Just booked 10 days in Corsica staying in a campsite bungalow type thing. Will be driving and wondering whch bike to take. The MTB would be better as it is more practical for rides with the family but are there any good MTB routes on Corsica or is it all closed for MTB use? We will be staying on the east side of the island roughly in the middle of the coastline.

I go there almost once a year, sometimes more.

Do a search on here as I’ve replied with some Corsica advice a couple of times.

But in short if you like road biking you will love Corsica. Massive mountains on your doorstep and little traffic. Some of the roads are a bit rough, but others are smooth. Any route will have breath-taking views and take you through tiny villages where you can stock up with food and drink during the ride.

Even I enjoyed road riding there and I hate it here in the UK.

However, I always take my MTB. There are some trails just up the hill (mountain) from Zonza by the horse racing circuit (Hippodrome in French). They have built some proper trails there with berms / jumps and exciting lines. Last year I was there I met the chap building them, he was making a wooden berm and spoke of more stuff he was planning.

Bear in mind their idea of a Red is our version of a Welsh Black. I was on my Capra and found most of their Reds quite daunting. I tired a few Blacks and being on my own high up in the mountains with no phone signal I opted for the Reds/Blues. By all means give the Black a go, but be prepared to fall off 🙂

There are a lot of paths marked on the maps which I also do. Some are ridable, others little more than wild boar tracks. But worth exploring. Recently they have been making / repairing and sign posting a lot of these paths. Bear in mind they are wild and steep and littered with boulders etc. Not much in the way of flow, but brilliantly challenging. I tend to cycle up the road and then plummet down the paths.

There are a lot of dirt tracks as well. Pretty much most of the coast is accessible via dirt roads and most of the mountains are covered in dirt double track. All ridable and all enjoyable.

What time of year are you going. It gets very / too hot in the summer. I tend to go in the winter and Spring / Autumn. I’m off there in a couple of weeks and my riding will be early in the morning or late in the evening.

Where you are is the only flat part of the Island, but a few km to the West you have massive mountains. Well worth riding to the top and down the other side. I’ve ridden round the southern part of the Island and looped back over the top before. Took most of the day by it was F**king epic.

Personally id try to take both bikes. But either will be good fun. I’ve not seen a bike shop there, so make sure you take spares.

When exactly will you be there ? If its in the next couple of weeks id be happy to meet up for a ride / beer.

Some of the roads are a bit rough like trail centre blue routes

But fantastic fun none the less.

Can’t comment on the off road riding, but the road riding is fabulous – as covered above, spectacular views at every turn.
The descent off the Bavella towards the east coast is epic 😀

I did the Raid Corsica route in 2015, some amazing road riding. Can’t comment on the off-road.

However… worst drivers I’ve ever experienced for respecting cyclists. Shocking.

I was about to post ask Trimix

Thanks for the info Trimix. Will be going end of June. But don’t worry I’m used to riding in hot conditions. 🙂

What dates will you be there then ? I’m there till the 12th of June, which sounds a bit too early for you ?

The decent down from Bavella is epic beyond words. You can climb up, recover at the top as there is a café there. Then wear out your brakes on the way down. I’ve done it on the road bike and motorbike, endless hairpins and views that would kill an asthmatic.

Watch out for random rocks in the road as well as wild Pigs and Cows who do seem to wonder about all over the place.

For other tips, its worth exploring the southern half of the Island from where you are. Bonifacio is simply incredible to wonder around. The harbour is full of Superyatchs. Porto Vecchio is beautiful. But don’t forget to just explore the villages up in the mountains. Zonza and the surrounding villages are great.

From where you are Id drive up the mountain to Bavella, over the top and wind your way down via Sartene to the west coast, lunch in Proprianno. Then south round the Island via Bonifacio / Porto Vecchio and back.

You get proper mountains, forests, lakes as well as beaches.

Canyoning from Zonza is good.

There is a great outdoor activity shop there which does it.

Thanks for all the info Trimix. Yes we’ll be arriving there on 27 June. Any tips on which ferry? We’ll be driving down via Lake Como so Genoa or Savano would seem to be the best options. Thx.

I really wouldn bother which ferry. Pick the one that goes overnight so you arrive fresh in the morning.

The island is small and the views are amazing, so enjoy the drive from whichever ferry you get. All the roads are twisty, even the main one.

I stay in the south west, a few mins from Propriano / Sartene. So I normally get the Propriano ferry from Marseille, but have used the Porto Vecchio and Ajaccio ones.

We get the morning tunnel crossing to Calais, drive till early evening and stay somewhere nice halfway across France overnight. Leisurely, stopping for a nice lunch and a break or two. Then in the morning its a few hours to Marseille where we get the 6-7pm crossing overnight.

Going via Italy seems a longer way round.

Personally I’ve found Corsica so good I get there as fast as I can. Done it in the van about 6 times, car once and motorbike a couple of times. Even flown several times, but cant take the bikes as easily then. Plus you need to hire a car when you get there, so taking the van means I can take all my toys.

Shame our paths wont cross, it would have been good to do some mtbing.

If you like it and fancy a return let me know.

The Corsican beer Pietra is quite nice. Oh, and be nice to the locals. The Corsican Mafia are real and not to be messed with 🙂 They are armed and everyone is related.

Have roadbiked here 5 times,over the years.Was last here in October 2016.Disagree about drivers,never had a problem.This has one of the best road biking descents I know,37km down from Col de Vergio and I’ve ridden the Alps,Pyrenees,still one of my favourites.Not ridden MTB here though.

Hi
Mark Warner have a resort in Bastia , near San Nicolao. Its on the east coast about 1/3 of the way down .
Would this be Ok for some half day road rides out into the mountains?
They have a deal for 3rd June for £860 incl single person supps , which is just about ok.
Would like to windsurf as well if it picks a thermal wind mid afternoon like alot of med islands.

Going via Italy seems a longer way round.
Not from Germany it’s not! 🙂

Oh, and be nice to the locals. The Corsican Mafia are real and not to be messed with They are armed and everyone is related.

I’ll keep that in mind when I’m robbing a post office! 😀

singletrackmind – the whole place is mountainous, any and all of it would be great.

Roter – have a great trip 🙂

Corsican cheese – awesome – as long as you like strong & smelly.

They also have “Petty Serpents” Cheese. (not sure of the spelling)

This variety has tiny maggots in it !
Your meant to eat them and enjoy it. Not complain to the waiter like I did.