Two weeks, one island, one motorcycle

The plan is set. On 1 August I'm taking the motorcycle to Corsica — two weeks, from Middelburg to the beaches of Porto-Vecchio and back. Below is the plan as it stands: day by day, with the hotels, campsites and ferries I've already booked. A mix of guesthouses, Airbnb, a hotel and two campsites — with a tent strapped to the back of the bike for flexibility.

The route in broad strokes

1. Middelburg → Dijon or Lyon — Saturday 1 August
2. → Toulon — Sunday 2 August
3. Toulon → Bastia → Saint-Florent — Monday 3 August, day ferry
4. Saint-Florent → Calvi — Tuesday 4 August, 2 nights
5. Calvi → Santo-Pietro-di-Venaco — Thursday 6 August, 1 night
6. → Camping Vigna Maggiore, Olmeto — Friday 7 August, 1–2 nights
7. → Camping L'Oso, Porto-Vecchio — Saturday 8 August, 5 nights
8. → L'Île-Rousse → overnight ferry — Thursday 13 August
9. Toulon → home — Friday 14 August

Day by day

Saturday 1 August — Middelburg → Lyon

The longest day on the bike. There are two options, and I'll decide on the road.

Option A is to stop in Dijon — 645 kilometres, enough for one day. Lunch in the old town, stretch the legs, check in at a reasonable hour.

Option B is to push on to Lyon-Dardilly — 824 kilometres. Longer, but it makes the next day to Toulon considerably shorter.

Tip: I've booked two hotels for this day: one in Dijon and one in Lyon, both with free cancellation until 18:00 on the day itself. If I'm riding well and have the energy, I skip Dijon and push on to Lyon. If I'm feeling tired halfway, I stop in Dijon and cancel Lyon. That way I always have a bed without any stress — and it costs nothing extra. Both hotels are around fifty euros. Perfect when you don't know how the day will go.

Sunday 2 August — → Toulon

A gentler day. From Lyon it's about 383 kilometres down the Rhône valley, from Dijon it's 567. The temperature climbs with every hour. I've booked an Airbnb in Toulon — time to rest up before tomorrow's ferry.

Monday 3 August — Toulon → Bastia → Saint-Florent

The ferry departs Toulon at 08:45. Arrival in Bastia at 18:45 — a ten-hour crossing. Plenty of time to recover from the ride, grab some food, stock up on sunscreen and update this blog. Corsica slowly comes into view.

No hanging around in Bastia: straight on to Saint-Florent, 26 kilometres along the coast. I've booked the Auberge le Montana there — a guesthouse with a swimming pool. After three days of riding, that first dip is the best moment of the entire trip.

Tuesday 4 August — Saint-Florent → Calvi (~74 km)

Along the coast towards the Balagne. On the way I pass the turn-off for the Désert des Agriates — that Saleccia beach everyone talks about. If it's not too hot and I'm feeling up to it, I take the turn and ride the dirt road down to the beach. If not, I carry on and save it for another trip. Not everything has to happen this time.

In Calvi I've booked an apartment near Campo Longo through Airbnb for two nights. Own kitchen, bike parked right outside. Check-in isn't until 19:00 — so I've got the whole day for the ride and anything along the way.

Wednesday 5 August — Calvi

Rest day. Citadel, beach, dinner in the harbour. The bike stays put.

Thursday 6 August — Calvi → Santo-Pietro-di-Venaco (~170 km)

Into the interior. A solid ride through the mountains, past Corte and then further south. In Santo-Pietro-di-Venaco I've booked the Hôtel Le Petit Bosquet — a hotel-pub in the heart of the mountains. Check-in from 16:00, so there's plenty of time for a stop in Corte along the way: the Citadelle, the old town, a coffee on a terrace.

Friday 7 August — → Camping Vigna Maggiore, Olmeto (~120 km)

Today gets simpler. The tent goes on, the bike heads for the west coast. Camping Vigna Maggiore near Olmeto, in the hills of Corse-du-Sud. I've booked two nights, but whether I stay for two or move on after one depends on how it feels. Two nights booked, one night committed — that flexibility is exactly why I'm bringing a tent.

Saturday 8 August — → Camping L'Oso, Porto-Vecchio (~100 km)

Heading south today. A stop in Bonifacio itself — the old town perched on the cliffs, the staircase down, the view across the sea towards Sardinia. But I'm not sleeping in town: I ride on to Camping L'Oso on the Route de Palombaggia near Porto-Vecchio.

Check-in after 13:00. Five nights booked, through to Wednesday 12 August. This becomes base camp.

Sunday 9 to Wednesday 12 August — Camping L'Oso

Four days without packing up the bike. From the campsite I explore the south at my own pace:

• Beaches: Palombaggia is literally round the corner, and Rondinara and Santa Giulia are a short ride away
• Bonifacio: back again, this time without rushing, perhaps a boat trip to the sea caves
• Lavezzi islands: weather permitting, the boat out to the islands for a day of snorkelling
• Nature: the rocky coastline, the maquis, the quiet
• And who knows: I might hop across to Sardinia for a day. The ferry from Bonifacio takes just an hour. Haven't decided yet, but the thought is tempting.

Thursday 13 August — Camping L'Oso → L'Île-Rousse → ferry

Check out before 12:00 and the last real riding day on Corsica. About 180 kilometres across the island to the west coast, heading for L'Île-Rousse. I have the afternoon there: a wander through the little town, a quick stop at the beach, some shopping.

In the evening I ride the bike onto the ferry. Overnight crossing to Toulon, departure 20:45, with a cabin and a double bed. Arrival in Toulon the next morning at 06:00.

Friday 14 August — Toulon → home

Early morning in Toulon. Then the choice: ride straight through to Middelburg — it's a long day but doable — or make an overnight stop. I'm considering Valréas, a pretty village in Provence I've visited before and rather liked. We'll see how the legs feel after the boat.

Preparation

• Ferry: day crossing Toulon → Bastia outbound (08:45–18:45), overnight L'Île-Rousse → Toulon return (20:45–06:00, with cabin). Booked via Corsica Ferries.
• Accommodation: Airbnb in Toulon (1n), Auberge le Montana in Saint-Florent (1n), Airbnb in Calvi (2n), hotel in Santo-Pietro-di-Venaco (1n), Camping Vigna Maggiore near Olmeto (1–2n, tent), Camping L'Oso near Porto-Vecchio (5n, tent). Everything pre-booked.
• Luggage: two side cases, top case and a compact tent on the back. It all fits.
• Bike: full service before departure, new tyres. Tyre repair kit and jump leads in the top case.
• Clothing: cooling vest for the coast, fleece for the mountain passes. The gap between Porto-Vecchio at sea level and the mountains near Venaco is not to be underestimated.

And now?

Not long to go. The hotels are booked, the ferry is locked in, the tent has been tested. If the route turns out differently in practice — and it always does — there'll be a follow-up.