
A curvy road to Col de Scalella, in Corsica
France, europe
21.5 km
1,193 m
hard
Year-round
# Col de Scalella
Ready for a thrilling Corsican adventure? Col de Scalella sits pretty at 1,193m (3,914ft) in the heart of Corse-du-Sud, and trust me—this pass is not for the faint of heart.
The D27 road stretches 21.5 km (13.35 miles) running north-south between Bocognano and Bastelica, and it's basically a white-knuckle masterclass in mountain driving. Starting from Bastelica, you're looking at a 6 km climb with 422 meters of elevation gain—that's a solid 7% average gradient. But here's the kicker: the road is narrow, paved, and absolutely riddled with hairpin turns that'll test your steering skills big time.
Expect to crawl through tight village sections in first gear, navigating those signature blind hairpin corners that make your palms sweat. And remember—there are no guardrails here, just sheer drops plummeting several hundred feet straight down the mountainside. One wrong move, and you're saying hello to a very long fall.
It's the kind of drive that gets your adrenaline pumping and reminds you exactly why you came to Corsica in the first place. Just keep your hands steady, your eyes sharp, and your respect for gravity intact.
Where is it?
A curvy road to Col de Scalella, in Corsica is located in France (europe). Coordinates: 46.4397, 2.8217
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 21.5 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,193 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 46.4397, 2.8217
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