The Spelunca Gorge and north to Calvi (18th May)

Heading into the gorge by mid morning, and determined to make more use of our campercontact app in the future given how much we’d enjoyed the municipal site, we were glad that we were ahead of the coaches that ply this road, as although it was easier going than the Calanches, it was twisty enough as we climbed towards the top of what is essentially a 1km deep valley.

The views were as good as promised in the Rough Guide, and the driving fun, with added livestock wandering around to keep us on our toes.

Thwarted by a ‘no campervan’ sign, we were unable to make our planned transit of the gorge and return via the northern side, so we had to make a u-turn and meander back, enjoying the views this time from the other side of the road!

The coast road north to Calvi was every bit as exciting and spectacular as the previous day’s drive, with so many ‘wow’ moments that we soon became pretty blasé to the views over the coast from precipitous pull-ins and the rocks overhanging the road!

Although the drive is only 80km between Porto and Calvi, by the time we’d completed our Spelunca gorge diversion and enjoyed a leisurely drive via the coast road, it was late afternoon when pulled into La Pinède, another ACSI site with good facilities and a beach across the road should the sun continue to shine. Situated between the old town with its citadelle, and the barracks for the elite 2^nd parachute regiment of the French Foreign Legion, Calvi had plenty of interest and we were both looking forward to a few days of staying put!

S&J