Tours and walks around Porto-Vechio

Located in the south of Corsica, Porto-Vecchio benefits from a strategic position between sea and mountain which makes it a region to discover or rediscover, a welcoming city of South Corsica where life is good.

Porto-Vecchio is today the largest agglomeration of Freto, although the historic capital is Bonifacio, the former capital of the province of the same name which covered the entire region.

Highly famous for beaches surrounding it (Cala Rossa, Palombaggia, Santa Giulia, etc.), the Genoese city has salt marshes of around ten hectares, now abandoned, which produced around 1 tonnes of salt per year.

Le Criterium International cyclist has been there since 2010.

Le Tour de France 2013 set off for its hundredth edition of Porto-Vecchio, which became the first Corsican city to host a stage of the tour.

You will go through the pass and the Ospedale lake, first stage of a route which will allow you to discover landscapes sheltering an intact flora and fauna.
Note an exceptional walk within reach of almost everyone: the Punta di a Vaca Morta, a small summit of 1300 m of altitude offering a 360 ° view on all the south of Corsica, from one coast to another and from Sardinia to the mountains of the center.

4 km after the dam on the road leading to Zonza, a marked path provides access to the most impressive waterfall in Corsica: the Piscia di Gallo.
The passage through Zonza will then lead you to discover the majestic Aiguilles de Bavella.
The passage through the pass of the same name at 1218 m altitude will allow you to connect theHigh Rocca to the east coast of Corsica.
All you have to do is let yourself be guided to Solenzara to then follow the coast.
Finally, the detour by Conca will allow you to discover one of the most typical villages of the island, clinging to the mountainside, before joining Porto Vecchio. (Source The Most Beautiful Roads in France)

The first 20 km of this route use the Critérium International stage. The track climbs quite sharply with an average gradient of 8% for about 10 12 kilometers.

The landscape is a combination of forest and carved granite. After the village of Ospedale, the D368 follows a highland plateau before descending to the other side of the Illarta and Pelza passes.
In Pelza, try to spot the road on the left, the D67 for Pacciunituli: famous for its megalithic standing stones.
Stay on the D67 for San-Gavino and then take the D26 south, direction Levie.

Then take the D59 to Carbini and try to spot the unusual church called "Saint John the Baptist"
The top is the Col de Bacinu with a memorial to WWII, menhir style. From now on we make the descent to return to Porto Vecchio, following the D59 until the turn to the left, in order to join the D159 (just at the beginning of the straight line): take it and try to spot the signs to return to town . (Source CorsicaCyclist)