CORSICA IS NOT FRANCE.
The graffiti still marks the roadside — a quiet rebellion scrawled in paint and pride. Whoever wrote it wasn’t wrong. Corsica doesn’t play by mainland rules. It’s part French, part Italian, and entirely its own — an island where mountains crash straight into the sea, and every climb feels like a challenge whispered from the road itself.
Here, 650 miles of coastline wrap around a jagged spine of granite peaks that soar toward 10,000 feet. The roads twist through pine forests, wind-scorched ridgelines, and villages that haven’t changed in centuries. It’s a place that feels wild, a little untamed, and built for the kind of riding that demands everything — legs, lungs, and spirit.
In true RAID fashion, our route cuts deep into the island — a week-long traverse designed to showcase the contrasts that make Corsica unforgettable. Long days in the saddle, coastal descents that blur into blue horizon, climbs that seem to defy logic. Nights of rest come with Corsican wine, local charcuterie, and the kind of meals that make you forget how hard you worked to earn them.
Corsica has long been a secret training ground for pros, and after a week here, you’ll understand why. The island rewards effort with beauty, and the road gives back exactly what you put in.
RAID Corsica isn’t a vacation. It’s a reckoning with the elements — raw, remote, and completely irresistible.
D1 · PORTO VECCHIO
30mi / 48km ✧ +1,980ft / 603m
Upon your arrival into Porto Vecchio, the RAID shuttle will transfer you to our beach front hotel in Porto Vecchio, The Hotel Mariosa. This afternoon, our Corsican adventure begins with a prologue in the form of a quick, undulating spin from Porto Vecchio. A perfect opportunity to get to know your guides and your riding mates for the week before enjoying your first night on the island, in the city that hosted the Tour de France’s Grand Départ in 2013. After our short ride, we will gather this evening for a group orientation to go over the daily itinerary and plan for the week followed by an evening meal.
D2 · PORTO VECCHIO TO SARTENE
79mi / 127km ✧ +7,220ft / 2200m
Porto Vecchio, on Corsica’s southeastern tip, is a characterful town surrounded by deserted white-sand beaches and is a great starting point for riding into the island’s wild southern interior. The spectacular route out of town takes us straight to the Col de Bacinu before descending on sweeping turns through dense, forested hills with unexpected vistas around every corner. The tunnels here were a favorite hideout of the Corsican Resistance against the Nazis. Sartène, our halfway point, is a pretty town dating mainly from the 16th century; to return, we take the spectacular red-rocked coast road, with beautiful views out over the Mediterranean. By the time you’ve ascended the second col, you’ll a dip in the sea and the fine dinner waiting for you at the hotel.
D3 · pORTO VECCHIO TO PORTICCIO
84mi / 135km ✧ +11,180ft / 3407m
On our second day in the saddle, we’ll traverse to the opposite side of the island via the rugged Parc Natural Régional de la Corse. We’ll begin by making our way to higher ground, and spend much of the day at altitudes approaching 1,000m. We’ll cycle through the cool pine forests that cloak the slopes of the many 2,000m-plus peaks that tower above us, and also pass through the maquis, the name given to the distinctive, fragrant scrubland that covers parts of the island. From there, we’ll begin the long descent to Punta di Porticcio. At our hotel, just steps from the beaches of a magnificent bay, we’ll enjoy a magical sunset and sleep to the sound of gentle waves against the shore.
D4 · PORTICCIO TO CORTE
95mi / 152km ✧ +10,000ft / 3048m
Today’s route takes us to the heart of the island, to Corte, a town at the center of the island’s fortunes since Pascal Paoli made it the capital of his short-lived Corsican Republic in 1755. A nationalist stronghold to this day, its position atop a craggy mount gives it the appearance of a fairytale citadel. On the way, we’ll take the famous corniche road that squeezes between rocky cliffs and the sea, and which provided such exhilarating viewing during the 2013 Tour. Then, after cycling round the Golfe de Sagone we’ll turn inland and climb more than 30km to the Col de Vergio – at 1,478m the highest paved road on the island. There are breathtaking views, including a glimpse of the famously tough GR20 hiking trail that runs along the spine of the island. The evening’s destination is the luxuriously tranquil Hôtel Dominique Colonna, a haven of design nestled in the lush Restonica river valley.
D5 · CORTE
93mi / 149km ✧ +4,350ft / 1325m
For our fifth day, riders may choose to go for a short morning spin, and spend the afternoon exploring the village of Corte or taking in one of the remarkable local hikes. For the others, we will take the high road across the spine of the island, visiting charming perched hillside villages, deserted back roads, river gorges and the spectacular Col de Sorba. Tonight, we dine in town, at a small mother and son owned cafe that celebrates the local cheese, Corsican meats & local vegetables grilled over an open wood fire.
D6 · CORTE tO CALVI
78mi / 125km ✧ +8,895ft / 2,711m
Our journey culminates with one more substantial ride from the center of the island to the sea. The Bocca di Battaglia is the day’s highest point, and to finish there’s a fast descent and some stunning panoramas of the city of Calvi. It’s the perfect way to cap to a magnificent week on the wild and beautiful island of Corsica.
The most notable of these climbs is the Bocca di Battaglia, the peak of the day’s ride. As we reach this popular hiking destination, a few grazing cattle will bear witness to our final efforts and we’ll savour one of the last vistas on our trip. The last 50 kilometers of our journey include a very fast descent and some stunning panoramas of the city of Calvi. It’s the perfect way to cap to a magnificent week on the wild and beautiful island of Corsica.
D7 · CALVI
Enjoy one final stroll along Quai Landry, taking in the views of the harbor and citadel, before we assist with your airport transfers later today. Calvi–Sainte-Catherine Airport (CLY) is about 10 minutes by car from Calvi city center — roughly 6 km (3.7 mi) southeast of town.
