Mountain roads at Calanche in Corsica

Mountain roads at Calanche in Corsica! Driving around Calanche Di Piana is beyond explanation. These mountain roads in Corsica cannot be found anywhere else in Europe. So narrow that encounters are tough and 400 metres of cliffs on the side. How cool!

Follow the mountain roads at Calanche in Corsica and around Piana! Just outside the village are the towering red granite cliffs of Calanche. Driving through this area is a truly breathtaking experience! You sit and say "wow" in just about every curve.

Mountain roads at Calanche in Corsica

How is it possible to drive a motorhome here? The roads are actually a bit better than the section between Calvi and Porto. Here the tarmac is intact and there is often a small low wall at the edge. But the roads (D81) are incredibly narrow and in many places meetings are impossible or almost impossible.

You have to plan far in advance when you see a meeting coming, your mirrors have to be folded in and sometimes someone has to back up. However, the narrow winding roads don't seem to stop large vehicles - we met more than one large tourist bus ...

A regional park, Les Calanche was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983 and is the most photographed site in Corsica. There are places where you can park to take one of several great hiking trails. Walk an hour down to the sea and discover Calanche from the sea side.

Husbilen smyger fram... — The motorhome creeps along mountain roads at Calanche in Corsica. The mountains are the roads.

Oj, är det DÄR vi ska köra alldeles strax...? — Wow, is that WHERE we'll be driving in a few minutes...?

READ MORE: Porto in Corsica - camping Solo e Vista
READ MORE: Paradise beach in Corsica - plage de Cupabia

Rock formations

Calanche is also known for its Tafoni, meaning that nature has left its mark on the environment over millions of years. Different rock formations can take on different meanings with a little imagination and Calanche is known for several. The dog's head, the tortoise and eagle, the confession, the bishop, the Indian head and the heart. Take a look for yourself if you come here and see what you can come up with.

Möte med buss - backspeglarna är indragna och båda fordonen kryper fram — Meeting with a bus - the rear-view mirrors are retracted and both vehicles crawl forward

Eeeeh... hur gör vi nu??? — Eeeeh... what do we do now????

Ibland går det inte ens att köra om cyklar... — Sometimes it is not even possible to overtake bicycles ...

Fantastic views

Although you have to take it easy and careful when driving here, and although encounters can be a bit tricky, it's a fantastic stretch to drive. The views are absolutely magical. The red granite mountains have amazing formations, the vegetation is intensely green and the sea below (Golf de Porto) glistens in turquoise blue. If you absolutely do not want to drive here, there are other roads in Corsica, but we still recommend taking this route. The views are unbeatable!

Utsikten mot havet är magnifik — The view of the sea at Calanche is magnificent.

Bergsvägar vid Calanche på Korsika — Roads wind around the mountains

READ MORE: Travelling to Corsica - your guide to Corsica's best destinations

07 June 2015 17:03

Corsica

freedom best, Motorhome holiday France, nature, unique nature, experiences in Europe, roads

Helena

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20 Comments

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snort says:

In Sicily, I strongly considered leaving the bus and going down! It was so high and winding!

07 June 2015 - 17:36

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BP says:

Oh my God! The views just get better and better, more and more beautiful. But I wouldn't want to be a driver in a bus or even in Freedom, I must say. Perfect documentation Helena. You could not have posted better pictorial evidence. There it is really important to have a fully functioning pasemaker if you say so;-)

07 June 2015 - 17:48

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Mr Steve says:

PUH! I need to take a break and recover between visits to your blog. Equally, I cannot refrain from coming back to you as I think you offer fantastic experiences. Have a good one!

07 June 2015 - 18:44

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Stina says:

Oh my Buddha 🙂 I had never driven there so damn hard as I am, let alone travelled in a motorhome or bus on such roads. Strong work!

07 June 2015 - 19:20

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Ama de casa says:

GAAAAAHHH!!!! Anxiety... 😉

But it really is amazingly beautiful! 🙂

07 June 2015 - 19:31

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solan says:

A little damp in my hand when I see the pictures...do you both drive? Can be done with meeting in a village with houses that slope, but this is trickier. As well as a bit steep...

07 June 2015 - 19:41

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Marina says:

So beautiful but so scary!!!

07 June 2015 - 19:43

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Comment by post author

admin says:

Znogge, I would rather travel with Peter than with a bus driver I don't know. Gotcha!

BP, great that you like my photo evidence! 🙂 A bit heartbreaking it all was! 😉

Steve, haha, glad you're coming back! Do not want to scare you away 😉

Stina, I'm also quite harsh, but Peter drives calmly and carefully (and most others too actually) so I survived 😉.

Ama de casa, haha and YES, it is amazingly beautiful!!!

Solan, I have no driving licence, so it's only Peter who drives! He knows the motorhome well after 7 years and drives calmly and carefully, so it felt as good as it could! 😉

Marina, very beautiful, can only agree! 🙂

07 June 2015 - 20:08

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Role o Carina says:

Oooohh so beautiful, blue sky and blue sea!
We are looking forward to that 🙂

Take care....

07 June 2015 - 20:21

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Ruth in Virginia says:

That was really adventurous driving! Actually, it should not be allowed
to go there with caravans above a certain size . Buses are necessary as
means of transport. I wonder what it was like to sit behind a bus or campervan on a hill?
I'm glad you got to drive at least, so we blog readers can shiver.

Surprised you don't have a driving licence. What would happen if Peter broke an arm or...
could not drive for any other reason? If I could not drive a car, I would feel like
me winged. It worries me now, when you start to enter old age.
🙂

07 June 2015 - 21:36

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Matts Torebring says:

That you are adventurous, we have understood for a long time, but not fully until now. If I'm going to make the journey you're making, I'd probably want a six-wheel drive, armoured camper van, with the worst compressor horns, "Move over, here I come". Stay on the road if you can.

07 June 2015 - 21:37

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Comment by post author

admin says:

Rolle and Carina, the sea is really blue here. Lovely!

Ruth in Virginia, Peter tells me that the hills are great in low gear. In these places we (and most others) only drive at 30 km/hour. Of course it would have been better to have a driving licence, but there hasn't been the opportunity to do so. If we had waited for everything to be perfect for the trip, it would never have happened....

Matts, haha, you make us laugh! But we'll stay on the road, that's the plan!

07 June 2015 - 21:51

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Henny says:

I agree with everyone who has praised the great views and your great pictures. I myself get shaky just by travelling as a passenger in Norway. I would never dare to drive in Corsica or even in northern Norway. I would highly recommend that you take a driving licence once you are back home. I myself have had a driving licence since I was 18 years old, but it is only now that I have started driving the motorhome. Unfortunately, there may come a day when you need two people to drive - if you want to continue on new adventures, short or long, with your mobile home.

07 June 2015 - 23:53

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Ruth in Virginia says:

I have to ask if it is difficult to get a driving licence in Sweden?
And opportunity? Now I got curious. Of course you can have physical
reasons for not being able to obtain a driving licence, but otherwise it should be
a given, especially when you travel as much as you do.
But - this is just my opinion.
When I turned 18 (1946), my mother told me to get a driving licence. I was
asked why, because we had no car and no plans to buy a car.
"It's for the future. Everyone will need to be able to drive a car."
I still have my driving licence in a nice leather case and with a photo of a woman.
beautiful 18-year-old. 🙂 My mother was always ahead of her time. God bless her!

08 June 2015 - 5:00

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Comment by post author

admin says:

Henny, yes I know that a driving licence would be good...

Ruth in Virginia, is it difficult to get a driving licence in Sweden? I don't know, but it usually takes a long time and costs a lot of money. I mostly meant that we prioritised time and finances for other things, I did my PhD and we rebuilt the houseboat. I tried to get a driving licence when I was younger, but it wasn't for me. I got stressed, had a hard time making decisions fast enough and crashed into things (a wall)... So I don't think it would go particularly fast for me or anything like that, right away... So if it's going to be possible, I probably need a lot of time, money and the ability to focus.

08 June 2015 - 6:26

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Anki says:

Fantastic pictures! I just can't believe that you dare... 🙂 .

08 June 2015 - 7:18

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Monica says:

Says like everyone else: Everything is fantastic! We have also heard this from everyone who lives down here. Corsica is a must. But now when I see the pictures, I get both angry and anxious and do not know if it would be worth it... I completely hate to sit next to plunging, bad roadsides and to take off the seat belt to be able to jump out, well........?

Great with your blog because now we have changed our minds. We will not take the motorhome to Corsica but if it happens we will drive our Citroen. Alternatively, hook up with a charter for a first impression. There are several who organise tours and it feels like it would be a safer option!
I have had a driving licence since I was twenty years old and have driven a lot throughout my life. However, I don't like driving abroad, which is a bit of a handicap when you live in France. When we bought the motorhome, I immediately told my husband that he could drive it himself. Now he has nothing against it, his life is cars and he drives fantastically well so it works well for us. But it is clear that there is a security in the fact that if things get tough, I could easily take over, both motorhome and regular car. I drive every summer in Sweden without any problems, but I also have a farsighted ninety-year-old mum who tells me not to let my husband drive all the time. You lose the habit and become fearful and then if you become a widow you sit there and get nowhere. She drives all her friends and does well despite her age. I would probably invest in a driving licence as a project in the future - it gives great freedom of action if you don't live where other communications work as well. Good luck on your further journey and more Corsican pictures please!

08 June 2015 - 9:57

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Nilla Strand says:

Oh dear, oh dear, I say!
I really couldn't have done that!
But so incredibly beautiful, if you could enjoy the view.....
Take care //Nilla

08 June 2015 - 13:04

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Comment by post author

admin says:

Anki, it is amazingly beautiful! Peter drives well and carefully and knows where his car is. Of course, you don't drive fast, but then there are more opportunities for views! 🙂

Monica, we think it works well to drive with the motorhome, but then Peter is an experienced driver who knows the motorhome well. The first stretch, with some bad road edges, was actually more unpleasant than the second, where there was a wall along the edge, even though there were steep cliffs outside. But of course, if you feel insecure, a private car or charter is an option. If you want to travel around by car, you can still camp and stay in a cottage, it is available at all campsites here. Just don't miss Corsica! 🙂
Of course it would be good to have a driving licence, but it takes time and costs money, and I won't be driving the motorhome anyway, unless I have to. At home I don't need a driving licence. They are not needed for my job and we live in the centre of the city with subways and buses, so I would never use a car anyway. It makes you less motivated I guess...?

Nilla, it's lucky that Peter knows the motorhome well! And then you have to take it slowly and carefully, of course 🙂.

08 June 2015 - 15:37

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Anna Stouvenel says:

Photos of gastritis:)

08 June 2015 - 18:31

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Mountain roads at Calanche in Corsica

Mountain roads at Calanche in Corsica

Rock formations

Fantastic views

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20 Comments

snort says:

BP says:

Mr Steve says:

Stina says:

Ama de casa says:

solan says:

Marina says:

admin says:

Role o Carina says:

Ruth in Virginia says:

Matts Torebring says:

admin says:

Henny says:

Ruth in Virginia says:

admin says:

Anki says:

Monica says:

Nilla Strand says:

admin says:

Anna Stouvenel says:

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