17-07-2015     Sisco → Valle d'Alesani,   97 km       for route click here

Breakfast at 6:30 a.m. Hurray for the owner of the gîte! Shortly before eight we are ready to start a long stage. The experiences of two days ago have led us to reconsider our route and not pass the third east-west traversal through Cap de Corse: too much tourist traffic. Our destination Valle d'Alesani is quite a distance away, much too far find a route including only tiny roads. First it's back to Bastia; the D80 is no fun again. It must be easy, I think, to just follow the sea and get onto the cycle path (!) between the Mediterranean and the Étang de Biguglia. It seems to work out fine when we get onto a cycle path already at the northern quays in Bastia. However, we get stuck in a marina with yachts. It's quite picturesque, but we want to get on. I hope to pass the citadel on the outer (sea) side, but that appears impossible; instead we have to climb (steeply) to get through it. We get onto a main road to the south which turns into a real motor way, the N193 to . . . . Ajaccio. Cyclists are allowed on it, I check at a gas station, and I also ask if there is any alternative for it. There is not, and it's no fun at all.

	Our bicycles in front of our cubicle		The sea glittering under the morning sun
	As long as there are no cars it's quite okay		Bastia
	Where will this cycle path		lead us?
	Well, to the old port		And then we get stuck
	Granted, it's quite a scenic port		Allowed for cyclists (but not very comfortable)

Fortunately it's only for 3 km. The cycle path the man from the gîte was so enthusiastic about is VERY disappointing. It's flat and straight, it's along a road with quite some traffic, and most of the time trees block the views to both sides. At the end we have to go 10 km inland, because nearer to the coast there's no bridge over the river Golo. We have a short break at a fruit stall, with pastèque and a funny encounter with a group of local workmen.

The start of a VERY boring part

Enya aime beaucoup la pastèque

We pass close by Bastia Airport, cross the N193, and turn south again. First it feels nice to be able to look around again, especially to the mountains on our right, but then we get onto the N198 and we'd better put on blinkers for a while (ear plugs would have been nice too, weren't it too dangerous). Also since we 'lost' some kilometers around Bastia (in fact, we added them) the original route I had in mind will be too hard/long, so we have to follow this shitty N198 (that runs all the way down south to Bonifacio) some 20 km instead of only 11. Whenever it's possible we ride far on the shoulders of the road, or on the pavement,

but at places the road is quite narrow and the cars drive by at 90 km/h or more. Enya hates it, and agrees we'd better get it over with, before we take a break, which we do in extremely hot Moriani-Plage, at last, 65 km from Sisco. The pastry is beautiful and tasteful. We enjoy it and coffee/cola and a large bottle of 'Orezza' (the most popular eau petillant in Corsica) on a terrace right at the beach. Again Enya doesn't feel like a swim, and today neither do I. The temperature of the sea water is 27 °C, and the beach will be almost too hot to trot upon. In fact, after the morning ride Enya's good mood is spoiled for the rest of the quite exhausting day − the heat and the sore wrists don't help either. From Moriani it's about 500 m up to Valle d'Alesani. A small, straight, regularly up-going road brings us to the foot of the mountain area Castagniccia.

Beautiful and tasteful pastry

We turn left in San Nicolas, already 200 m higher than Moriani. Then first a rather nice, almost even ride along the Corniche de Castagniccia (sea view to the east) till Cervione. When six km further we turn our backs to the coast the altitude is already 410 m. And what a great environment we enter: mountains all around, a storage lake below in this very wide valley. Alas, we lose quite some altitude first. Halfway we are stopped by a family that asks for a knive. Hm! They want to cut loose the safety belt in a car wreck 50 meters below!? I hope my knife won't be blunt after this exercise. On we go. For a guy that's not tired (like me) it's a wonderful road. On the other side of the valley we can already see the road that we will take tomorrow; I can't wait! Enya fears it's our road for today; it looks quite a bit up.

	The start of a better part		The spire we will see from all sides
	Having fun in the sun		The spire from close by
	Quite a climb		Looking back to the spire
	Spiraling up from the spire		Entering Castagnicchia
	Now THIS is what we like   . . . .		. . . .   about Corsica
	Gradual climb		Having fun
	And look whom we've got there!		View back

Water!

Having fun

Valle d'Alesani is one hour too far, especially since the last kilometers are the steepest. We find the gîte, which looks better inside than expected from the outside, and have to get to a restaurant a little further to 'check in'. That restaurant is also the place where we will have dinner. We are the only guests in the gîte and are quite satisfied with our neat two-bedded room. For the first time in Corsica dinner is a disappointment. The entree is okay, but we have to wait VERY long for the main course, which is just a plain omelette, and for dessert we get two tiny scoops of ice cream (and not even the flavors we ordered).

Valle d'Alesani is one km too far!

Almost there