Checkout done, bags packed one last time onto the Triumph Scrambler 1200, and a date already circled in the back of the mind: the evening ferry from Ajaccio back to Genoa. Day 28 was the final day on Corsica, and rather than spend it waiting around, there was still time to squeeze in one more loop through the island’s west coast before heading to the harbor.
Through Ajaccio and Up Into the Mountains
The morning started with a ride straight through Ajaccio itself, Corsica’s capital and, for the rest of the day, the fixed point everything would eventually circle back to. From there, the route turned northwest, climbing away from the coast and into the mountains that make up so much of Corsica’s interior.
This stretch of road delivered exactly what Corsican mountain passes are known for: tight hairpins, constantly changing gradients, and views that kept opening up over the ridgelines with every new bend. It also delivered a classic bit of island character, a small herd of cows wandering casually along the middle of the road on one of the passes, completely unbothered by an approaching motorcycle. A short standoff, a patient throttle hand, and eventually a path around them — the kind of moment that only really happens on roads like these.
One particular high point deserved a proper photo stop: the pass known as Col de Sarzoggio (Bocca di Sarzoggiu in Corsican), sitting at 612 meters. Signs like this one, weathered and covered in stickers from other riders and tour groups who had clearly stopped here before, are small landmarks in their own right on a trip like this.
Down to the Golfo di Lava
From the high passes, the road eventually dropped back down toward the coast on the other side, arriving at the Golfo di Lava. After a morning of climbing and descending switchbacks, this felt like a good spot to pause. A quick stop at a small local supermarket took care of lunch, something simple picked up to eat with a sea view rather than a sit-down affair, in keeping with the loose, unplanned rhythm of the day.
The contrast between the dense, green mountain interior and this open stretch of coastline summed up something that had stood out about Corsica compared to Sardinia over the past few days: even relatively short distances here can shift the landscape completely, from steep granite passes to calm gulfs within the same hour of riding.
Back Over the Passes to the Tip of the Peninsula
Rather than tracing a new route back, the ride returned south the way it came, back over the same mountain passes toward Ajaccio. But the day’s route still had one more destination before pointing toward the ferry: the Tour Génoise de la Parata, the old watchtower marking the southern tip of the peninsula just outside Ajaccio, with the Îles Sanguinaires stretched out in the water beyond it.
This spot is about as far southwest as the mainland of Corsica reaches in this area, and it made a fitting turnaround point for the final full day of riding on the island. From up on the cliffs near the tower, the coastline curves away in both directions, rocky and dramatic, with the sea doing its usual trick of shifting between deep blue and pale turquoise depending on the depth below.
An Afternoon at a Beach Bar
With the tower marking the last real “stop” of the trip on Corsican soil, the route turned back toward Ajaccio’s harbor, where the evening ferry would eventually depart. But there was still plenty of afternoon left, and rather than rushing straight to the port, a beach bar along the way became the perfect place to let the day wind down.
Tables right at the edge of the sand, a clear view of swimmers out in the water and small boats anchored just offshore, and absolutely no reason to be anywhere else for a few hours. Food, a drink, and a proper rest after a morning of pass after pass — exactly the kind of low-key finish a trip like this deserves before the logistics of a ferry crossing take over again.
Waiting for the Ferry in Ajaccio
As the light started to fade, it was time to make the final short ride into Ajaccio’s harbor area. The Corsica Ferries / Sardinia Ferries vessel “Mega Regina” would be the ship carrying the Scrambler, and everything on it, back across the Mediterranean to Genoa overnight.
Waiting at the port after dark, motorcycle parked near the marina with its lights and masts glowing in the background, brought a familiar end-of-chapter feeling. Twenty-eight days after setting out, this was the last set of Corsican tarmac under the wheels before boarding, and the last evening on the island that had turned out to be one of the trip’s most varied and rewarding stretches: from Bonifacio’s cliffs to Portigliolo’s quiet beaches, and now one final day of passes, cows, watchtowers, and a beach bar in the sun.
Looking Ahead
From here, the story moves off the island entirely. The overnight ferry will carry the bike back to Genoa, and from Genoa the road runs directly toward Switzerland, closing the loop on this leg of the ROADTRIP 2025 journey. Corsica delivered right up to the final hours, and this last ride through its mountains and coastline was a fitting way to say goodbye before the long final push home.