Porto-Vecchio

Porto-Vecchio (Corsican: Portivechju) is a commune in the Corse-du-Sud department of France on the island of Corsica.

It is the seat of the canton of Porto-Vecchio, which it shares with Sari-Solenzara, Conca and Lecci. Port-Vecchio is a medium-sized port city placed on a good harbor, the southernmost of the marshy and alluvial east side of Corsica. The inhabitants are called Porto-Vecchiais in French, and Portivechjacciu in Corsican.

Hitching out

South towards Bonifacio and East towards Sartène, Propriano and Ajaccio

Either from the center or the port of Porto-Vecchio it's around 20 minutes walking to the best hitchhiking spot. There might also be buses.

Step 1

From the port of Porto-Vecchio, you follow the road that runs next to the sea, called Avenue Georges Pompidou until you see the big E. Leclerc hyper market. This will be around 10 min walking. From the city center you take the Rue Giudice de Cinarca, the same road where you can find the office du tourisme and walk down the road until you find a roundabout with a camping (La Matonara) to your left. Instead take the first cut to the right and after 100 meter you will find the same E. Leclerc as I already mentioned.

Step 2

From the hypermarket E. Leclerc you go to the big crossing and take the Rue Vincetellu d'Istria (D368) to the next crossing. This will again be around 5 minutes walking. When you arrive at this second big crossing you will find signs telling you where the road is heading. You take the N198 towards Bonifacio and Ajaccio.

Step 3

After 2 minutes walking next to the N198 their is a possibility for cars to stop, so that's a good hitchhiking spot. But if you walk 3 more minutes, to the next small crossing you will see an other sign to Bonifacio/Ajaccio. This is where the highway really starts and all cars are going in this direction, stand in the beginning of this exit when the cars don't reach a high speed. This is definitely a really good hitchhiking spot.

Nord towards Bastia

Use the same steps 1 and 2 as described for hitchhiking towards the South or the East. The only difference is that this time from the second big crossing you take the N198 towards Bastia. The road towards the north with final destination Bastia starts here.

Places to avoid

Every bar in Porto-Vecchio if you live on a budget! If you want to have a beer don't expect to find anything under 3,5 euro, same go's for soda drinks and some times even water. But this is the same in the whole of Corsica.

Accommodation and Sleep

There is a camping site close to the city center. It's written down in step 1. It's around EUR 8 for one person and a tent per night. It's a small place and people are not friendly, but they have a pool and after one of Corsica's beautiful but demanding hikes that's all you need.

Other useful info

Buy your drinks at the E. Leclerc hypermarket, get a heat protecting bag (EUR 1) and buy some ice. You will save a load of money and it will taste even better. And try to get your bag filled up with ice from the fish department, that saves you EUR 3-4 on ice.