Page 281 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

watch the sunset turn the with olive trees, pines massive 35kg wooden
Îles Sanguinaires (Bloody and the intoxicating scent cross through town in a
Islands) vivid crimson. of maquis (herbal scrub). re­enactment of Christ’s
Later, savour drinks Visit around noon when journey to Calvary. The
beneath the stars on a the sun casts dramatic rest of the year, cross and
trendy waterfront terrace shadows on the carved 17kg penitent chain hang
at Port Tino Rossi. statues and menhirs inside Église Ste-Marie
woven around trees and (place Porta).
54 p284, p295 circling sheep pastures. Don’t leave town with­
The Drive » From Ajaccio Corsica developed its out filling your picnic
port, pick up the N193 and own megalithic faith hamper with cheese,
subsequent T40 to Bonifacio. around 4000 BC to 3000 sausage, honey and wine
After 12km turn right onto the BC, and many of the from La Cave Sartenaise
D302, direction Pila Canale (a stones at Filitosa (%04 95 (%04 95 77 12 01; www.
brown sign reads ‘Filitosa’), and
prepare for the sudden grand 74 00 91; www.filitosa.fr; D57; lacavesartenaise.com; place
view of Ajaccio city below as the €7; h9am-sunset Apr-Oct) Porta; h10am-noon & 3-6pm PROVENCE & SOUTHEAST FRANCE
road climbs. Bear right onto the date from this period. May–mid-Oct).
D255 and wind along peaceful The menhirs are particu­
green lanes via the D55, D355, larly unusual, including 4 p284
D757 and D57 to Filitosa. some with detailed faces, The Drive » From Sartène it is
anatomical features like
TRIP HIGHLIGHT rib cages, even swords southbound T40 to Bonifacio.
Slow down along the final leg –
2 Filitosa and armour. coastal views are glittering and
Nowhere is more evoca­ The Drive » Wind your way you might well want to jump out
tive of ancient Corsican back to the D57 and meander for a dip.
south to the sea along the D157
civilisation than this to join the southbound T40 just an easy one-hour drive along the 25 SOUTHERN SEDUCTION EN CORSE
archaeological site ripe north of Propriano. Count on TRIP HIGHLIGHT
about 40 minutes to cover the 4 Bonifacio
30km trip to Sartène. With its glittering har­
LINK bour, incredulous clifftop
YOUR perch and stout citadel
TRIP 3 Sartène teetering above the
With its ramshackle cornflower-blue waters
n Riviera Crossing granite houses, shaded of the Bouches de Boni-
Pop your car on shabby streets and secre­ facio, this Italianate port
the ferry in Bastia and tive alleys, this sombre is an essential stop. Sun­
sail to Nice for more town evokes the rugged bleached town houses,
mountainous, hairpin- spirit of rural Corsica, dangling washing lines
laced corniches (coastal notorious for banditry and murky chapels se­
roads) with giant blue and bloody vendettas in creted in a postcard web
views. the 19th century. of alleyways hide within
A colourful time to the old citadel, while
q Corsican Coast motor in is on Good Fri­ down at the harbour,
Cruiser
day during the Proces-
Completely smitten? sion du Catenacciu, cele­ kiosks tout must­do boat
trips through gin­clear
Motor north from Ajaccio brated since the Middle waters to Îles Lavezzi.
and up to Île Rousse to Ages. Barefoot, red­robed Park at the harbour
cruise the island’s west and cowled, the Catenac­ and walk up mon-
coast. ciu (literally ‘chained tée du Rastello and
one’; penitent) lugs a
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