24 hours in… Calvi

Let me tell you a story (violin and tissue required).

I arrived in Calvi in the late summer of 2006 as a man struggling with life. The pain of both a broken leg and a broken heart contributed to the very near breaking of my head.

I had spent the early weeks of September limping across Europe with the energetic Doowon.

We parted one another in Paris, leaving me with a spare ten days of travel on my rail pass. Desperately in need of rest and rehabilitation I decided to head south, and towards the sun drenched island of Corsica.

Get on with it…

Successful navigation of the mean streets of Marseilles led me onto to a ferry bound for Bastia.

The city of Bastia provided me with a glimpse as to what this Mediterranean jewel of an island had to offer.

Within a few days I found myself on the infamous ‘bone-shaker’. An ancient, diesel powered train that would have even the calmest of person chomping at their nails soon after departure.

After several hours the train somehow found its way out of the mountains, slowly descending towards to the glorious beaches of north-western Corsica. I was depressed and in search of something that would heal me. That something turned out to be a town, and that town was Calvi.

Where is the town situated…?

The town  is situated on a sweeping bay with a stunning mountain backdrop. Sandy beaches will trap the 24 hour traveller for anything up to two weeks and the warm waters of the Mediterranean will wash away the dirt from the explorers’ skin.  The citadel with its many steps will leave both the traveller and the camera exhausted. And the pretty town invites exploration with its bars, restaurants, and shops selling local delicacies of dried meat, honey, spices and herbs. While the marina attracts the wealthy and their yachts.

Calvi is quite simply a town in which to relax. Eat, sleep, drink, and be merry and the traveller will not go far wrong.

A tent? You are joking right…?

Budget accommodation is not as difficult to find as one would image. There are plenty of camping options, and a couple of hostels. All of which are in easy reach of the beach.

Ins & Outs…

The town’s train station is located in the centre of the Calvi. With beaches, campsites, hostels, shops, marina and the citadel all within walking distance. Travellers coming from either Ajaccio or Bastia by rail will need to change at Ponte-Leccia. Calvi station is the terminus for trains arriving from Ponte-Leccia.

The route down from the mountains to the coast is spectacular and the coastal towns of Algajola and I’ile-Rousse are worth a visit. And the ‘Carte Zoom’ seven day rail pass is a great option for those wishing to explore the island by rail.

The Corsican rail network has undergone substantial improvement and investment in recent years (see Bastia). Fast, comfortable trains are gradually replacing the older ‘bone-shakers’, however the latter still operate the Calvi-Ponte Leccia route at the time of writing. (2009)

Calvi also has a passenger port with ferry services arriving from Nice, France and Savona, Italy. Nearby I’le-Rousse provides services to Toulon, Nice and Marseilles. And for those rich kids among you the airport is located four miles to the south-east of the town.

Calvi is a destination to head for if looking for an escape . A wonderful place to put yourself back together if feeling a touch broken. So go and find an excuse to visit this beautiful part of Europe; file for divorce, leave the husband, break your own leg… Whatever it takes, it will be worth it.

Links:

www.clajsud.fr

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