Tour of Corsica Cyclo

Version Française Translator Bob Aldridge Tour of Corsica Cyclo
Presentation of Corsica

Description
        Corsica is a "mountain in the sea", and it gives the impression of a minature continent with its regions and a hundred different aspects.
        The extreme diversity of the island is due to its rugged and divided relief, its mixture of bays, valleys, plateaus and mountain ranges and the multitude of changes in climat and vegetation due to the rapid altitude variations.
        Corsica is a marriage between the sea and the sun, snow covered mountains can dominate beaches on which people are bathing, the celebrated scrublands and superb forests, the waterfalls, hillside pastures and the mountain tops and peaks.
        A new sight with every turn, a new world with every mountain slope.
       This island with its beautiful scenery offers a permanent invitation to travellers.

The climat
        The climate, along with the variety of its landscape is the grand attraction of Corsica.
        This radiant island, has hot dry summers when it practically never rains except for the occasional downpour.
        On the coast the temperatures often rise above 30º C, the average temperature in July and August being 25º C.
        The early and late seasons are particularly agreeable, the best period for cycling being the last two weeks in May (for the mountain flowers and swimming at 20º C).
        The spring is precocious with all the scrubland flowering in April.
        On the coast autumn appears to prolong the summer until October
        During the winter it is sunny and mild by the sea and one can eat on the terraces in February.
        The climate varies with the altitude. The interior is equally sunny but the temperature begins to fall as one starts climbing. The winter is often rigorous at altitude, certain regions being snowed up for long periods. In the mountains, the summer days are hot but the nights always fresh.
        The dominant wind is the Libeccio, hot and dry, coming from the south-west. The Mestrale, dry and violent, rises up in the west of the island, and not least the scorching Sirocco, on the eastern side.

Further details on Corsica :
        Length : 183 km            Width : 83 km
        Aera : 8 681 km²       Coast line : 820 km
        Capital : Ajaccio            Highest peak : Monte Cinto ( 2707m )
        Two French departements : 20A Corse-du-Sud (Ajaccio) et 20B Haute-Corse (Bastia)
        Population : 251,000 habitants

Difficulties
Corsica is not flat. Low gears are reccommended.