Corsica. Not only beaches... (1)

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As is the case for years now, once identified as a destination for the holidays, I take some ideas and advice from those who were already there and has published a story of their journey on the network.
When I searched "Corsica" I found a series of travel diaries, which all reported more or less literally, the phrase "a mountain in the middle of the sea."
I have given this phrase a meaning landscape but after two weeks on the road to Corsica, I could see how this statement was constant and real. In Paris all know that mountain, there are mountains over 2000 meters with natural parks where hiking and trekking trails, the roads are mountainous, with cliffs and winding, and the food is the classic mountain with salami, wild boar, cheese and chestnuts, and the dominance of the country is mountainous, with the only but crucial difference that downstream there is a river, but the sea with magnificent coves along which there are more or less small apartment complexes, which give life to sea of mountain towns.
The only exceptions are given by the larger cities or famous Corsican, as Calvi, Bonifacio, Ajaccio and Bastia, which are on the sea, each with its own personality but with an ancient citadel on top of a rock.
All over this mountain, however, our goal was to spend 15 days at sea conscious of the fact that we as thousands more people in the central two weeks of August would be roasted on those beautiful beaches. Ok, at 6 o'clock in the morning of August 6, starting from Bologna and Livorno are no traffic, so that we arrive among the first to board and point to 10.00, we start. For the first week of stay, we have chosen the North West coast of booking a villa for 6 (we are 4 adults and 2 children) through the internet site www.homeholidays.com . The villa is beautiful, modern fully equipped and is located in a residential area above the bay of Sant'Ambroggio a few miles away from Algaiola midway between Calvi and Ile Rousse.
For the second week, we booked a villa by the site www.abritel.com in San Cipriano, 15 km from Portovecchio for those visiting the South East
Both positions have been perfect for day trips but we see that it's true what they say and that is all that is not Corsica travel over 30 km per hour and add: whatever the type of road, so that, and the weather we were forced to make a slight change in our program.
There are no facts, however, that the beaches, with some measure, we were able to enjoy in spite of the period.
Beaches in the North West.:
Marina sant'Ambroggio (in the municipality of Lumio - upstream) has, to the right of the marina, a beautiful sandy beach suitable for children, with rounded rocks from which the kids dive for hours and hours. To the left of the marina is also a small sandy beach, much quieter.
Algaiola has a beach like that before, very busy and therefore to be avoided in the central hours of the day.
Punta Spano is an area that is located behind Sant'Ambroggio and look outwards towards Calvi. It 'very tortuous and rugged and least visited, with several rocks interspersed with small beaches and is ideal for a walk along the sea, admire breathtaking views and enjoy a refreshing bath in a cove. Some of these are large enough to be able to enter the water gently but must arrive early because they are the first which are occupied by families with children.
Arinellu bays.
In the area of Lumio, charming village perched on the mountain and overlooking the sea in front of Calvi, there are many roads that lead to the sea, along which there are many pretty and discreet residence. One of them leads to the streets of Baie Arinellu, arrived at the end of the road: leave the car in a shaded parking, close to the main beach, with a very expensive restaurant and a few beach umbrellas and sunbeds for rent. The area is full of rounded rocks and beaches on which we have identified just convenient and strategic locations. Children in fact, have Climb on the rocks of varying shape, looking for animals, then we did the bathroom at the beach, where the seabed is sandy and slopes gently and the water is calm and clear. Also fathers, our two "fish" have enjoyed snorkelling along the various bay and finally we have photo's up to us to schedule with the background evocative of the sea and reef.
The beach of Calvi no special features. It 'very wide, sandy and crowded and not be ridden roughshod over the fact that a large car park in a shady pine forest.
Ostriconi.
That the North is an area wildest shows the beautiful beach of Ostriconi. For those coming from Ile Rousse, Ostriconi is located just before the Desert des Agriates and is marked by a cartel tourist (brown) indicated by the de-Site Ostriconi-, near a campsite. There are no shops or food stalls where you get better equipped. The car should be left after about a km. On the road and you find the best path to walk down the mountain. The view from above is quite fascinating: the right spot, the dunes and the river Ostriconi that ends on the beach, left the blue waters, white sand and crystal clear. The beach is very large so it is never crowded and despite the people, a cow is emerge from the dunes and has failed to bring tourists to the company, perhaps in avanscoperta sent by his companions who have felt better to stay inside until more tranquil times. Once drawn the drapes and planted the umbrella (which council strongly), as well as long baths and Roberta I have done a lap behind the dunes bordering the sea to take suggestive photos and routes for almost three quarters of the beach, we emerge ... hops ... in an area occupied by the nudists ... so there is still do-turn and return to go swimming with our kids, and the clear blue waters of this beautiful creek. Unfortunately, the rough seas of days has yet allowed us to go by boat to the Plage de Loto Saleccia and then, in the Desert des Agriates, but we can not complain about what the North has given us.
But there are only beaches and in our plans was also to spend a day inside anyway. The choice fell on the forest Bonifatu (Le Cirque de Bonifatu) that contrary to what might be thought the name, is 20 km. from Calvi, along the D81 in the direction of the airport and then turning on the D251. From what read in magazines and guides, in this forest there are also more or less easily along some water courses that form real refreshing pool where during or after the walk. The park begins at the end of the road in a car park where pay 3.5 euros for us also provide a leaflet showing the paths. Unfortunately, our walk is not born under the best auspices since the time it was cloud, the paths of the brochure did not coincide with those given on the spot, especially along the waterways where we hoped to do our picnic, there ' was a trickle of water!