Calvi from near and far - June 18, 2025

SUMMARY Spent part of the day exploring the town of Calvi - the Citadel and Old Town. It was really hot so we did some grocery shopping and had downtime in our well air conditioned room. Spent some time at the pool then a great dinner in the Old Town. - Karen

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DETAIL So it’s our first full day in Calvi. We’ve not checked out the city and we want to take advantage of the pool. Yesterday was lots of driving so we’re just going to stay close to home today. Step one is walking down to some restaurant for breakfast. On our way home from dinner last night we passed a good looking spot that had a 9 euro breakfast with coffee, juice, croissant, and ham/cheese omelette. It’s a ways but we need to do some walking.

At the restaurant we see the same sidewalk sign we saw last night but it’s folded up and leaning inside the locked, dark restaurant. Apparently today they’re closed, at least for breakfast. At a place down the street they have a similar offer. It just says “an egg” rather than an omelette, but we’re hopeful. Seated we indicate we want the breakfast special and tell the only waiter we see what we want for our coffee.

The coffees are soon there followed by breakfast. Four small wineglasses of orange juice and four plates, each with a fried egg, sunny side up, and a huge, thin slice of ham. Tom has a thing about raw yolks (and un-scrambled eggs, generally). Can he change it? Nope. Not possible. By now the place is absolutely packed and we guess this guy is the only waiter, the chef and the owner. Tom drink his coffee and eats his croissant and ham, but isn’t thrilled with this side of travel in France. One of us eats his egg and later the waiter returns and apologizes (well explains) about his inability to do custom breakfasts. It’s fine.

We hike to town and explore all the many bars, restaurants, and especially clothing and tourist souvenir shops. There are a lot of them. We hike up to the citadel and the old town (pretty much one and the same). From the ramparts we can see the dark blue water with bright whitecaps on the water. Our phones help us to understand what’s in which direction. Where we are there’s a lot of Italy, for many of the directions we point. Looking back towards where we’re staying we can see our place, and imagine we can see the thin edge of the negative edge pool. Around, here on the island, are high mountains, a couple with some traces of snow, still.

Done with town we walk back towards our home and stop into a very big supermarket (Super U) to buy groceries. We get chips and more wine and other beverages. We get fruit and yogurt for breakfast, eggs, ham, and peppers. You’d think we’re going to be here for a while (sadly we’re not).

Back home we chill as best we can with the work going on here on the compound. There’s some of the stone walkway being redone. Apparently they had to rip it up to lay down some cabling or something. Replacing it requires a good bit of rock splitting and cutting, none of which is quiet. Eventually they’re gone. Cindy and I catch up with our “who owes whom how much” spreadsheet while Karen and Tom make a delicious ham and cheese (and tomato, lettuce, etc. etc.) sandwich. We have that with fruit and drink for lunch.

In the afternoon we relax and enjoy the view. I take the car for one last charge before we turn it in before our flight back to Paris.

For dinner we venture back into town. It’s bustling. In the heat of the day it’s just the crazy tourists who come out. In the cool of the evening everyone comes out and they all want the same thing, a nice table, outside, at a nice restaurant. Thankfully the resourceful girls are always one step ahead of us and we have a reservation at someplace nice. As we sit at our well table out front, in the breeze, we see many a couple turned away when they ask for a spot for dinner. The food is great as is the wine. The wait staff is a hoot. After dinner we ask for our check and they in turn ask if we’d like a complementary glass of their homemade limoncello. Why yes, yes we would.

On our walk home we fill the final empty spots in our stomach with some gelato. The sky is darker but not dark and there are still plenty of people out, dining and drinking. Evening time is the time to be out, enjoying the cool.

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Photos

The morning view of Calvi's citadel/old town from our lodging is clear and pretty. We never tire of the view.

We try to be virtuous and hike to breakfast.

The place with the price-performer breakfast, with an omelette, coffee, etc. is closed. The next place has coffee, bread, egg, ham. We didn't know "egg" meant 'fried, sunny side up' egg. We learned that when they were delivered. One in our party can't do runny yokes.

Walking into town we stroll the beach. It's fine, if you like beaches. Calm surf.

In the other direction is more beach and mountains in the distance. We'll check them out tomorrow.

In town we're able to spot where we're staying. It's not a huge town.

We see the ramparts, the defensive positions and some spring (summer?) snow.

In the town church (cathedral) are statues including this guy who may be saying "Who has an index finger and a big role in the bible? this guy!"

In town is where the tourists are, and there are stores (and bars/restaurants) for them (er, and us).

This place caught our eye. This 'art' is done with beer bottle caps. Now THAT'S upcycling!

Speaking of up, up on the ceiling of the Loch Ness Pub is this Mustang.

Back at chez nous (our place) we have lunch. Ham and cheese sandwich, fruit and yogurt, vegetables (OK, well, potato chips).

Tom and Cindy cooling off in the pool.

We weren't the only ones chilling by the pool.

I go to charge the car one last time and see this tiny gem. Toy car or real thing? I'll never tell.

Great dinner. Fun place. Fun wait staff.

Heading to gelato and then home. Dark but not totally. Long summer nights are good.

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