Where is Bocca di Vizzavona located?

Okay, picture this: you're cruising through Corsica, France, headed for Bocca di Vizzavona, a mountain pass chilling at 1,163m (3,815ft). This is the main squeeze connecting Ajaccio and Bastia, so you know it's gonna be a good ride.

Nestled south of Monte d'Oro, right on the border between Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud, this spot is smack-dab in the Regional Natural Park of Corsica. At the top, there's a huge parking area, which also happens to be the starting point for the legendary GR20 hiking trail.

The road itself is part of the T20, a fully paved road that's seen some upgrades to handle all the traffic. But don't think it's lost its wild side! Expect a proper mountain road with heaps of hairpin turns, especially heading down towards Bocognano.

Speaking of which, this pass is about 20 km (12.4 miles) from Vivario to Bocognano, running north-south. It gets steep, hitting a max gradient of 12% in places. It's such a challenging climb that the Tour de France even tackled it back in 2013! Word on the street is that climbing from Bocognano in the south is tougher than coming from Vivario in the north.

Since it's the island's main road, they keep it clear all year round. But heads-up: Bocca di Vizzavona is usually the first to get hit by snow. From November to March, you'll probably need winter tires or chains. And be ready to share the road with plenty of trucks, as it's the main route for commercial traffic between Corsica's two biggest cities.