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Sharing the road to Zonza Older
Zonza and the GR20
 
 
 
 
 
 
Col de Bavella   7 Oct 2017 Col de Bavella    7 Oct 2017   Cars, Corsica, Zonza    S - M - L
 
 
 
 
 

We're in Zonza ('tzonz'). Today we drove to a nearby mountain pass, hiked out to an odd rock formation, then ate a meaty lunch (Charcuterie being a Corsican speciality) on a patio overlooking mountains, the Mediterranean, and the island of Elba, famous for being the site of the Corsican Napoleon's first exile, from 1814 to 1815.

About 15 minutes from Zonza is the Col de Bavella, a 1,218 m pass that offers views of the Aiguilles (needles) de Bavella, the Aiguilles being rocky spikes of red granite. A bit reminiscent of the Aiguille du Midi, off Chamonix way.

The col also offers several trailheads (the GR20 passes through) as well as accommodations and restaurants. The hike to our destination, the Trou de la Bombe, starts at the Col. It is an easy hike out to an interesting hole in a rock face.

We returned to Zonza just in time to catch the last few cars in the Tour de Corse.

 
 
 
 
Hotel du Tourisme in Zonza  
 
 
 
 
Hotel du Tourisme in Zonza  
 
 
 
 
Hotel du Tourisme in Zonza  
 
 
 
The trail to Trou de la Bombe  
 
 
 
 
The trail to Trou de la Bombe  
 
 
 
 
The trail to Trou de la Bombe  
 
 
 
The Aiguilles de Bavella  
 
 
 
 
The Aiguilles de Bavella  
 
 
 
 
The Aiguilles de Bavella  
 
 
 
Rocky landscape at the col  
 
 
 
 
Rocky landscape at the col  
 
 
 
 
Rocky landscape at the col  
 
 
 
Paul climbing at Trou de la Bombe  
 
 
 
 
Paul climbing at Trou de la Bombe  
 
 
 
 
Paul climbing at Trou de la Bombe  
 
 
 
Yours truly hiking in Corsica  
 
 
 
 
Yours truly hiking in Corsica  
 
 
 
 
Yours truly hiking in Corsica  
 
 
 
Paul and chapel at Col de Bavella  
 
 
 
 
Paul and chapel at Col de Bavella  
 
 
 
 
Paul and chapel at Col de Bavella  
 
 
 
Lunch in the Village de Bavella  
 
The Aiguilles (needles) de Bavella are to the left. In the distance is the Mediterranean and the island of Elba.
 
 
 
 
Lunch in the Village de Bavella  
 
The Aiguilles (needles) de Bavella are to the left. In the distance is the Mediterranean and the island of Elba.
 
 
 
 
Lunch in the Village de Bavella  
 
The Aiguilles (needles) de Bavella are to the left. In the distance is the Mediterranean and the island of Elba.
 
 
 
The Tour de Corse passing through Zonza  
 
Unlike the Porto leg of the Tour de Corse, this leg doesn’t feature a closed highway. So the racers share the roads with the public. By the time we got back to Zonza most of the cars in today's leg of the Tour de Corse had passed. Still, I walked from our apartment to the center of town (this took about 1 minute) where there were no spectators just a few support vehicles—largely Porshe SUVs—as well as drivers and support staff. I crossed the street and then sat on a wall where I hoped to capture a few of the laggards slower cars as they came into town.
 
 
 
 
The Tour de Corse passing through Zonza  
 
Unlike the Porto leg of the Tour de Corse, this leg doesn’t feature a closed highway. So the racers share the roads with the public. By the time we got back to Zonza most of the cars in today's leg of the Tour de Corse had passed. Still, I walked from our apartment to the center of town (this took about 1 minute) where there were no spectators just a few support vehicles—largely Porshe SUVs—as well as drivers and support staff. I crossed the street and then sat on a wall where I hoped to capture a few of the laggards slower cars as they came into town.
 
 
 
 
The Tour de Corse passing through Zonza  
 
Unlike the Porto leg of the Tour de Corse, this leg doesn’t feature a closed highway. So the racers share the roads with the public. By the time we got back to Zonza most of the cars in today's leg of the Tour de Corse had passed. Still, I walked from our apartment to the center of town (this took about 1 minute) where there were no spectators just a few support vehicles—largely Porshe SUVs—as well as drivers and support staff. I crossed the street and then sat on a wall where I hoped to capture a few of the laggards slower cars as they came into town.
 
 
 
A blue racer  
 
 
 
 
A blue racer  
 
 
 
 
A blue racer  
 
 
 
Tour de Corse' Mini Cooper  
 
 
 
 
Tour de Corse' Mini Cooper  
 
 
 
 
Tour de Corse' Mini Cooper  
 
 
Sharing the road to Zonza Older
Zonza and the GR20