Getting to Bonifacio by car
Getting to Bonifacio by car is most conveniet way to get to the town, as public transportation in South Corsica is very limited.
Most people get to Corsica via:
- Bastia (mainly from Genoa and Livorno in Italy, Marseille in France),
- Ile Rousse/ Calvi (from Marseille and Nice) and
- Ajaccio (by plane).
So if you arrived by ship, you will almost certainly be in the north of the island. Accordingly, you have a choice of how to get to Bonifacio by car:
- along the west coast (Calvi, Ajaccio, nature reserves near Porto and mountain serpentines with the picturesque calanques of Piana),
- along the east coast (Bastia, beaches and a flat highway with endless roundabouts),
- or through the center of the island (Corte).
By car to Bonifacio from…
From Bastia
From Bastia, the best option is to quickly drive along the rather flat east coast. There are no beautiful views, but it is quite convenient to drive, as there is a highway and a straight road. The only inconvenience is that the road passes through numerous villages, so you can’t really speed up. On the other hand, you can stop at a supermarket and buy something necessary, especially if you are renting an apartment, not a hotel.
- The entire road – 170 km – will take about 2:45.
- Route
From Calvi
From Calvi – if you drive along the west coast, the road will take almost the entire day. But you are guaranteed stunning views of the picturesque bays and cliffs of the national park. This road itself will be an adventure: both in terms of the opening landscapes and the difficulty of the path, as the road is a lot of blind turns near steep cliffs. One of the most spectacular landscapes in France.
This road will be 277 km, and the time… Very individual, considering that you want to stop, admire the views and take a few photos. In addition, everyone has different experience driving on a mountain serpentine. Locals drive only like this, but tourists should be more careful on an unfamiliar road. Expect to spend at least 5-6 hours on the road.
A shorter route from Calvi is unexpected: the road first goes north, then, through the central city of Corte, goes diagonally to the east coast, and then along a straight highway to Bonifacio. A total of 230 km and about 3.5 hours on the road.
From Ajaccio
From Ajaccio there is a picturesque road towards Bonifacio, winding mountain serpentines past rocky bays and wooded peaks. Along the way, you can stop in Propriano and Sartene – they are worth visiting and will not take much time. The entire route by car to Bonifacio will take 130 km and approximately 2.5 hours.
Useful links:
- By car to France
- Toll roads in France
- Traffic rules
- Fines for traffic violations in France
- Parking in France
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