Road bike France

A stunning road bike tour of the northern half of the "Island of Beauty"Ref CR18

Simply one of the most beautiful road bike tours in France... Discover the amazing scenery that this Mediterranean island, called the "Island of Beauty", has to offer. Simply unbelievable landscapes await you along the roads switching between the coast and the mountains. Discover the fiercely proud locals, their traditional villages, cuisine and handicrafts. An unforgettable trip!

Tour without assistance vehicle: from 1350€ - Details Duration : 8 days | Level : Customer satisfaction :
- 0 reviews
+33 458 140 435 A dedicated team of travel specialists is available to offer you expert advice Monday to Friday from 9 to 12:30 AM and 13:30 to 6 PM (French time) on the phone, or by email.
Book this tour
Physical level :   Physical level :  

Highlights

  • Beautiful mountain passes with stunning views of the sea and the mountains
  • Delicious, traditional Corsican cuisine
  • Narrow quiet roads through wild, unspoilt back country...

Description

Comments

  • This trip exists in 2 versions (2 wheels and 3 wheels).
  • Each day you can choose between two different itineraries (Level 2 or Level 3), with varying distances and profiles.
  • Special offers available for groups. Please contact us for details.

Levels

Choose between two differents routes each day (2 or 3 wheels), offering different distances and altitude gain.

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Bastia

Depending on your time of arrival, opportunity to discover Bastia and its surroundings. The citadel, old port and the ‘Place St Nicolas’ are well worth a visit. If you decide to fly, we can organise an airport pick-up service. Please contact us for more details.
Night in Bastia.

Day 2: Bastia - Cap Corse - Saint Florent

The first stage of the tour takes you northwards to the Cape of Corsica, a wild and magnificent part of the island. Ride along the beautiful eastern coastline and cross the northern tip of Corsica via the Col de la Serra (365m).
Night in St Florent.

  • Level 2 wheels: approx.  85 km / altitude gain: approx. 1000 m.
  • Level 3 wheels: approx.  110 km / altitude gain: approx. 1500 m.
Day 3  : Saint Florent - La Balagne - Calvi

After leaving St Florent’s delightful bay, your route takes you to the famous Désert des Agriates and the Col de Vezzu (311m) in order to reach the Balagne and its authentic little mountain villages, offering superb views over the Mediterranean Sea and the rest of the region.
Night in Calvi.

  • Level 2 wheels: approx.  70 km / altitude gain: approx. 950 m.
  • Level 3 wheels: approx.  105 km / altitude gain: approx. 1400 m.
Day 4:  Calvi - Calanques de Piana - Porto

Today you ride along one of the most beautiful coastal roads in Europe! The itinerary offers stunning views over Corsica’s wild coastline and its mysterious rocks shaped by the wind, which appear to be melting under the blazing heat of the sun. A few kilometres after riding over the Col de Palmarella, the Gulf of Girolata and the Scandola Nature Reserve come into sight.
Night in Porto.

  • Level 2/3 wheels : approx.  82 km / altitude gain : approx. 1100 m.
Day 5: Porto - Col de Sevi - Porto

No obligations today, leaving you to do whatever you fancy! Spend a lazy day on the beach... Explore the village, the Scandola natural reserve and the Calanches de Piana by boat... We’ll leave you to decide. A walk (or a ride) around the Calanches is also an option and definitely worth the effort. This porphyritic rock mass is now listed as a Unesco World Heritage site.
For those who are keen to spend the day on the bike there's an opportunity to tackle a 100 km loop that takes in the Col de Sevi (1101m).
Night in Porto.

  • Level 2/3 wheels : approx. 95 km / altitude gain : approx. 2000 m. (optional Col de Sevi loop)
Day 6: Porto - Gorges de la Spelunca - Corte

Beginning in Porto, today’s ride heads north in the shade of some spectacular forests and through the Gorges de la Spelunca,  before you head up the Col de Vergio (1477m). You then begin a 35 km descent through the extraordinary Scala di Santa Regina.
This mountain stage makes us realize how beautiful the heart of the island is. A road bike is clearly the best way to discover Corsica! Overnight stay at the hotel in Corte in the heart of the Corsican mountains.

On level 3, we take a detour into the impressive Restonica valley (outward and return route identical, +30km and +1000 meters in altitude).

  • Level 2 wheels: approx.  90 km / altitude gain: approx. 2000 m.
  • Level 3 wheels: approx. 120 km / altitude gain: approx. 2950 m.
Day 7: Corte - La Castagniccia - Borgo (or Bastia)

You leave Corte, the former capital of the island, and head east to the Castagniccia region, known for its chapels, numerous springs and its chestnuts. The area is also known as the birthplace of Corsica’s greatest men, such as Sambucucciu d’Alando and Pascal Paoli. With no less than four cols to climb, this stage is one of the hardest of the circuit. We saved the best for last! You then leave the mountains, crossing numerous streams and rivers to join the east coast and the town of Lucciana, located to the south of Bastia. End of this fantastic road bike tour by the sea.
Enjoy the last evening after the efforts of the week. Overnight stay in a 3* hotel near the Bastia airport.

  • Level 2/3 wheels: approx. 100 km / altitude gain: approx. 1950 m.
  • Bastia: +25 km.
Day 8: End of the tour and onward journey

The tour ends after breakfast at your hotel. Transfers to Bastia and Bastia airport are available on request.

Distances and altitude gain are an indication only and may vary.

Dates

This tour can be booked anytime from beginning of April to end of October.

Costs and services

Price per person :

The price includes:
  • 7 nights in charming 2* and 3* hotels in double rooms with en-suite facilities
  • 7 breakfasts
  • Daily baggage transport
  • Road book, maps and GPS tracks
What is not included:
  • International flights or ferry-boat
  • Your transfer to the meeting place (see paragraph below)
  • Bike rental
  • Lunches
  • Dinners
  • All services mentioned in extensions
  • Insurance, assistance
  • Drinks at the accommodation
  • Visits to museums, monuments and sites
  • Additional travel related to changes in the programme due to bad weather
  • All personal expenses
  • Everything not mentioned under “the price includes".

Supplementary services

Prices per person:

Single room accommodation (7 nights) 490 € / 

Comfort vesion (3* or 4* hotels): upon request.

Supplementary nights in Bastia in a 3* hotel: upon request

Airport transfers - Bastia: upon request

Road bike rental: see below.

Road bike rental

Two models of road bike are available for rent:

Carbon road bike (disc brakes)
Orbea Orca Areo M30iltd or equivalent model
440 € / 

Aluminium road bike (compact)
Orbea Avant HD30 or equivalent
360 € / 

Your rental bike will be waiting for you on the spot in Corsica, on day 1. A deposit of 1000€ will have to be put down by credit card.
Please indicate your height when completing the booking form. 

Vélorizons cycling jersey

A cycling jersey to our taste.

A timeless road cycling jersey produced in France, inspired by our team and our road cycling trips. High quality, made in France by a Savoy company and with a feel-good character for long days in the saddle. Offered at a great price.

Features

- High-quality SIRTECH + LYCRA textiles
- 3 pockets, one with a central zip + 1 side pocket
- Full front zip
- Half-high cycling collar
- Short raglan sleeves in Lycra with seamless ends
- Gripper at the hem

Available sizes (EU sizing): XXS bis XL
Cut:
Slim fit, unisex
Price: see above

Order and further information by e-Mail or ask our leaders while on tour.

Private groups / Custom tours

You are a group of friends, a family, a company or a cycling club and you would like to organise a private cycling tour on the dates of your choice. This option is available for guided and self-guided tours.

  • If you are interested in one of the tours presented on our website, we can provide you with a detailed quote based on the number of persons in your group.
  • If you are interested in a custom version of one of our tours, with specific requirements (tour duration, accommodation type, vehicle assistance, airport transfers, bike rental, etc.), we can provide you with a detailed quote based on the number of persons in the group and the group's specific requirements.

For more information or to receive a quote, please contact us by phone at +33 458 140 435  or by email at info@france-bike-trips.com.

Travel insurance

It is important to be correctly insured when embarking on a cycling holiday. We recommend checking the details of your travel insurance (if you have one) and, if necessary, subscribing to our contract below. Please note that France Bike Trips is simply an intermediary between you and the insurance company.

You can choose between these travel insurance contracts while completing your booking form:

  • I subscribe to the "comprehensive multi-risk" insurance cover (4.5%), minimum premium of 15 €:
    This contract covers assistance, repatriation, lost or stolen luggage, holiday interruption and cancellation. To see the full contract, click here.
  • I purchase the "cancellation only" insurance cover (2.5%), minimum premium of 10 €:
    This policy covers cancellation only. To see the full contract, click here.
  • I purchase the "repatriation & assistance" insurance cover (1.6%), minimum premium of 10 €:
    This policy covers assistance, repatriation, lost or stolen luggage and holiday interruption. To see the full contract, click here.

Recommendation:
If you choose to take out a travel insurance policy with another insurance company, please check that the search and rescue coverage is suitable: area covered, expenses included, risks covered (as an indication, a minimum cover of 15 000 € is recommended). Please note that credit card insurance rarely offers this type of coverage.

Booking procedure / Cancellation

How to book

In order to make a booking please fill in the online booking form on the "booking" page of your chosen tour. At the end of the booking process you will be transferred to our bank's secure payment page in order to pay a 30 % deposit.

Last minute booking

All self-guided bookings made within 21 days of tour departure will incur a surcharge of 15 € per person.

Expert advice
  • Unsure which tour to book?
  • Interested in a custom version of one of our tours?
  • Not sure if a particular tour is suitable for your riding style?

A dedicated team of travel specialists is available to offer you expert advice Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm (French time) by phone - +33 458 140 435 or by mail - info@france-bike-trips.com.

Tour confirmation

In order to confirm our guided tours, we need to reach a minimum number of participants (usually 5 persons are necessary). Therefore booking a guided tour does not necessarily mean the tour is confirmed. In the unlikely event that we are unable to confirm your chosen tour, we will offer you the opportunity (no less than 21 days before departure) of switching to another (confirmed) tour, or receiving a full refund.

Self-guided or custom tours: We confirm bookings of self-guided tours and custom tours directly after booking.

In both cases, please await our final booking confirmation before making any travel arrangements.

Balance payment

Tour balance payment must be made no less than 30 days before tour departure. Your travel documents will be sent to you once we have received your balance payment. Road books and maps will be sent to you 3 weeks before departure.

Cancellation

In the event that you are obliged to cancel your tour France Bike Trips will reimburse the entire sum paid for the tour, minus the following cancellation charges:

  • More than 60 days before departure: 5 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
  • Between 60 and 31 days before departure: 15 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
  • Between 30 and 21 days: 30 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
  • Between 20 and 14 days: 50 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
  • Between 13 and 7 days: 70 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
  • Less than 7 days before departure: 100 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium

Full details of our sales conditions are available here

Getting there

By plane:

By car:

Daily schedule

During riding you carry only your day pack. All your luggage is transported each day by the support vehicle.

After breakfast, the support vehicle driver will pack your luggage in the van, distribute cereal/energy bars, and announce the time slot for lunch. The driver can also hand out picnics to any participants who do not wish to stop at the designated picnic lunch stop.

Once all the participants have passed the picnic stop, the driver transports your luggage directly to the following nights accommodation, before returning to wait at the foot of the last climb of the day. He is then available to help any members of the group in difficulty or who encounter a mechanical problem. You'll usually meet the van driver several times during the day, offering the opportunity to fill up with water, change clothing, etc.

Each participant is free to ride at his or her own pace, using the road book and GPS route to navigate during the day. However, the driver is equipped with a mobile phone, and can be reached at any time during the day if a particpant encounters a problem. The driver is also available throughout the trip to provide information and advice.

Route navigation

You will receive an email 2 weeks before departure, containing all the information necessary for your upcoming tour, including the following navigation tools:

Our dedicated smartphone app

Follow your route with comfort and ease! Thanks to the Velorizons navigation app, download the full trip itinerary to your smartphone, view route maps and profiles, access the list of booked accommodation, services and useful contacts, and use the integrated route guidance (visual and vocal) for navigation.

See the mobile app presentation video

To benefit fully from the app navigation system, we strongly recommend attaching your smartphone to the bicycle handlebar using a dedicated mount. An example can be viewed here.

Velorizons app compatibility
Operating systemAndroidAppleWindows PhoneBlackberry
CompatibilityVersion 8.0 minimumiOS 8.0 minimum. iPhone compatible, iPad compatible if GPS equippedNon compatibleNon compatible
A detailed Road Book

Your tour road book will be available to download in your My France Bike Trips customer area. The road book contains:

  • Full colour maps with highlighted routes,
  • Step-by-step route description,
  • Route profiles
GPS tracks

Tour GPS tracks will be available to download in your My France Bike Trips customer area. The tracks are in .gpx format, compatible with all GPS devices/apps.

Accommodation

We favour comfortable accommodation with warm hospitality.

Our basic price is based on 2* and 3* hotels and comfortable guesthouses with double rooms and en-suite facilities.

Private groups: it may be possible to customise the accommodation (upgrade) depending on availability. Please contact us for more information.

Food

This trip is fully catered (breakfast, lunch and dinner included). We pay very careful attention to the quality and the variety of your meals. Fresh and local products will be served wherever possible. This trip is also an opportunity to discover the local gastronomy and regional products - l'art de la table!

Please note: If you have any food intolerances, please inform us in the comments field on the booking form.

  • Continental breakfasts taken at the accommodation  
  • Simple cereal/muesli bars and dried fruit are distributed in the morning before the start of the stage. You must bring your own specific energy bars and isodrinks, if desired.
  • Hearty dinners (3 to 4 courses, with local dishes)

For lunch, our tour leader will offer you a picnic stop along the route. Our picnics combine a rich salad based on carbohydrates and fresh vegetables with cold meats and cheese, fresh fruit and bread (wherever possible from local producers) as well as sweet and savoury snacks. If you do not want to stop for lunch, we can offer the following options:

  • Our tour leader provides you with a picnic to carry along in a small backpack or a handlebar bag. It contains an individual salad (carbohydrate and vegetable based salad), cold meats, cheese and fruits
  • "Racing food" for weight weenies and those "allergic" to backpacks: energy bars, dried fruit
  • Feel free to stop and eat when and where you want (restaurant, bakery, grocery store...)

Car sharing

If you sign up for a guided tour, we offer you the opportunity to see if you can carpool with other participants to get to the point of departure. To do this, go to "Car sharing" in our website. By entering the complete reference and the date of departure of the tour (available on the registration confirmation that we have sent you), you have access to route details and emails of other participants who wish to carpool.

Baggage

During the day you carry only a daypack for additional clothing, water, food, camera, etc. The rest of your baggage is transferred each day to the following nights accommodation.

Our / Your state of mind

- A "group" tour: If you join a guided tour, you will be part of a group for several days. This is a superb opportunity to meet new people and share some magical moments. However, a group tour requires that each person show friendliness, openness and mutual respect for their fellow travellers.

- An "adventure" tour: despite the most careful preparation, adventure tours can present unforeseen events. Accepting these risks will help you enjoy your trip to the full, in the knowledge that your guide, our local partners and the entire France Bike Trips team will offer you the most suitable solutions to any given situation.

Bike and plane / train

If you decide to bring your own bike, be aware that transporting a bike by plane or train is no longer an issue. However a few simple guidelines help to optimise the transport and avoid potential damages that could occur.
Your bike must be transported in a designated bike bag (standard size 120x90cm). This maximal size allows you to travel with your bike as "hand luggage" in any high-speed and regional trains.
It is very important that you protect your bike in the bag. After having deflated the tires, removed the wheels (by removing the quick release mechanisms), pedals and rear derailleur (which is left hanging on the chain), we recommend you wrap your bike inside the bag in a sheet of dense foam (thickness of 3 to 5 cm). A piece of cardboard or rigid plastic positioned between the foam and the inside of the cover can be beneficial to provide more rigidity.

Once folded up the bike bag will take up very little space and will be transported by the assistance vehicle during your tour.

Bike bags are available directly from France Bike Trips at a cost of 70 euros, plus postage.

Personal Gear & Packing List

Luggage

All your belongings should be divided into two bags: a backpack and a travel bag.

1/ Backpack or Small Bag (to be kept in the support vehicle or on the bike)

This is the bag you use every day while cycling. It is kept in the support vehicle (accessible during the lunch stop or carried along on the bike (frame, seat or handlebar bag). This bag should not be too large (up to 15 litres).

It will contain: snack food, camera, waterproof and extra clothing, sunglasses, etc.

2/ Travel bag

This bag will be transported by vehicle from one accommodation to the next. It should contain all the items you won’t need during the day. You can expect to find it at your accommodation in the evening (generally not accessible during lunch).

Packing list
For your head
  • A cap or other head protection against the sun
  • A hat or sweat band
  • A bike helmet
For your upper body
  • Two or more cycling jerseys (or technical t-shirts made of synthetic or natural breathable fabrics)
  • A warm and long cycling jersey or shirt; alternatively: arm warmers
  • A sweatsheart and t-shirts (for the evenings)
  • A wind & waterproof jacket
  • A pair of cycling gloves
For your legs
  • Two or more good quality bib shorts with seat pad (chamois)
  • A pair of long and warm cycling tights or leg warmers
  • A casual short (for the evenings)
  • A swimsuit
For your feet
  • A pair of cycling shoes
  • A pair of shoes suitable for the evening
  • Sandals (not compulsory, but nice for warm evenings...)
  • Cycling socks
For your bike
  • Adapted gearing: if in doubt ask us our your local cycle dealer
  • Bike lights with batteries (or charger)
  • 2 spare tubes
  • Puncture repair kit or tubeless repair kit
  • Spare brake pads (except if you start with new pads)
  • Chain lube
  • A small pump
  • A multi tool
Other
  • 2 bike bottles 75 cl (or camelbak)
  • A toiletry kit and towel
  • A bike lock (not compulsory)
  • A small individual pharmacy: sunscreen (face and lips); band aids + double skin (Compeed); Immodium; pain killers, earplugs, other personal medication.

Self-guided formula

    This tour has not yet received any reviews.

    X

    Subscribe

    When you subscribe to the "Photos / Videos" section, you will receive an email whenever a new photo or video album is published.

    I am interested in the following Photos / Videos albums types:

    CNIL (French National Commission for Data Protection and Liberties)

    Search

    Please type in your search terms.

    You can prefix chosen words with the '+' sign to make them mandatory, or with the '-' sign to avoid results containing this word from appearing, e.g. west +nepal -canada

    A dedicated team of travel specialists is available to offer you expert advice Monday to Friday from 9 to 12:30 AM and 13:30 to 6 PM (French time) on the phone, or by email.


    Phone number: +33 458 140 435

    Contact us

    A dedicated team of travel specialists is available to offer you expert advice Monday to Friday from 9 to 12:30 AM and 13:30 to 6 PM (French time) on the phone, or by email.

    Please type in your email address in order to access tour details and description

    Your email will not be communicated to any third party or company outside France Bike Trips / Velorizons. You may receive occasional emails from France Bike Trips, with the possibility to unsubscribe at any time. CNIL (French National Commission for Data Protection and Liberties)