Lavu di Melu

This morning we drove 16 km further up the Valle de Restonica to the base of the footpath which would lead us to Lavu di Melu (Lake Melu) 1711m above sea level. The path winds its way along the big rocky surface and takes about 1h-20m to climb. It was quite a steep slope at places, and thankfully the city of Corte had large grab chains anchored to the rockface at one location and there were two spots where metal ladders were bolted to the rock to accelerate the ascent towards the very top. We had to stop to catch our breath a couple of times along the way, but upon arrival at the top, it became immediately evident that it was well worth the effort. Lake Melu is probably a glacial lake...the water is crystal clear, very cold, and completely surrounded by jagged peaks some of which still have snow on them. We chose a second path on the way back down which brought us across 4 fields of snow. The road between Corte and Lake Melu is well surfaced, but impossibly narrow. Don't be fooled by the painted lines down the middle of the road...there is absolutely no way for two cars to pass in many places...the size of the road reminded me very much of the cycle paths we've seen along La Route Verte near our home in Quebec. In a few places, we were required to back up against the very edge of the road and fold my mirror in against the window in order to let the oncoming cars pass. There are no guard rails and in some places the cliffs fall off on both sides of the road. Absolutely crazy. but the Corsicans appear used to this and approach the tight turns at reasonable speeds and pull over on the recesses when available to allow the traffic to clear. At the end of our hike, we met a very well conditioned Basque hiker who has spent his life hiking in the Pyrenees. He was soaking his feet in the frigid cold water cascading down near the parking lot. He explained to me that 5 minutes in this water would take the aches out of the feet and muscles and make our legs feel almost new again. So, we shed our boots and socks, yanked up the legs of our shorts and stood in the icy cold water to let the water perform its magic. He was absolutely right, and I recommend this therapy to anyone who is fortunate enough to cascading clear mountain water at the end of a long rocky hike.

Corte

The former capital of Corsica, Corte is a beutiful old city in the central hills of the island. The cobbled streets roll, twist and step their way up and down the hilly ground surrounding the citadel. The 72 km of spectacular mountainous road connecting Ajaccio with Corte takes about 2 hours to drive. Earliest history indicates that the Romans settled this town around the 6th century in an effort to escape the violence running rampant throughout the declining empire. The Saracens took it in the 8th century, and the Christians took it back in 9th. After a lot of struggling between the Genoese and the Pisans, the Genoese took firm control in the 13th century when they built the citadel. Corsica gained independence in 1731 (although no governments formally acknowledged this), and Pasquale Paoli declared Corte the capital in 1755. He established a university here and free education taught by the Franciscan monks. Our hotel is located just outside of Corte in the Vallee Restonica along which runs a strong cascading mountain stream. The road along the Vallee de Restonica is so narrow at some spots that two cars cannot pass each other.

Le Bleu de France

Le Bleu de France docked in Ajaccio right on schedule. Louis and his Mom disembarked in fine form, and we began an easy stroll around the small town stopping for a quick drink before lunch. After lunch, we drove along the coastal road to Les Iles Sanguinaires and walked around the old lighthouse on the point. We returned to Ajaccio via an inland road in order to experience a little bit of the hilly countryside before leaving Louis and his Mom at the dockside a full hour before their curfew. Afterwards, we walked along the beachside promenade and swam at a couple of beaches between 18:00 and 20:00 and were able to watch from our sandy perch Le Bleu de France depart the bay and slip slowly away beyond the horizon. Finished packing once again and, towmorrow morning, we'll head off to Corte for a couple of days of hiking in the hills.