Sardinia
Trip to Sardinia, via Camargue, Corsica, and back via Italy
Castelsardo - Sassari
16 mai 2023
The objective of the day was to find a bike repairer, and for that I had to go to Sassari, the only place in the region where there is one. So it will be another short stage. I leave Castelsardo, pass over the modern and quite important harbour, but where there are only a few fishing boats the rest being pleasure boats. The weather is mixed, a bit windy and sometimes grey and I even catch a few drops of rain, but no need to put on the rain gear, it doesn’t last. I arrive at the first bike (…)
Tempio Pausania - Castelsardo
15 mai 2023
I leave the room around 9am to go to a bike repair shop that I was told about. Indeed I noticed yesterday that I had a broken spoke. The wheel seems to be ok, but I shouldn’t take a shock where it’s weak. Unfortunately the guy who is retired doesn’t have what it takes to repair my spoke.
So I take the road trying to avoid the holes...
On my initial route I arrive at the top of Bortigiadas on a road forbidden to all vehicles :/ I wonder if I can try to pass anyway but I hear the machines (…)
Basacutena - Tempio Pausania
14 mai 2023
After a day spent with my warmshowers hosts of "Lo Furracu" I left this morning for Tempio Pausania, passing by Longo Santo and Aggius the village of the brigands.
The day at Marta and Andrea’s house allowed me to be sheltered during a bad day of rain, but also to refine my route with Marta’s wise advices, to discover the Italian cuisine better than one could do it in a restaurant and finally to know my two very charming and extraordinarily kind hosts. To describe them Andrea said that (…)
Bunifaziu - Bassacutena
12 mai 2023
After breakfast at the hotel, departure to the ferry. It is necessary to arrive 1 hour in advance but most people arrive half an hour before and it is enough. Especially since the ferry is late this time. And to want to squeeze a maximum of cars and numerous trucks the delay is not made up.
Crossing without worry and we do not regret to have taken something to cover ourselves against the fresh wind at sea.
Arrived at Santa Teresa Gallura I notice that my bicycle was not attached by the (…)
Sarte - Bunifaziu
11 mai 2023
Departure at 9 am from Sartene, under a much more pleasant sky than the day before.
In order to avoid the main road I went through the Suara pass : a small regular climb at 5/6% but then a flat road along the Ortolo river. A small twenty kilometers without traffic, very pleasant !
Then it is necessary to join the main road, with fortunately some nice passages along the sea.
The wind becomes more and more annoying, and when we arrive in Bonifacio it will even be cold.
In Bonifacio, the (…)
Propria - Sarte
10 mai 2023
Very small step today after a night where the rain was very noisy on the tent ! But at least the tent is holding ! And in the morning the weather was dry again which allowed me to quietly put away the stuff.
I arrived quite early and in advance of the normal schedule at the hotel, but the hosts are there and allow me to leave my bags. I can walk quietly in Sartene with less weight 🙂
The most Corsican of the Corsican villages had told me the guy at the reception of the campsite yesterday !
Aiacciu - Propria
9 mai 2023
The ten hours of daytime ferry crossing finally went by quite quickly : I chatted for a good part of the trip with another cyclotourist who was going on the same kind of trip as me : wild camping on top of that. Another cyclist traveling in a van but going to do a competition soon in Corsica also kept us company. A half empty boat, and I had booked a "Pullman" seat... but it’s really not good
After the breakfast departure at 9 am from Ajaccio. After a few kilometers we leave the national (…)
Marseille - Toulon
7 mai 2023
Two days of visit in Marseille guided by Manu who will make me discover the life of the center. A very lively city whose center has not yet been gentrified. I really discovered this beautiful city where I had come only once before. Sunday morning departure for Toulon after a few drops of rain. I have to go through the Gineste pass and finally it goes well enough. So I decided to take the road of the crests which seemed to me too hard, but it will surely be nicer than the national road. And (…)
Saintes Marie de la Mer - Marseille
4 mai 2023
At the departure of Saintes Marie de la Mer, passage by the national reserve of Camargue. You have to stay on the dam and not venture into the protected areas. A lot of birds of all kinds, often difficult to take pictures of. Beautiful grey herons, pink flamingos that for once I managed to take a picture of with their pink wings. The path is pleasant but with several very sandy passages which oblige to push the bike. Fortunately, these passages are not very numerous. The wind is not very (…)
Narbonne- Loupian and Loupian - Saintes Marie de la Mer
3 mai 2023
Arrived in Narbonne we are informed that the next train is cancelled (there is a fire further on, near the tracks ! The afternoon is already well advanced... I see that there is a municipal camping in Loupian near Mèze. 70km seems doable, but despite the favorable winds it seems also difficult to arrive before 7pm, closing time of the campsite. I call and get an answering machine. I go anyway and find the guards at the entrance...
The installation almost complete I discover two annoying (…)