EpiBlog: What to do Post-GR20???
Part A: Carrying on in Corsica
The big reason for going to Corsica was to do the GR20 but, thinking that it was a long way to get to from Tasmania and not knowing if and when we were likely to go back, in our planning we had decided to give ourselves a week after the hike to have a look around the island. Doing the hike in twelve days rather than fifteen meant that we actually had ten days left before flying out of Ajaccio. There's always a bit of a let-down after a great adventure and we wanted to try to maintain the high as long as we could.
However, before I get on to what we got up to for the rest of our time in Corsica and the few days back in France before flying home, I thought I'd share with you a pretty good video on the GR20 that I came across a couple of days ago. (It was such a terrific hike that I haven't really been able to help myself reliving it to some extent, and doing the blog has been really good for that, as has trying to find other points of view on the experience.) This video by Nicolas Rousseau has some great footage and some images that you will be familiar from some of the photos in earlier posts on my blog (if you've been following the journey). The sequences from the Cirque de la Solitude show the exposure and scale. I'm embedding the video here …
… as well as providing a link in case you'd like to watch it full screen.
Back to post-GR20. We managed to have a good look around the southwestern half of the island after leaving Conca. Here's a map showing pretty much the ground we covered. (The GR20 is roughly marked in red.)
After spending a night at La Tonnelle, the wonderful gîte in Conca, we got the navette into Porto Vecchio. We had booked a couple of nights at a place close to the city centre called Hôtel da Mama, which we eventually found our way to after our helpful driver had actually taken us out of town to Motel da Mamma. A strange occurrence that, and we wondered if we were travelling in a parallel universe, but we eventually got where we wanted to be. (Send me a message if you'd like the full story.) It seemed like a good idea to have a couple of days to relax, look around a bit, do our laundry and work out how to get the most out of the rest of our stay in Corse.
Having decided to poke around Bonifacio on our second day after the hike, we spent the first day just relaxing, exploring Porto Vecchio, eating, doing our laundry and sorting out a car for the following eight days. Nothing else to say about that day really. No photos for example; I guess PV just wasn't that photogenic.
Taking the bus down to Bonifacio for a few hours was an enjoyable bit of a touristy lark. It's a very beautiful - and historic - spot. As you'd expect they have a real link to the sea, as this old rowboat at the bottom of the steps leading up to the old citadel demonstrates ...
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| It's this far from Corsica to Tasmania ... |
We walked up the steps toward the citadel, where you get a great view down into the sheltered harbour of Bonifacio …
… and then took a left to hike a little way along the cliff tops. There are great views looking up towards the citadel from the steps …
… and across from the pathway that runs along the cliff top …
You might have noticed that the rock in this photo is very different from anything else that has featured in the blog to date. While the rest of Corsica is effectively one great granite mountain rising up out of the Mediterranean Sea, this bit of coastline is like a fringe of limestone lace attached to the southern skirt of the island. On a windswept day like this, we thought the whitecaps on the blue of the sea and the stark white cliffs were just gorgeous.
Sorry, but I don't have any photos from the citadel itself. We went into the church but Di found it rather macabre so we didn't stay long. Otherwise it just didn't capture the imagination, perhaps because it is crammed with shops selling expensive and tourists packed the streets. After walking in the mountains for a couple of weeks perhaps it was a shock to the system to be in a tourist town environment.
Incidentally, while we were in Bonifacio we came across a marvellous little guidebook to the 70 "finest coastal and mountain walks" in Corsica. This is what the front cover looks like ...
… and this is the back …
The cliff line walk from Bonifacio is number 36 in this guide, goes along the coast past an ancient battery to the lighthouse at Capu Pertusato and back again, and is meant to take about three hours and ten minutes. We didn't have that long so we just strolled out a little way for the view, but it was very tempting to keep going!
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| Bonifacio harbour |
… and then took a left to hike a little way along the cliff tops. There are great views looking up towards the citadel from the steps …
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| Cliffline and citadel walls from steps |
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| Bonifacio Citadel from cliff top walk |
Sorry, but I don't have any photos from the citadel itself. We went into the church but Di found it rather macabre so we didn't stay long. Otherwise it just didn't capture the imagination, perhaps because it is crammed with shops selling expensive and tourists packed the streets. After walking in the mountains for a couple of weeks perhaps it was a shock to the system to be in a tourist town environment.
Incidentally, while we were in Bonifacio we came across a marvellous little guidebook to the 70 "finest coastal and mountain walks" in Corsica. This is what the front cover looks like ...
… and this is the back …
The cliff line walk from Bonifacio is number 36 in this guide, goes along the coast past an ancient battery to the lighthouse at Capu Pertusato and back again, and is meant to take about three hours and ten minutes. We didn't have that long so we just strolled out a little way for the view, but it was very tempting to keep going!
I thought I'd provide a link to the guidebook above and found that there is actually a new edition which now has 75 walks that are GPS referenced. Many of these walks actually involve walking short sections of the GR20. Followers of the blog might remember that on day nine we doubled up and, partly because of dodgy weather and partly because of the distances involved, we stuck to the standard route rather than taking the high level variation via the fabulous pozzis that Di had wanted to visit. Walk number 28 in the guidebook goes up to the pozzis from Station du Val d'Ese and is supposed to be about a four and a half hour round trip. Here is a snapshot of pages 88-89 from the guidebook with part of the route description and some photos showing what we missed …
As I said on the post for that day, this is a walk we'll do if we ever go back to Corsica.
Finding this little (16.4 cm X 11.5 cm) guide book was a eureka moment and basically provided the blueprint for our remaining time on the island. We had pretty much decided that we'd rent a car, but where we'd go was a bit unclear - apart from knowing we had to go back to Hôtel Monte d'Oro to pick up our camping gear. Now we had a treasure trove of day walks to choose from which would no doubt allow us to experience more of Corsica's stunning scenery.
So, the next day we picked up a car and drove to Col de Vizzavona via the east coast for a way then up through a fantastic, winding gorge to the small town of Ghisoni, where we had lunch and on to Vizzavona for the night. Next day another drive, this time to Porto via a circuitous route on highway N193 almost as far as Ajaccio, then north on the D81 via Sagone, Cargèse and Piana to Porto, where we'd booked a hotel for three nights. The drive was fantastic, with a lot of cyclists on the roads, as well as hikers in and around the fabulous Les Calaches de Piana. (Another dream is to go back to Corsica just for the cycling: we saw lots of cycle tour groups in some wonderful places.) Check out this Youtube video:
The rest of the day was spent poolside at our hotel, in and out of the water: a nice chill out after some tense moments on the very narrow roads nigh above the coast with a very nervy passenger!
We had picked out a coastal walk for our first dip into the guidebook. Indeed, of the six walks we did all or part of from the book, five of them ended up being coastal walks. And why not? We'd spent a lot of time in the mountains, and the idea of being able to walk along the coast and have a swim - or two, or indeed three! - was very appealing. So, the next morning we drove the twenty-two twisty kilometres northwards to the Col de la Croix in order to do the walk to Girolata. This is part of the Tra Mare e Monti trail. On our way we enjoyed this lovely view down over the ocean …
Girolata sounded like an idyllic destination. It's an historic fishing village and the only access is by boat or footpath: there are no roads and hence no automobiles. The position is very scenic and it's one of the spots along the coast the Genoese built one of their seventy-seven towers in the 16th Century. Here is a view down towards the village from the inland route:
Yes, it is a very beautiful spot. The granite along this section of coastline has a very distinct reddish tinge about it and is quite stunning. Unfortunately, as you can see in the photo, it has become very popular with sightseers and many tour boats bulging with passengers call in for a visit. (You can see one on the way in.) Two jetties have been built to accommodate them and there are a number of bars along the beach so this once-tranquil place is really just another tourist trap. We stayed long enough for a quick cold drink and headed back along the coast. Here is another view looking back towards Girolata from a different angle, showing the Genoese tower, the town above the beach and the coastline to the north …
The coast track rejoins the path down from the Col de la Croix at the Plage de Tuara where we had a swim before making our way back up the the col and the car. It was great to arrive at a beach where we found ourselves - at least momentarily - completely alone …
The next day took us back to the mountains. I'd read about the Naitone forests in Edward Lear's journal from his visit to Corsica in 1851 and walk number nineteen took us up to the Col de Cuccavera at 1475 metres. The sub-heading for this walk promises a "Peaceful and panoramic high route above the Aitone valley". It sounded terrific and was, taking us gradually up an old logging road for much of the route and then on to a smaller trail before reaching the col itself. On the drive up toward the start of the walk we passed a large number of cyclists strung out along the road, perhaps on their way to Castellu di Vergio - or perhaps doing a loop back to Porto. Near Evisa, we came across a happy bunch of porkers extracting some mysterious sustenance from the gravel beside the roadway …
The walk itself was largely in the forest which was very pleasant but meant that we didn't continuously enjoy panoramic views. One major bonus, especially for my twitchy companion who was overjoyed to see, with her naked eye the elusive Sitelle Corse or Corsican Nuthatch. As one gets higher though things start to open out a bit …
Early on the route is lined with large boulders and huge laricio pines, but higher up most of the bigger trees had been harvested in the past - probably around the time that Lear visited a century and a half ago. There was still the occasional big fellah still hanging around here and there …
At the col itself the views north and west toward the coast were quite panoramic …
After this very pleasant hike we headed back past Evisa toward Ota. Along the way we passed another motley mob of pigs making the most of whatever it was alongside and, in this case, actually on the roadway itself …
Further along this fantastic route we paused to record the terrific road-building. Along with the precipitous drop, mountainous skyline and clouds massing on the horizon I thought it made a pretty striking scene …
Ota is less than five kilometres from Porto but is perched at 340 metres above sea level. It's another gorgeous Corsican town with beautiful panoramic views. We paused to enjoy the scenery from the deck of a bar-restaurant and imbibe in a cold drink …
In the next photo, looking back towards Ota and beyond to the mountains where we'd been hiking earlier in the day are a number of interesting features. The extensive terracing is one, and the fact that they are now uncultivated when in the past they would have been heavily gardened is another. The retaining walls holding up the road and, indeed, the town is another interesting feature. Below the town is the cemetery, which is a bit unusual. From what we'd seen around Corsica, most of the cemeteries seemed to be in quite elevated positions. Finally, across the valley you can see another roadway, which is testament to the fact that over their long history the Corsicans have developed many routes into their mountainous interior. One can only wonder at what these routes would have been like a century or two ago …
Our new little treasure the Rother Walking Guide showed a cluster of three walks along the southwest coast, south of Propriano, that looked really good, with another just north of Propriano. Distances are not very great between the walks, and they are all close to the historic town of Sartène, which looked like a great place to hang out. We managed to book into the Hôtel des Roches for four nights, which would leave us one more night before we flew out of Ajaccio. So, the day after our walk in the Aitone forests we drove south through Piana again, Di having girded her loins for the windy roads, on through Ajaccio - a forgettable experience - and on to Sartène. The following photo is on the final approach around to the city …
A couple of things are worth pointing out. Almost exactly in the centre of the photo is a grey tower, which is the church tower in the centre of town and overlooking the central plaza. And, in the bottom right-hand corner is a little cluster of crucifixes. This photo is taken from just alongside the Sartène cemetery, which as the size of the edifices in the next photo illustrate is more like a city of the dead …
Along our train journey from Bastia to Calvi, and again while we'd been driving around the countryside we'd noticed that cemeteries were pretty impressive affairs in Corsica. However, for the size of Sartène we thought that its cemetery was pretty big and, most strikingly, featured mostly quite large mausolea. Apparently the Sartène region features large in the whole Corsican vendetta tradition, so perhaps that explains the disproportion of very large mausolea. You will probably have noticed that all the crypts are well maintained. We weren't surprised therefore to see work being done close at hand …
Sartène was a pretty neat town. The old centre-ville is a tiny maze of very windy, very narrow streets. There is a strong sense of Corsican culture. We made a visit to the museum of pre-history which was very interesting. There is a small but vibrant arts precinct and while we were there we were lucky enough to attend a highly entertaining open air presentation of Don Pasquale, which we discovered was being performed for one night only, which just happened to be our wedding anniversary. After a wonderful dinner at U Serena - Di said the lamb was the best she's ever tasted - we queued up at the gate and just managed to get tickets. Even more wonderful: most of the front row was vacant so we wended our way down to get seats almost within touching of the conductor! I did take a couple of short videos with my dinky little camera, which didn't come up very well but a couple of snippets will give a sense of the atmosphere …
All this after a wonderful walk and two swims along the coast from Tizzano towards Campomoro. Merveilleux! (Don't ask me why I don't have any photos of the walk to share - I just don't know!)
The next day we set off for walk number 33 in our guidebook: a loop walk which involves getting to Cala de Roccapina, ascending to a Genoese tower, descending to Plage d'Erbaju and then traversing back around throughout the bush to Cala de Roccapina. The book describes it as a "beautiful short walk" that "goes through some spectacular rocky scenery and to two of the loveliest beaches on the island". That sounded just great to us.
Unfortunately, there were two problems with carrying out our plan. The first was that after our wonderful evening at opera we made a bit of a late start and it turned out to be a really warm day. This in itself wouldn't have mattered that much, but when we started driving down the 2.5 kilometre dirt road from the Bocca di Curali towards Cala de Roccapina we discovered it was heavily potholed. One car had stopped in front of us and was turning around. This made us leery about taking our little rental car with its low clearance down it so we also turned around and parked. That meant we had to hike down to the start of the walk and back, adding another 5.0 kilometres to the day out. Finally, I guess when you get right down to it there was also a third problem: we were feeling a bit lazy!
So we started off and this was the view from from the bocca …
… where you can clearly see the Genoese tower at the top of the ridge on the left and the Lion de Roccapina on the right.
We walked down to the beach, then up on to the ridge where there is a great view down to the Plage d'Erbaju …
After a very brief discussion we decided to admire the view from afar, go have a look at the Genoese tower and then head down to Cala de Roccapina for a swim. Here is a glimpse of the tower - which is built right atop a granite outcrop - as we approach from the seaward side …
… and here is another photo of the tower with Di enjoying the view …
This is the view down towards the Cala de Roccapina from the tower …
With the temperature in the high twenties and almost no wind, you can probably understand why we were so keen to get down and have a swim! We spent quite a while in the water working up an appetite then slowly wandered back to the car. A short drive to the south took us to another very scenic col where we found a delightful little restaurant with a terrace. We ordered the plât du jour, which was a terrific chicken thing. Back to Sartène, a visit to the museum of prehistory and an enjoyable dinner at the hotel capped the day off nicely.
For our next day's adventure we chose a walk from Campomoro that goes to a nearby tower and then describes a loop along the coast to a beach and then back via an old mule path that ascends a low spine of rock and eventually finds its way back to Campomoro. It was meant to be about a five hour trip so we brought lunch along: some of those wonderful maqueraux à la moutarde the French love so much, a Corsican cheese and fresh bread from a bakery in Sartène.
The guide calls this a "Fabulous circular walk on the idyllic southwest coast" and uses phrases such as "picture book coastal walk", "bizarre coastline", "superb sandy beach" and that the return journey features a "beautiful high path". It sounded a pretty good way to spend another day in southwest Corsica.
The tower just adjacent to Campomoro is one of the better preserved on the island …
It has been restored and you can pay a few Euros to do go inside and have a look around, but it was closed on this particular day.
Down on the coast we were soon amongst the bizarre and beautiful rock formations described in the guidebook …
Once you descend from the tower the route along the coast is very easy to follow for quite a distance and provides great views back towards the tower …
At one point the route takes you through a really neat little rocky section, where chains have been installed in case the rocks have been made slippery by a rougher sea than what we experienced on this lovely day out …
After an hour or so we found ourselves at a fantastic little beach, the Cala d'Aguglia. It was totally deserted when we arrived and we enjoyed a wonderful lengthy swim before getting out and having our lunch. The guidebook uses the word "idyllic" to describe this walk and we certainly found this beach to be just that. A couple of small boats with just two people on each of them arrived as we were having lunch, and then another couple arrived on foot. All very quiet and sedate - quite a contrast to Girolata a couple of days earlier. Here is a glimpse back as we farewell this gorgeous, secluded spot …
As I mentioned earlier, in the Sartène region the tradition of vendetta was apparently quite strong. We wondered if two - actually three when I come to think about it - things we noticed while we were in staying in Sartène might be evidence that traces of the vendetta culture still exist. One was that a set of public toilets was closed off as a crime scene. Another was that there were a large number of gendarmes staying at our hotel. And finally, when we were finishing this wonderful walk from Campomoro we passed by a massive funeral entourage assembling in the small, idyllic seaside village. We were gobsmacked at the hundreds and hundreds of people gathering, all dressed in black, all very stern looking. I thought briefly about taking a photo of the crowd gathering but wasn't sure it would go down well so decided against it. But it did make us wonder ...
A final word on the Sartène region before we leave it behind. It is also known for its high quality wines, so if you're on a walking and wining tour of Corsica, don't miss it!
On our last full day in Corsica we had a leisurely start and then a circuitous drive to go a very short distance north to a gîte in the hamlet of Bisinao that had been recommended to us by a Polish/English couple named Monika and Matt. We'd met Monika and Matt in Bastia. They were on their way to do various walks around the island before heading off to New Zealand for a very big adventure: they were hoping to walk the length of the two islands. (It must be time we checked on where they are at with their plans.) We reconnected with them for a lunch in Propriano after we'd finished the GR20 and they'd done the Tra Mare e Monti Nord and bits of some of the other multi-day hikes on Corsica. The two M's had been through Bisinau while hiking the Mare e Monti Sud and stayed at A Funtana and loved it.
This proved to be an excellent way to finish our sojourn in Corsica. Dominique, the owner of the gîte was a most pleasant host and a very good cook, the gîte itself was very comfortable and the quiet hamlet of Bisinau is perched in a beautiful, elevated position. The next day we had to have our rental car at Nopolean Bonaparte Airport in Ajaccio by 10:00 a.m. so we meandered on down there and had a couple of hours before boarding our flight to Toulouse. And that was it for us in Corsica - but we hope to be back again some day!
The next day proved to be a real treat, with Michel and Brigitte surprising and spoiling us once again. Here is a map of the approximate route we covered in the Ariège area to the south of Toulouse …
Yes, we did visit Carcassonne, but only after experiencing two other fantastic cultural sites that were previously unknown to us. The first of these was the ancient Château de Montségur and the little town of Montségur that is nestled beneath the ruins of the castle. Montségur was the last stronghold for the Cathars in the Languedoc region of southeastern France. The movement had become so attractive to people in this part of France that the Roman Catholic church decided it had to erased. The final act in this brutal tragedy - yet another indelible stain on the history of religion - came in March 1254 after ten thousand Catholic troops had been held at bay by 100 Cathar fighters for nine months. The fortress' defences were penetrated at night via a precipice that had been thought to be impregnable. Two hundred and twenty Cathars who refused to renounce their faith - based on equality, pacifism and modest living - were marched to a field beneath the castle and burned alive.
Visiting Montségur was a very moving experience. I took a few pictures but was really more rapt withal in being there and trying to get a feel for the place to do too much camera-pointing. However here are a few things to look at, like the view down to a section of the road leading to the village below …
… and the village itself …
It was a bit cool and misty when we arrived at Montségur, which only added to the atmosphere of the place. As you can probably imagine it's a short but strenuous walk up to the ruins of the chateau, but if you are ever in the area we'd highly recommend a visit. All these folks on TripAdvisor can't be wrong!
The sun poked out and blue sky did appear briefly, as this shot alongside one wall shows …
There is a sad little graveyard just out of shot down to the right. There have been some preservation and repairs done to the castle but it is largely a shell. As with all those old fortifications the walls were incredibly thick as this photo inside shows …
The village of Montségur below the castle is a pleasant place where a number of weavers and at least one fine woodworker are busy plying their crafts. Interestingly, this area and the Cathars themselves, were well-known for the craft of weaving in the Middle Ages.
Here is a view looking back up at the stronghold from the village …
I did like the name of this restaurant and grabbed a photo of it as well …
There are a large number of Cathar castles scattered throughout the traditional Languedoc region. Indeed, Carcassonne itself was built by the Cathars. For history buffs who like to combine that passion with a good walk, Le Sentier Cathare is a 250 kilometre walk from Port La Nouvelle on the Mediterranean to Foix in the Ariège, which visits these historic sites and takes about twelve days to complete. Without trying to be a plug for Cicerone Press, they have a guidebook with all the information you need to walk, eat and sleep your way along the route. Who knows, we might meet en route some day ...
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| A spread from the Rother Walking Guide book |
As I said on the post for that day, this is a walk we'll do if we ever go back to Corsica.
Finding this little (16.4 cm X 11.5 cm) guide book was a eureka moment and basically provided the blueprint for our remaining time on the island. We had pretty much decided that we'd rent a car, but where we'd go was a bit unclear - apart from knowing we had to go back to Hôtel Monte d'Oro to pick up our camping gear. Now we had a treasure trove of day walks to choose from which would no doubt allow us to experience more of Corsica's stunning scenery.
So, the next day we picked up a car and drove to Col de Vizzavona via the east coast for a way then up through a fantastic, winding gorge to the small town of Ghisoni, where we had lunch and on to Vizzavona for the night. Next day another drive, this time to Porto via a circuitous route on highway N193 almost as far as Ajaccio, then north on the D81 via Sagone, Cargèse and Piana to Porto, where we'd booked a hotel for three nights. The drive was fantastic, with a lot of cyclists on the roads, as well as hikers in and around the fabulous Les Calaches de Piana. (Another dream is to go back to Corsica just for the cycling: we saw lots of cycle tour groups in some wonderful places.) Check out this Youtube video:
Calaches de Piana
The rest of the day was spent poolside at our hotel, in and out of the water: a nice chill out after some tense moments on the very narrow roads nigh above the coast with a very nervy passenger!
We had picked out a coastal walk for our first dip into the guidebook. Indeed, of the six walks we did all or part of from the book, five of them ended up being coastal walks. And why not? We'd spent a lot of time in the mountains, and the idea of being able to walk along the coast and have a swim - or two, or indeed three! - was very appealing. So, the next morning we drove the twenty-two twisty kilometres northwards to the Col de la Croix in order to do the walk to Girolata. This is part of the Tra Mare e Monti trail. On our way we enjoyed this lovely view down over the ocean …
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| Another lovely day in Corsica |
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| Girolata |
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| Red granite, blue sea |
The coast track rejoins the path down from the Col de la Croix at the Plage de Tuara where we had a swim before making our way back up the the col and the car. It was great to arrive at a beach where we found ourselves - at least momentarily - completely alone …
Not much to see, is there? ;-)
After the short climb back to the car at the Col de la Croix we felt that we'd had a very pleasant outing but also that the shine was taken slightly off the day by the numbers of people boozing at the bars of Girolata.The next day took us back to the mountains. I'd read about the Naitone forests in Edward Lear's journal from his visit to Corsica in 1851 and walk number nineteen took us up to the Col de Cuccavera at 1475 metres. The sub-heading for this walk promises a "Peaceful and panoramic high route above the Aitone valley". It sounded terrific and was, taking us gradually up an old logging road for much of the route and then on to a smaller trail before reaching the col itself. On the drive up toward the start of the walk we passed a large number of cyclists strung out along the road, perhaps on their way to Castellu di Vergio - or perhaps doing a loop back to Porto. Near Evisa, we came across a happy bunch of porkers extracting some mysterious sustenance from the gravel beside the roadway …
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| What ARE they eating??? |
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| Rock and forest |
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| A remnant of the once mighty forest |
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| View north and west from the Col de Cuccavera |
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| A colourful bunch, nest-ce pas? |
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| A great route for driving, motorbikes and cyclists alike |
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| One of the world's best beer logos? |
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| Ota panorama |
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| Sartène |
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| Sartène's city of the dead |
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| A lick of paint to keep the weather out? |
The orchestra get things started
Don Pasquale telling us his troubles
All this after a wonderful walk and two swims along the coast from Tizzano towards Campomoro. Merveilleux! (Don't ask me why I don't have any photos of the walk to share - I just don't know!)
The next day we set off for walk number 33 in our guidebook: a loop walk which involves getting to Cala de Roccapina, ascending to a Genoese tower, descending to Plage d'Erbaju and then traversing back around throughout the bush to Cala de Roccapina. The book describes it as a "beautiful short walk" that "goes through some spectacular rocky scenery and to two of the loveliest beaches on the island". That sounded just great to us.
Unfortunately, there were two problems with carrying out our plan. The first was that after our wonderful evening at opera we made a bit of a late start and it turned out to be a really warm day. This in itself wouldn't have mattered that much, but when we started driving down the 2.5 kilometre dirt road from the Bocca di Curali towards Cala de Roccapina we discovered it was heavily potholed. One car had stopped in front of us and was turning around. This made us leery about taking our little rental car with its low clearance down it so we also turned around and parked. That meant we had to hike down to the start of the walk and back, adding another 5.0 kilometres to the day out. Finally, I guess when you get right down to it there was also a third problem: we were feeling a bit lazy!
So we started off and this was the view from from the bocca …
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| View towards Cala de Roccapina and the Lion de Roccapina |
We walked down to the beach, then up on to the ridge where there is a great view down to the Plage d'Erbaju …
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| View down to the Plage d'Erbaju |
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| Tour de Roccapina |
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| Di at the Tour de Roccapina |
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| Cala de Roccapina |
For our next day's adventure we chose a walk from Campomoro that goes to a nearby tower and then describes a loop along the coast to a beach and then back via an old mule path that ascends a low spine of rock and eventually finds its way back to Campomoro. It was meant to be about a five hour trip so we brought lunch along: some of those wonderful maqueraux à la moutarde the French love so much, a Corsican cheese and fresh bread from a bakery in Sartène.
The guide calls this a "Fabulous circular walk on the idyllic southwest coast" and uses phrases such as "picture book coastal walk", "bizarre coastline", "superb sandy beach" and that the return journey features a "beautiful high path". It sounded a pretty good way to spend another day in southwest Corsica.
The tower just adjacent to Campomoro is one of the better preserved on the island …
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| Tour de Campomoro |
Down on the coast we were soon amongst the bizarre and beautiful rock formations described in the guidebook …
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| Natural gargoyle on the Campomoro coastline |
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| Looking back at the Tour de Campomoro |
At one point the route takes you through a really neat little rocky section, where chains have been installed in case the rocks have been made slippery by a rougher sea than what we experienced on this lovely day out …
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| We didn't need the chains on this occasion ... |
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| Cala d'Aguglia |
A final word on the Sartène region before we leave it behind. It is also known for its high quality wines, so if you're on a walking and wining tour of Corsica, don't miss it!
On our last full day in Corsica we had a leisurely start and then a circuitous drive to go a very short distance north to a gîte in the hamlet of Bisinao that had been recommended to us by a Polish/English couple named Monika and Matt. We'd met Monika and Matt in Bastia. They were on their way to do various walks around the island before heading off to New Zealand for a very big adventure: they were hoping to walk the length of the two islands. (It must be time we checked on where they are at with their plans.) We reconnected with them for a lunch in Propriano after we'd finished the GR20 and they'd done the Tra Mare e Monti Nord and bits of some of the other multi-day hikes on Corsica. The two M's had been through Bisinau while hiking the Mare e Monti Sud and stayed at A Funtana and loved it.
This proved to be an excellent way to finish our sojourn in Corsica. Dominique, the owner of the gîte was a most pleasant host and a very good cook, the gîte itself was very comfortable and the quiet hamlet of Bisinau is perched in a beautiful, elevated position. The next day we had to have our rental car at Nopolean Bonaparte Airport in Ajaccio by 10:00 a.m. so we meandered on down there and had a couple of hours before boarding our flight to Toulouse. And that was it for us in Corsica - but we hope to be back again some day!
Au revoir L'Île de Beauté!
Part B: Tripping around Toulouse
Montségur
Our friend Michel had insisted that we come and spend a few days back in Toulouse with him and Brigitte after we finished up in Corsica - not that we needed persuading. We'd discussed visiting the famous medieval city of Carcassonne - now a world heritage site - and perhaps having a scenic flight to the Pyrenees if the weather was suitable. (Along with being a helicopter pilot, Michel is licensed to fly fixed-wing aircraft.) We had three full days to spend in Toulouse after our arrival on Friday afternoon. Friday evening was spent at a bistrôt near Michel's place where live music was playing. A very pleasant start to our visit.The next day proved to be a real treat, with Michel and Brigitte surprising and spoiling us once again. Here is a map of the approximate route we covered in the Ariège area to the south of Toulouse …
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| Saturday 28th of September |
Yes, we did visit Carcassonne, but only after experiencing two other fantastic cultural sites that were previously unknown to us. The first of these was the ancient Château de Montségur and the little town of Montségur that is nestled beneath the ruins of the castle. Montségur was the last stronghold for the Cathars in the Languedoc region of southeastern France. The movement had become so attractive to people in this part of France that the Roman Catholic church decided it had to erased. The final act in this brutal tragedy - yet another indelible stain on the history of religion - came in March 1254 after ten thousand Catholic troops had been held at bay by 100 Cathar fighters for nine months. The fortress' defences were penetrated at night via a precipice that had been thought to be impregnable. Two hundred and twenty Cathars who refused to renounce their faith - based on equality, pacifism and modest living - were marched to a field beneath the castle and burned alive.
Visiting Montségur was a very moving experience. I took a few pictures but was really more rapt withal in being there and trying to get a feel for the place to do too much camera-pointing. However here are a few things to look at, like the view down to a section of the road leading to the village below …
… and the village itself …
It was a bit cool and misty when we arrived at Montségur, which only added to the atmosphere of the place. As you can probably imagine it's a short but strenuous walk up to the ruins of the chateau, but if you are ever in the area we'd highly recommend a visit. All these folks on TripAdvisor can't be wrong!
The sun poked out and blue sky did appear briefly, as this shot alongside one wall shows …
There is a sad little graveyard just out of shot down to the right. There have been some preservation and repairs done to the castle but it is largely a shell. As with all those old fortifications the walls were incredibly thick as this photo inside shows …
The village of Montségur below the castle is a pleasant place where a number of weavers and at least one fine woodworker are busy plying their crafts. Interestingly, this area and the Cathars themselves, were well-known for the craft of weaving in the Middle Ages.
Here is a view looking back up at the stronghold from the village …
I did like the name of this restaurant and grabbed a photo of it as well …
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| A Potato Who Smokes??? |
Mirepoix
Back in the car, we left Montségur for Carcassonne, but Michel said he wanted to have a stop along the way for some lunch. That sounded good, but it wasn't until we arrived at Mirepoix that we discovered he had another medieval treat in store for us.While only a small town of about 3000 people, it has beautifully preserved its medieval flavour around its central square. Oh, and by the way, there is also a church which was originally built in 1298 and subsequently transformed over the ages into a cathedral with a Gothic nave that is the second widest in Europe.
After a delicious lunch we found this street leading into the central square which provided a charming prelude …
… to the square itself where all the surrounding buildings provide sheltered walkways all the way around …
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| The Three Amigos |
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| Colourful façades, shutters and window boxes |
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| The Mayor's Office |
We had a wander around the immediate area and over to the cathedral. On the way we passed through a pretty little courtyard …
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| Courtyard composition |
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| Door and shutters |
Di found a fellow traveller …
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| A Crone(y) perhaps? |
Getting good photos inside the cathedral was difficult because of the light and the inadequacies of my dinky little camera, but perhaps this one image will give some idea of what it's like …
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| Cathedral Saint-Jerôme |
Like many of France's grand cathedrals, this one is now owned and maintained by the state.
Carcassonne
We arrived at the restored city of Carcassonne in light rain and pretty gloomy conditions but there was still a very large cohort of tourists about the place and several serious photographers. An order from the French government was actually given in the mid 19th Century to destroy what was left of the original castle. This caused a huge outcry amongst the population and the decision was reversed leading eventually to full restoration. Here are a couple of views entering the walled city …
… and another just inside the main entrance …
Another gate into an inner courtyard and ramparts …
… and inside that courtyard …
Here is a bit of detail of construction materials and fittings …
… a view of the entrance to the cathedral …
… detail of the archway and adornments above …
… and a closer view of one of the gargoyles protecting the entryway …
As you'd expect, there was a huge number of shops selling memorabilia of the Middle Ages within the fortified walls of Carcassonne. Before we left we came across a fantastic store with lots of brilliant costumes and to our delight we found a great little medieval knight's costume for our grandson. His older sister has lots of dress-up gear and we thought it only fair that he get something gender-specific. And that capped off a fantastic day of culture for us. We really felt privileged to have been taken on such a wonderful day tour, and would have gone home feeling like our holiday in France had been made complete after such a wonderfully rich range of experiences in the three regions of Bretagne, Corse and the part of Languedoc-Roussillon just south of Toulouse. But Michel had one - or should I say two - more experiences still in store for us.
FLYING!
The title of this post is "Maintaining the High". Well, the next two days took us to new heights - literally. The day after our driving tour was Sunday. Michel had hoped to take Brigitte, Dianne and me to the Cirque de Gavarnie (incidentally, a World Heritage Site in its own right) in one of the light planes that his flying club owns. When we walked through the Pyrenees in 2010 (which was when we first met Michel) the cirque was one of the highlights of the trip and is in the Parc National des Pyrenees. The weather wasn't good enough for that but Michel was still determined to get us up in the skies for a look around. Here's a photo of the four of us in front of the plane …
As you can see in the background, there was a fair bit of cloud about and the ride was a little bumpy in places so we didn't go too far. But what a buzz - I even got to steer a bit!
As I said, it was Sunday. We had one more day to spend in Toulouse before flying to Paris and then on home to Tasmania. We thought we'd do a little sightseeing on Monday and get our packing sorted. Brigitte had to work so it would just be Michel, Dianne and myself. The next morning however Michel had other ideas, especially as the weather was looking pretty good. Not good enough to fly west towards Gavarnie and the higher mountains, but good enough to fly into the eastern Pyrenees. Almost as good, hey - actually- - maybe even better! We'd be getting a look at the area where we finished our massive forty-five day trek across the length of the Pyrenees, from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.
On the way we flew right over Montségur which really cemented the place in our psyches. Here are a few photos looking across at the fortress …
… and another putting the fortress into context above the surrounding landscape …
Next we continued south over the spa town of Ax-les-Thermes and on into the heart of the mountains, flying directly towards the Refuge de Ruhle, the mountain hut where we had met Michel for the first time ...
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| Refuge de Ruhle |
… and then it was a left-hand turn towards the Mediterranean Sea, where we flew past the most famous mountain of the Catalan region, Pic Canigou which is highly symbolic to the ethnic Catalan people. There is a huge cross atop the summit adorned more often than not with a Catalan flag.
This was quite an emotional moment for us, as it is the first time in the long trek across the Pyrenees from west to east that one is able to see the Mediterranean, and the last peak over two thousand metres to be climbed in the traverse (at 2,784 metres it really dominates the landscape). Here is a photo as we are nearing the face which you climb as you approach from Refuge de Mariailles just to the west ...
… and another a little closer up of the summit block …
As you can see, the track traverses in from the right until it reaches the middle of three obvious gullies. This is actually an amazing natural staircase that takes you right to the summit where you pop out right by the giant steel cross. Amazing!
There was still plenty more to see on the way back, but Michel had one last special treat for us. Château Puilaurens is perhaps the most beautiful remaining Cathar castle. Here's a view as we are closing in …
… and another from quite a lot closer …
I said that was the final treat Michel had in store. That's not quite true. After the half hour or so it took us to get back to Toulouse (I got to steer AGAIN!) Michel lined the plane up, cut the propulsion from the engine to the prop and glided the plane in for a perfect, whisper-quiet landing. Magnifique!
We felt so lucky to have finished our holiday in such a wonderful way, spoiled to the degree we were by the hospitality of our dear friends in Toulouse. We hope you have enjoyed revisiting those experiences with us and that maybe some of you will enjoy some of the experiences first-hand yourselves some day.
Bon chance!
Doug et Dianne
