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23 Apr, 2016, 7:16 PM

From katharine pollard

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April 14th I'lle rousse to calvi A great nights sleep initially until the wind started! Wipping around the tent, filling me with trepidation with regards a cycle into it. Luckily it had dropped a bit by the morning. Good bit of shopping done as Dave now has new panier holder and chain. Then we set off to Calvi. Unfortunately only a big red road to Calvi and though with a cycle path, unable to really appreciate the views which were stunning. Turqouise and blue ocean with white beaches. Not a bad cycle though and arrived in Calvi. Lovely marina with expensive coffees, beautiful citadel perched up on peninsula. Booked into a lovely campsite, with a pool that was heated and open with slides and everything. Finished off with the most amazing effect of the sunset on the mountains, stunning. Tour de France (scrabble) continued and form is being gained by the boy, 4:3. April 15th Calvi to Galeria Stunning cycle today, dramatic cliffs that did inspire vertiginous feelings in both of us. Beautiful red tinged cliffs and snow topped granite mountains in the centre. Truly a beautiful island. Galeria is a sleepy little place, mainly used for diving. Just the one campsite, 70's throwback. Hot day but quickly chilled, not before the 8th stage of TDF (scrabble) ended with all square. These last few stages are going to be tense, can the girl pull it back before the Giro commences in Italy. We shall see. Cold night but due to 3 layers of clothing worn not a bad nights sleep.

April 9th and 10th Cloudy and drizzly day Saturday. Time to hunt out cycle shop for inner tubes etc and art shop. Not successful in art shop but then went and pottered round old city. Early night as tired, camping catching up. Sunny day on Sunday, up to Vence, very nice old town, lots of bustling activity. Then cycle down to St Paul de vence, stunning medieval town but somehow a bit lacking in soul, reminded me of Carcassonne except with wall to wall galleries. Stopped for coffee in Colle de Loupe, really nice place with the biggest and probably best car boot sale ever. Took over whole town. Very bustly place and a noisset for 1 euro! Cheapest yet this trip. Back down to Cagnes Sur Mer where the beach called for painting for Dave and chill for me. Early night in readiness for Corsica!!! Very excited to get there and back under canvas. April 11th Corsica Hot day today. Up bright and early, coffee in our local, shop and then goodbye to our 70s Fawlty Towers type hotel. New bike chain and painting gear purchased on way to the port. Quick painting done in the really nice port and then into ferry. Luckily forked out two euro for Internet on ferry so was able to download campsite? Had rung to check it was open earlier. As we arrived in Bastia to dusk that info was very useful? Relieved we arrived. Tent up in the dark and then a couple of beers to celebrate...bad idea that but we weren't to know. April12th Bastia to St Florent Woke up to find we were staying in a lovely spot, stones throw from the beach which had a lovely view if Bastia. Just about to set off when Dave's bike unbalanced and the panier holder snapped. Luckily Heath Robinson has nothing on Dave and with a bit of a improvised hacksaw and hammer he had made an aluminium bit of pole fit for the job of joining two snapped ends together. Then we set off up the most evil hill ever!!! Well with 25 to 30 kg of weight! 5km of climb to 540metres and with some flattening out towards the top I reckon more than 1:10 gradient. And a bit of a hangover. Granny gear nearly all the way. Nearly vomited at one point. Col de bocca something, always beware the col word. Boiling hot to add to it. Nice freewheel down though. Noticing all the French names for places have been defaced, original language only. Signs of the tension between la corse and France. Other than the slightly rougher roads and a pretty gutteral accent it still feels the same? Arrived in St Florent. Nice place. Dave did painting of guys playing boules. I sorted campsite which was a shame as the guys wanted to chat to Dave and tell him lots about each other but he 'ne comprend pas' lovely campsite and cheaper than mainland. After dinner stroll on beach displayed a lovely view of the town. All good. April 13th St Florent to I'lle Rousse Not the best nights sleep as although very quiet site except for the slightly less noisy frogs and the peep peep animal that always accompanies them,I couldn't sleep for reliving the trauma of the cycle. PTSD I fear! Anyway with some trepidation after a great, hearty breakfast we set off on the 47km trip. Nice steadyn climb for 12km through truly stunning countryside, then a 10km plateau, then a great descent.....and relax. Obviously all days are not going to be the same. Another 16km on the major road, not hideously busy, with a coffee along the way with a gorgeous view of the sandy coloured cliffs, the brought us to I'lle Rousse. An OK kind of resort with lovely turqouise waters though. Campsite just out of town, cheap again though a bit close to the road. Game of scrabble. High scoring on both sides but clinched by the woman. 4:2. Yes!!!    Photos to follow shortly!!

8th April Nice day 2 Although forecast was a bit dodgy we woke up to lovely sunny day. After well needed trip to launderette, with a coffee and sit on promenade, in between wash and dry, we headed off on the bikes to Villefranche. Found a very uncomfy pebbly beach to lie on while Dave did a painting, then a coffee by the old port. Then we found the old town of Villefranche, stunning higgledy piggledy streets of high houses, lots of different colours. Really lovely. Then on way back to Nice we found the old town of Nice, equally interesting with a strong middle Eastern influence. We did plan to return later but too tired. Shall check it out again tomorrow