The Itinerary
Day 1
From Ajaccio, take N196 south to Propriano, stay overnight at the Hotel Miramar, and while you're there, visit Sartène, also on N196.
Day 2
From Propriano or Sartène, drive south on N196 to Bonifacio. (To stop at Cap Roccapina, turn off after about 15 miles, at the dirt road marked camping roccapina.) In Bonifacio, pick up N198 and follow it to Porto-Vecchio, then turn onto D368 at the roundabout to get to Zonza. Stay at L'Aiglon.
Day 3
From Zonza to Solenzara, drive the steep and winding D268 (Route de Bavella) through Bavella Forest, for about 11/2 hours. At Solenzara, turn north toward Ghisonaccia, back onto N198. Drive northwest into the mountains on D344, passing through Ghisoni. From there, travel north on D69 to N193, which leads to Corte, and on N103 to N1197 (get on at Ponte Leccia), until you arrive at Île Rousse. Follow signs marked direction calvi until you reach the Cinéma L'Île Rousse, and turn left at the small sign for Pigna, which is a 10-minute drive up the road. Stay at Casa Musicale.
Day 4
N197 from L'Île Rousse leads to Calvi. At Calvi, pick up D81, which hugs the coast all the way to Ajaccio, passing through Piana and Les Calanche.
Note: This is a fast-paced trip around the island. For an easier drive, plan on five or six days to complete the whole itinerary, or skip Bonifacio and go directly from Sartène to Zonza.
