Category: Visits

Corsica Road Trip Part 5

Posted on March 27, 2025March 30, 2025 by SteveH

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

Part 5 of the Corsica Road Trip covers day 7. It could be my favourite day. It’s all about history and seeing a whole different aspect of the island. If you follow my route please respect the monuments.

Filitosa

Today I continue south with Bonifacio my resting place tonight. It is a day of prehistory. I leave the main roads and cross small rivers and head to Filitosa. This has been a home to humans since 5800 BCE, some 8000 years. One of the longest periods in Europe. The site is well maintained and has a small entrance fee. There are facilities on site. They have a website, which will open in a new tab.

Palaggiu

Google helped me find this place, and it has so many different spellings one could imagine that Corsica is covered with menhirs. Its about 13km south west of Sartene and on the wrong side of the river for me but I’m on holiday. There is almost no help in finding it, just a hand painted “menhir” on a rock and that road is blocked off. So again google, which can get me into trouble in the car, sent me down a track to approach it from the north. There are 258 monoliths dating from 1900 to 1200 BCE. The largest concentration in the Mediterranean basin. Most have fallen over, but as you can see there are still some upright, and aligned. 7 groups, six of which are north/south. The site is to all intents and purposes abandoned, very unusual.

Tizzano

One of the beaches on this route is Tizzano, but it’s not really beach weather today. Having got so close to the coast it is impossible not to drive to the coastline. However having crossed the river this morning I am driving down the wrong side of the river to continue south so I then have to head all the way back inland to the T40. I stop in Roccapina to get some images before driving, and stopping in Vintilegni to watch some kite surfing, to Bonifacio.

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Corsica Road Trip Part 4

Posted on March 26, 2025March 30, 2025 by SteveH

Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Corsica Road Trip continues, now on day 6. This part covers the drive southwards from Ota to Ajaccio. If you are just joining us on our journey you might want to start at Part 1 which is here. However you could just continue here with today’s first stop. We are only doing a short drive up the hill to the Calanques de Piana.

Calanques de Piana

The Calanques de Piana are not far from Porto and are huge red granite rock structures hanging over the sea. I stopped on route several times, the first to say goodbye to Porto and then shortly I stopped at a busier area. Here was the start of the walk to the chateaufort, a rock formation that is part of the park. I have the time and the boots so off I went for an easy 30 mins +70m up and down to a spectacular scene. Same thing to come back. Once again you will be impressed by my bravery on cliff edges and scrabbling up rocks. Well worth the trip though. Back to the car and, again, several stops to try and capture the environment. Especially the little heart shaped hole, to show how much we care, ideal for a snap to send home to family and friends.

Ficaghojola

The beach comes first after all that rock. The well recommended plage de Ficaghojola is my destination. First 3 photos show the final approach to the beach and the beach itself. It’s a dreadful road down to the car park, followed by a short but steepish walk to the beach. It’s a busy place really and small but I agree with the recommendation. It is a long way away from tourist beaches with hotels and cafes. The weather is beginning to turn today but I persevere and have my dip. The beach drops away very quickly and it’s over 2m deep 10m away from dry sand. The waves are strong too. Not a place for poor swimmers.

I decide that’s enough swimming for today and head to Ajaccio. One stop on the way at Coggia, and the beach at Sagone. Today this was another dangerous looking beach with big waves. On another day in different circumstances it should be lovely.

Ajaccio

No matter how much I prepare and read up I invariably get caught out at some point on a trip. I don’t mind as the unexpected is part of the fun of traveling. Ajaccio was my trips gotcha. Ajaccio is a big city and don’t I know it. Sometime after 2025 there will be a cable car linking St Joseph, where I ended up sleeping, to the north of the city at Mezzavia. However, today, as I stay, there is nothing and I am definitely in the wrong part of town near the future terminus.

There’s one of those unprotected railway lines and OMG a train right next to me. Modern trains are so quiet. Anyway, shock over I grab some photos of the port with nice light, a spot of takeaway Thai food and go home to sleep. I shall think about coming back and seeing the real town another time.

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Corsica Road Trip Part 3

Posted on March 23, 2025March 30, 2025 by SteveH

Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

It’s day 5 and 6 of my Corsica Road trip. If you missed the start and are looking for part 1 of this Corsica road trip , it’s here. Did you miss part 2 ? Don’t worry it’s here. I have managed to work my way round the north quiet slowly and for my Corsica Road Trip I am currently in St Florent. Over the next 2 days I will be heading from St Florent to the gulf of Porto via Calvi. I am looking forward to this part of the trip as it includes, potentially, the desert, the mountains and the coast. 4×4 vehicules are needed for the desert so I’m going to skip the desert which needs more time, planning etc than I have.

Ostriconi beach

The wind is still blowing this morning, but the sun is out. This changes considerably the look and feel of the mountains either side of St Florent. The first stage today is to travel along the southern boundary of the Agriate desert. The area is not accessible to normal cars. Take a guided tour, there are plenty of options, if you feel you need to visit it. You will pass 3 beautiful beaches in this area, the third is just at the end of our road so I’m going swimming there before lunch. Another thing to note is the fairly long, but not too challenging walk from the car park up the hill, then sharply down to the right across the river in the valley. If you carry on the main path you end up out on the headland which I don’t think adds much to the trip.

I leave and continue westwards a short distance for a view of the beach and a Corsican sandwich from the hillside just after the beach. There is parking here and a lovely view and a tasty food choices.

L’Île-Rousse

After lunch I leave for l’Ile-Rousse continuing along the coast westwards. By chance I stumble across a car park with a space on the beach at the extreme east end of the beach. And a very nice beach it is, totally protected from the wind and the waves of my earlier swim. A good family beach. Continue to the other end of the beach to reach the town, so I head for that. Nice historic town with a busy centre. They have 2 statues by the port, and in particular a mermaid. As I photo the mermaid I realise the ferry will be docking here too. Makes this port another possible starting point for the road trip. I finish here and head for Calvi; where I will be sleeping. On arrival straight out again for a brief walk to the citadel.

Speloncato

Change of plan. I picked a handful of villages up in the mountains; and in the end visited them all, to see a more rugged side of the island. It’s a lot of driving and it’s on the side of mountains separated from death by dust and tiny walls. I saw my target villages of PIGNA, SANT’ANTONINO, SPELONCATO and MONTEMAGGIORE amongst others. These are all in the mountains around the plane behind Calvi and the Codole lake. And another thing, that is predictable and hadn’t happened so far, was to bump into a herd of goats who seem to think they own the road. Keep your eyes open.

Ota and Gulf of Porto

Once the villages have all been done, it’s 70km and 2 hours more driving and risking my life to take us through the mountains to the town of Ota and the UNESCO gulf of Porto. A breath-taking route that leads to isolation and beauty. What a reward. This was a candidate for best bit of the trip. Parking in Porto is limited and many spots change to limited parking at 9am each morning.

A lovely place to end the day.

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Corsica Road Trip Part 2

Posted on March 19, 2025March 30, 2025 by SteveH

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

If you are looking for part 1 of this Corsica road trip , it’s here. If you are looking for part 2, carry on. I stayed in Macinaggio ready to head off on my Corsica Road trip in the morning. Get a good start as there is plenty to see. I will be heading from :

Macinaggio to Saint-Florent

The first place to visit is Ersa and the Mattei Mill. It’s a short drive across the Cap from the east to west coast. It’s not a sunny day but boy is it hot. Already 33C. Remember it’s June as I visit. I take a few stops along the route and notice how remote it is getting. Interestingly there is a desert on the island but it’s not on my trip this time. In the distance is the island of Capraia. There’s a new wind farm on the same hill as the Mattei mill as testimony to its suitability to wind power for many years. The wind is getting stronger as the morning progresses to reinforce that notion.

Port Centuri

I continue along a twisting road down to the sea. The sky is getting more threatening. But the port of Centuri is lovely and packed with restaurants, and 1 place selling pain bagnat more suitable for my schedule. I ate that overlooking the sea just outside of town. I leave in very strong wind.

Belvedere d’Alisu

I continued down the west coast road. It was by far the windiest part of the day. I parked and couldn’t open the door on the windward side. The parked car was moving like it was on a channel crossing. The belvedere isn’t marked and doesn’t have a proper parking area but the view is lovely. Be careful, soak up the view and move on. Because lovely as it is here, there’s better to come.

Saint Florent

I will be staying in Saint Florent tonight. So plenty to do. Driving is slower than you think, roads narrower and walls protecting you from death lower than you’d like. The sand on the beaches here is distinctively coloured. I came across the beach in Albo, and it was grey slate like. Here I had the first big rain drops of my trip, not manly but oddly full of sand. I continue to Nonza. This town has a tower which you can see from the road and also another dark grey beach. Parking is busy and not free. I continue on to St Florent. It’s still windy and hazy, quite dark along the drive but it gets brighter as I head to the port and citadel. A nice town. A good choice to rest.

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Corsica – Road Trip Part 1

Posted on March 15, 2025March 30, 2025 by SteveH

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

Corsica has been on my must visit list for a very long time and at long last I’m doing it. And I’m going to do a road trip. I chose to fly to the island and hesitated a while before deciding on which airport. Eventually, I chose Bastia, and driving anti-clockwise around the island to try and see it all. I am giving myself 12 days.

This post and the next few should give you an idea of what I saw, and how beautiful the island is. I traveled in June. This is more or less the target route.

Bastia to Macinaggio

On this first part I was able to visit the wild and protected east coast in the North of the island after spending a lovely time visiting the old city and port of Bastia.

I headed to the citadel and the cathedral to start the visit of old Bastia. Plenty to see including a lovely view down the coast back towards the airport.
Then I went down the hill to the old port. You, like me, could spend several hours here. Apart from the obvious port and boats, there were lovely streets perpendicular to the rue des zephyrs. I had dinner, sheep cheese starter followed by a local sardines main, looking out over a balcony towards the port. A balcony that was very much in demand in the Restaurant L’Epica Bastia Vieux Port

Erbalunga

I continued northwards to explore the fairly undeveloped east side of the cap. It’s not a long drive but you will stop often. The first major stop is Erbalunga which has a 16 century tower that was damaged by a storm. It’s a small place but nice enough. I continue northwards to Pietracorbara where I decide it’s hot enough to swim. A nice break.

Tamarone

I parked just north of Macinaggio, where I am staying tonight. This was as rough a road as I was prepared to take a hire car. I was walking the sentier des douaniers, along the coast. You can save yourself 60-90 minutes by continuing up the track to the first way-point at Tamarone beach. This walk is correctly classed as classed intermediate level. Be prepared to scramble up loose rock. Over the top, up and down, eventually I see the Finocchiarola islands which give their name to my destination beach. All this area is a nature reserve. Foot is the only way to get there and we were few and far between. 15 minutes rest, it’s on 28 C before turning around and do it all over again back to the car. My Corsica road trip is off to a good start.

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Iconic Etretat cliff walk

Posted on November 29, 2023March 11, 2025 by SteveH

Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

The French coastline has an abundance of breathtaking views. The Iconic Etretat cliff walk along the cliffs in winter gives a breathtaking view of some unbelievable natural rock formations. It is no wonder that impressionist painters came here to capture the view in 19th century. The Iconic Etretat cliff walk runs both sides of the beach and both sides are worth the effort. This is one photo of many I took. There many more just below.

Getting to Etretat

Public transport would be my normal choice but there’s no train from Paris to Etretat. The trains goes part of the way and then you have to finish by bus. Far from ideal. If you are motivated enough this link has the information about the L504 bus. This link also has details of the various other bus and coach services from nearby towns like Le Havre and Fécamp.

So in the end car is the easiest way to get here. And many people do this. And this leads to a town with paid car parking every day of the year from 9h00 to 19h00. Parking prices are provided by the town here. The further out of town you park the cheaper it will be.

My photos

In no particular order some of the photos I took on my walk. When it was possible I got people in the image to give you some idea of the scale. You will also see the same image taken as the sun moves around the sky. Finally a few cliff shots to try and give you an idea of the height, the sheer drop and the fact that there are no fences. That’s right, you can walk to edge and put your life in danger for a selfie, something I strongly recommend you don’t do. On the subject of unnecessary risk. You are also not allowed within 50m of the foot of the cliffs. You will probably see evidence of recent collapses during your visit. Stay away and follow the advice of the plentiful signs. The cliffs are made mainly of chalk which doesn’t last forever. Take care and enjoy an Iconic Etretat cliff walk.

My walk

If you want to follow the same route then here are the details.

First of all I decided to focus on the north side of the beach for my walk. That is not to say ignoring the south side. So in fact you have to climb both sides to get the best of the Etretat cliff walk. That will be over 500 steps up and 500 down. Better make sure your knees are up to it

The 4 sections of my walk

No matter where you park, or how you arrive you will end up on the sea front and you can walk along it to the cliffs. There is a path that takes you to the top of the Falaise d’Aval, the Aval Cliff, and the nearby Aiguille, the needle of Etretat. There are fantastic views here, not least of the beach, Plage El Karivis, the other side of the headland.
I then returned to town and on the other end of the seafront are the steps up to the museum, the Gardens of Etretat and the cliff, La Falaise d’Amont. Aval and Amont are simply the French words for downstream and upstream. The gardens are open Wednesday to Sunday, and I have heard great things about them and you should find time to visit (by ticket). There is also a monument to the first aviators who tried to cross the Atlantic by plane.
I recommend that you continue along the coastal path, passing the path that heads perpendicular in land, and at least up to the second bench. The first bench is by the town by the chapel. The second is on the cliff edge. Approximately 3km along the path. Along this path, the GR21, you can see the Aiguille de Belval, Belval needle, and the Roc Vaudieu, Vaudieu rock.
That’s the end for me and I headed back to town along the same route. You could take the chemin du milieu, the central path, which is perpendicular to the coast around the Roc Vaudieu. It is signposted and easy to spot. My preference would to walk back along the coast, more interesting to see the sites from another angle in a different light.

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Roman Aqueduct de Barbegal

Posted on August 19, 2023March 11, 2025 by SteveH

Estimated Reading Time: < 1 minute

The highlight of my recent trip to the region of Provence in France was the Roman Aqueduct de Barbegal. Such an incredible feature of architecture, ingenuity and engineering it really must be seen. The Roman Aqueduct de Barbegal are well known in the local area so I suggest you do as I did and try to avoid the busy parts of the day. I went early evening which also meant the sun was setting and sun was shining through the arches.

The site is free to access. It is near Arles and Fontvieille. It is worth walking along the route which is not too difficult. At the end of the arches there is the steep hillside which was once covered by 8 mills. They use the water that cascaded down the hillside from the aqueduct in sequence. Each mill had 2 millstones. They produced a variety of produce including wheat flour for the estimated nearby population of 12000 people.

The site has been listed by UNESCO since 1981.

I have other posts on places to visit, for example

The city of Rouen in Normandy
Underground Paris

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City architecture

Posted on June 15, 2023March 11, 2025 by SteveH

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

A great idea for a photographic experience is to visit a modern business area. They are crammed with buildings, people, and often, art and gardens. They are often cities within a city. The city architecture is ideal for capturing :

reflections,
symmetry,
long straight lines,
angles,
colour
monochrome
sunbursts, and
shadows

Perhaps not everything in one afternoon. You get the idea. City architecture gives you great scope to practice techniques and be imaginative.

La Défense, Paris, France

My local city architecture is at La Défense, near Paris, France. You may have seen it from the Champs Elysées. It is named after the statue which still stands at street level in the centre of a large square. La Defense is built around its parvis and this means that you are almost always above street level.

Getting there

So you are tempted by the idea. How do you get to La Défense? Firstly you should note that it is often referred to as Paris La Défense, because it is very close to the city. But it is not actually in the city.

Car

Getting there by car is possible with many car parks available. La Defense is, for a large part, enclosed in a boulevard which is sort of pear shaped. If you miss your exit it may be easier to go around.

Public transport

The best way to get to La Défense is public transport. It has :

International and local bus stations
Express city trains RER A
Local trains
Metro M1
Tram
Bicycle
Scooters

Many arrive at dedicated stations under street level. Therefore you will have to work your way up to the parvis level. Perhaps the only gotcha I can think of is that the metro station is part of the standard city zone. Because of this M1 is a cheap and easy way of getting there. The RER A is quicker but classed as zone 3 so yoiu need a special ticket to get from the Champs Elyséés to La Défense on the RER.

I will not reinvent the wheel, they have a web site that gives much more information. It will open in a new tab, just click here.

How long to allow

It is a large area, and takes around 30 minutes to walk the 2.5km end to end. And if you’re going to be zigzagging and stopping to take pictures you really should be looking at around an hour minimum. This will give you chance to see a large part of the area. You can download a detailed map available here.

There are some impressive building to see:

The twin towers of the Société Générale in the Valmy area, in my dreams a setting sun between the 2 would be spectacular
The Grande Arche, at the railway end of the Parvis. It’s a cube with 2 faces missing.
The CNIT, built in 1958, it was the first building and has a unique triangular structure.

There are also many pieces of sculpture spread across the whole area.

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Explore underground Paris

Posted on May 17, 2023March 11, 2025 by SteveH

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

A few weeks ago I went to the Eiffel tower, got there late, but still took some nice photos. You can see the post about this visit here. I decided to go to the same starting point to explore underground Paris. Firstly there are 2 dedicated museums that allow you to explore underground Paris: the sewers and the catacombes. They are almost as far from each other as you can get in Paris. Obviously that doesn’t matter if its a lovely day. Of course if its raining skip all the walking and enjoy an unusual dry visit.

The starting point.

Take public transport to the Eiffel tower or pont Alma. You may recognize this image from the earlier post as its the same church near the Eiffel tower.

Looking in the other direction, eastwards, there is the Quai d’Orsay. It is famous for its large museum. Not for the Sewers museum. Give yourself an hour to visit this inexpensive museum. It’s part of the sewer system and can come with the expected odours.

What is interesting is to see the scale of the system and various tunnels. Being underground the temperature varies less than at street level.

A little over an hour later I am out. I decided to walk along the river Seine to the splendid Pont Alexandre III. Taking in the sights and fresh air. The pont Alexandre III is easy to recognize by it’s golden flame-like statues. On the way you pass the Archipel des Berges de Seine Niki de Saint-Phalle which is a nature reserve built on 5 barges moored on the river. It protects birds and fish from people whilst allowing us to get close by crawling across the netting.

I continued walking along the river, past the Assemblée Nationale. There’s plenty of time to be underground later. I continued a little further so I could get a direct bus, the 68 bus. The 68 runs from near the musée d’Orsay, rue Solferino, which you must visit one day, to the large place de Denfert-Rochereau. This is just a 2 minute walk from the entrance of the Catacombes de Paris.

Visiting the Catacombes de Paris

You must reserve online before you go. They are limited to 200 visitors at a time. There are a lot of steps, and plenty of uneven pathways. It also has a stable temperature year round. It is quite humid. Some people may fine it claustrophobic. But it is unique and is a mixture of the old quarries and the bones of deceased Parisians that have been moved over time. Therefore you should avoid treating it like a museum and more like a church or sacred place. You also should note that the exit is a good 5 minutes walk away from the entrance.

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Visit Rouen

Posted on April 4, 2023March 11, 2025 by SteveH

Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

I’ve lived a short journey away from Rouen for many years and never been. Time to put that right and visit Rouen! It’s Spring and the season of April showers. Not a problem in Rouen. As you visit Rouen you can pop in to the numerous museums, churches and shops when it rains and wander around the large pedestrian only area when the sun shines. Here are some tips and photos to help you plan your visit Rouen.

The Churches

There are 4 significant and well known churches in Rouen:

Saint Jeanne d’Arc church
Saint-Ouen Abbey
Notre-Dame Cathedral
Saint-Maclou church

All have there merits, and are worth visiting.

Saint Jeanne d’Arc church: located at the historical location where Jeanne d’Arc was burnt at the stake, it’s also by the market. I can’t resist fresh oysters so enjoyed a selection and glass of wine at the Comptoir des halles (opens in a new tab)
Saint-Ouen Abbey: founded in 563, and currently being renovated. It’s just the time to take the huge volumes
Notre-Dame Cathedral: 12th century gothic cathedral, and the subject of many paintings by the impressionist painter, Monet.
Saint-Maclou church: Another gothic church, started in 1437, this time Catholic.

Architecture

The streets

A large part of the town centre is pedestrianised so you can walk safely around the historic centre. Soak up the atmosphere created by narrow cobbles streets, old shops and museums.

The town

There are also many impressive sights around the town

The town hall, the station and the Normandy Parliament. Keep your eyes open for the lego repairs.

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Filitosa

Palaggiu

Tizzano

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Calanques de Piana

Ficaghojola

Ajaccio

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Ostriconi beach

L’Île-Rousse

Speloncato

Ota and Gulf of Porto

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Macinaggio to Saint-Florent

Port Centuri

Belvedere d’Alisu

Saint Florent

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Bastia to Macinaggio

Erbalunga

Tamarone

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Getting to Etretat

My photos

My walk

The 4 sections of my walk

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La Défense, Paris, France

Getting there

Car

Public transport

How long to allow

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The starting point.

Visiting the Catacombes de Paris

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The Churches

The streets

The town

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