.

Traffic can build up through Ile Rousse around Monday to Saturday 11-12 am just before the shops shut for the lunchtime/afternoon siesta but that shouldn%26#39;t be a worry at 7 am.

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Personally I don%26#39;t care much for Ile Rousse, and tend to agree with the guide books, although there are nice beaches not very far away.

Calvi is nicer, and the beach much better. And as Derek says, not a problem getting along the coast to catch the ferry. And I%26#39;m very partisan about Algajola - love the smallness and unpretentiousness of it, and the beach is the best for swimming (gets deep quickly whereas in Calvi you have to walk for miles)

One place I%26#39;ve just thought in these parts, which might be good honeymoon territory, although a drive from any shops or towns - is Le Rocher - mainly a restaurant, but they have a few rooms. It%26#39;s on the end of a beautiful peninsula, with fabulous views and strolls to small coves nearby. It can get rather windy because of its exposed position but the breeze is quite welcome at that time of year.

http://www.lerocherdelumio.com/plage.htm

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Thanks again for the advice. You all have given me much to consider. By the sounds of it Calvi, Algajola and Ile Rousse all offer a lot of potential. If anyone else has other suggestions for romantic accommodation in Calvi, Ile Rouse, or Algajola I would be thrilled.

Thanks again.

Brian