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Bastia to Ajaccio - along the West coast

8 days / 7 nights
Corsica - Leisure cycling - E-bike tours - Self-guided - E-bike
Without guide - Mobile app

Last updated: 25/10/2024

price from
~885 £ [1290 €] per pers.

Follow Corsica's most beautiful coastal roads from Bastia to Ajaccio.
This is a superb trip that will allow you to enjoy the best that Corsica has to offer, using the same roads of the amazing third stage of the Tour de France 2013. From the northern capital of Bastia you will cycle to Ajaccio, the birth place of Napoleon. For the most part you will be cycling along the stunning and varied western coastline. You will have the chance to visit the Balagne region, which has wonderful beaches and picturesque mountain villages, and the area around Porto which has quite rightly been named as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Accommodations offer comfortable double rooms, in 2* or 3* hotels.

Trip available with our digital road-book.

Your day by day program

1
Arrival in Bastia

Your trip starts in Bastia, the capital of "Haute Corse" (upper Corsica). Settle into your hotel in the afternoon and spend some time wandering around this interesting town. In particular, it is worth visiting the ancient Citadelle, the Place St Nicolas and the old harbour. There are plenty of excellent restaurants to choose from for your evening meal.
Night in a 3* hotel

2
Bastia to St Florent

This first stage leads you over the col de Teghime (536m), where you have a beautiful view on both sides of the island. On your way down to St Florent you can stop in Patrimonio for a "short" wine tasting. The region of Patrimonio is well known for its vineyards. For the very courageous ones an 85km stage can be done by cycling north of Bastia onto the Cap Corse and over the col de Santa Lucia (381m).

Distance:

Around 26km (D+ : 584m ; D- : 581m ; Min. : 0m ; Max. : 552m)
or 85km (D+ : 1093m ; D- : 1153m ; Min. : 1m ; Max. : 393m)

3
Saint Florent to Monticello

Today you will leave the bay of St Florent and head through the "desert des Agriates". At spring time you will be acosted with the scents and colours of the wild maquis (Corsican scrub). After about 30km you reach the coast again, with a superb view of the "red island" that shelters the harbour of Ile-Rousse. Your overnight stop is a village just above it.

Distance: around 48km (D+ : 883m ; D- : 685m ; Min. : 1m ; Max. : 363m)
Night in a 3*-hotel

4
Monticello to Galeria

Today you continue southwards to Calvi. You have the option to stay high and ride through some nice mountain villages (with superb views of the sea) or take the shorter route along the coast (this is the main road).
Once you arrive in Calvi it is worth visiting the Citadelle that overlooks the bay. A refreshing drink on the port is a must.
From Calvi you still have 37km to go on the coastal road. This has been named as one of the most scenic coastal roads in the whole of Europe, despite the fact that it is, at times, in bad condition. Tonight you will spend your evening in a small fishing village.

Distance:

66 km (D+ : 690m, D- : 900m, Min : 1m, Max : 218m)
or 78 km (D+ : 933m, D- : 1148m, Min : 1m, Max : 533m)

Night in a 2* hotel

5
Galeria to Porto

Just when you thought the scenery couldn't get any better, it does! This is a superb day of cycling with breath-taking views along the whole ride. After a few warm-up km you start to climb the col de Palmarella (408m). From the top you can see the bay of Scandola (a UNESCO World Heritage site). Further on you will climb the pass to the col de la Croix, after which you can enjoy some good downhill riding. You will cross the villages of Curzu and Partinello, before taking the last short climb that separates you from the bay of Porto.

Distance: around 51km (D+ : 585m ; D- : 564m ; Min. : 5m ; Max. : 405m)
Night in a 3* hotel in Porto.

6
Porto to Cargese

This stage starts with a climb out of Porto to the famous "Calanques de Piana". This is an area with stunning rock formations and has also been named a UNESCO world heritage site. You'll then cross the village of Piana and finally, Cargese, an ancient village built by the Greeks in the 18th century.

Distance: around 31km (D+ : 703m ; D- : 660m ; Min. : 10m ; Max. : 481m)
Night in a 2* hotel

7
Cargese to Ajaccio

Already your last day on the bike. As it isn't too far to Ajaccio, you can do a round-trip to the bay of Lava and its magnificent beaches. An early arrival in Ajaccio allows a visit of the "iles sanguinaires" at the north cape of the Ajaccio-bay, or a tour of the city including for example, the Tino Rossi harbour and Napoleon's birth place.

Distance: around 49km (straight)
(D+ : 752m ; D- : 831m ; Min. : -1m ; Max. : 412m)
Night in a 3* hotel

8
Tour ends in Ajaccio

After breakfast, your tour comes to an end. If you rented bikes, we'll pick them up at the hotel. Transfer to the airport or back to Bastia (possible by train) on request.

Departure board

Daily from the beginning of April to mid-October

Technical information

Fact sheet
Starting point
  • In your hotel in Bastia, in the afternoon.
End
  • In your hotel in Ajaccio, after breakfast, on day 8.
Accommodation
  • Double rooms in 2* and 3* hotels.
Number of people
  • From 2 participants
Level of difficulty
  • Medium: stages from 26km to 52km, with up to 800m h.d. On some you have the choice between 2 routes; longer or shorter
Carrying
  • Your luggage gets transferred from one accommodation to the next. You only have to carry what's needed for the day.
Options
  • Single room : 435€
  • Departures in May, June and September : 80€
  • Departures in July and August : 190€
  • Hybrid bike rental (delivery and repatriation included) : 440€
  • Electric bike rental  (delivery and repatriation included) : 550€
  • Road bike rental (delivery and repatriation included) : 580€
Included
  • The nights in double rooms in 2 and 3-star hotels
  • 7 breakfasts per person
  • The luggage transfers on each stage
  • Information package with maps and road-books on our app (a smartphone is required)
  • Local assistance by phone
Not included
  • Transport to Bastia and from Ajaccio
  • Unplanned transfers
  • Meals and drinks
  • Bike rental

Map

Clients feedback

Bruno R. 05 September 2023

We have arrived in everyday life and can look back with satisfaction on a very nice bike trip in Corsica. Although we decided to start the trip at very short notice, everything worked out flawlessly. Europe Active has done a very good job. The tours were very well marked and corresponded to the descriptions. The luggage transport worked very well and the hotels were, with small outliers, good to very good. The bike rental company worked very reliably (even with our breakdown...).

Thank you for the good organization and positive attitude at our request.

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