Stage 11
Week 2 - Stage 11, Friday 18th May
Bonafacio to Zonza via Porto-Vecchio (67kms)
Total Ascent - 2,052 metres
Total Descent - 1,311 metres
I awake early after a restless night's sleep (too much noise and too many mosquitos!). By 6:30am I'm cycling up to the cliff tops which overlook Bonafacio. The sun is low in the sky and shining on to the citadel. A quite stunning view! I lean on my bike and...do nothing. Simply soak up the scenery and make a conscious effort to commit the time and place to memory. Then it's back down to the harbour for breakfast before packing-up everything and climbing once more into the saddle. At 9:00am I'm on my way.
My stay in Bonafacio has been very enjoyable - great food and spectacular scenery - but it's time to move on. At the roundabout on the outskirts of Bonafacio, I turn right on to the N198, a relatively flat and straight 25kms of road to Porto-Vecchio. Flat and straight, but this main road is not my idea of fun or why I came to Corsica!
Time, once again, to head for the hills. A brief stop to take on liquid refreshments and then on to the D368. I climb up and away from the busy and dangerous coast road. By lunchtime I was nearing the village of l'Ospedale. A lady was filling large containers with water from a pipe in the rock beside the road. She assured me the water (source) was 'potable' - in fact better than bottled water! Although she has running water at home, she much prefers to cook with the spring water. I thank her and proceed to re-fill my Camelbak then helped to load the containers into her car. Just before the town a group of about 30 cyclists speed by on their descent. I smile back at their shouts of "Bon courage!" and 'thumbs-ups'. In l'Ospedale, I lunch at 'U Fun Tanonu' and most enjoyable it is too! Ravioli followed by gateaux du chataine, washed down with a chilled bottle of Orangine.
After lunch I continue up the D368 and stop to at Lac L'Ospedale. A snake about 1m in length lies squashed on the road. I've come across quite a lot of wildlife; 1 bat (deceased), 7 snakes (very much alive), 3 hedgehogs (deceased), 6 lizards (4-2 in living's favour), several dung beetles (alive), pigs and cows (numerous and alive). The staff in the restaurant at lunchtime told me there are trout in the lake, so I can't pass up the opportunity to cast a line. A group of motor cyclists seem rather bemused by someone fly fishing wearing full lyra cycling gear and crash helmet! I have to agree with them - does look a bit odd!! Having entertained several passers-by with my unrewarding antics, decide it's time to be on my way to the next village of Zonza.
I arrive in Zonza at 5:45pm after a tough day which included 2 1/2 hours' climbing, but rewarded with some magnificent scenery along the way!. Zonza is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department, within the mountain chain of Barocagio-Marghese and situated in the Rizzansee river valley on the mountainside opposite Quenza. This area of Corsica is quite remote; to travel from Zonza Village to St. Lucia, a distance of 17 kms as the crow flies, the Zonza massif must be circled to the south and Ospedale forest passed through. This route is about 50 km and takes over an hour.
I spot a sign for 'l'Hotel les Vacances' and decide to investigate. I think this will be perfect for one night; really friendly and helpful staff and simply but tastefully decorated rooms. The owner of the hotel allows me to store my bike in a lock-up garage on the other side of the road from the hotel. Just time to wash my clothes and then myself before walking the short distance to the Cafe le Maquis for an evening meal.
Like all the evenings before, I take my maps with me to study. The 'Aiguilles de Bavella' (Bavella Needles) looks very interesting. These are rocky spikes of red granite that dominate the hill of the same name. The highest points of the Bavella massif stand a little to the north of the Needles at 1899m. However, The massif is overshadowed by the highest peak in the region, Monte Incudine (2134 m).
The Col de Bavella is only 9kms from Zonza. I could remove the panniers, leave them at the Hotel and take a ride up there first thing tomorrow? With that thought in mind, I finish my meal and retire to my bed.
