Bikepacking on Corsica – route and equipment

What happens when you combine mountain biking, backpacking and adventurous trips? Bikepacking. This type of travel sparks feelings of freedom and independence.

We started in Zonza, where we spent the night in the Hotel Clair de Lune, a small, pretty hotel that’s open year-round. From there, we head via Quenza towards Bucchinera, where the tarmacked road ends and turns into a gravel path. Christa gets her first flat tyre shortly after we’ve set off. But we’re ready for it: wheel off, tube out, new tube in and off we go.

Once we arrive at Bergerie de Croci, we refuel with Corsican specialities. This restaurant has a terrace with stunning views over the Plateau du Coscione. It’s a destination for lots of hikers, as it’s on the GR 20 long-distance hiking route. And, incidentally, our friends covered two legs of the GR 20. Their report can be found at the end of the page.

Jean Louis, who runs the Bergerie, dishes up one regional delicacy after the next: our mouths are watering. We’re even offered a bottle of red wine. Hopefully, it won’t affect our balance!

Sharing single-track trails with wild boar

Now, without baggage, we take on the single-track trails in the surrounding area, with challenging ascents alternating with amazing downhills. And suddenly a wild boar crosses our path, terrifying us. In Switzerland, bikers always need to keep an eye out for hikers. In Corsica, apparently it’s boar.

We spend the night in our tent near the Bergerie at 1,550 metres above sea level. But before we do, we enjoy a sumptuous dinner.

The mood that evening is unlike anything else, with a few holes in the cloud letting the stars shine through. Our crew spends the night in the red tent and we’re in the grey one. Just one person apparently didn’t make it into bed – otherwise this stunning photo of the stars would never have come into being.

After a pleasant night, we travel to Quenza the next day on the Rue national via Aullène. It sounds like a busy road, but it’s actually just a car’s width across and home to more pigs and donkeys than vehicles. We grab a bite to eat in Zonza before heading off to the Col de Bavella, where we arranged to meet our hiking friends.

Summary: cycling on Corsica

Travelling all the way to Corsica with your mountain bike really pays off: the island is stunning and I was amazed by how remote it was. The jagged mountains imbue the whole landscape with a fascinating level of roughness. The bike gives you the perfect level of speed to soak it all up and still make progress.

Untouched landscapes, cool trails and impressive scenery: I hope you can enjoy this too. Enjoy your bikepacking adventures, whether in Corsica or elsewhere.