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Trip Report

GR20 hike in Corsica, France

The GR20 is a mythical hike in Corsica crossing from North to South the island. It's more than 16 stages, 180 km long, 12 000 m of elevation gain.

  • Refuge de l'Onda+ 50
  • Calenzana
  • Calenzana
  • GR20 hike in Corsica, France
flora.mo
by flora.mo
About Me:Hello ! My name is Flora and I live in Paris, France. I'm 23 years old and I'm a student engineer specialized in Food and Health Prevention. Before working, I took a gap year to experiment the solo, slow, sporty and solidarity travel. I lo... read more

EuropeFrance13 days / September 2022

Highs & Lows

The kindness and the solidarity between each hikers that are coming from all the countries.

Be careful and check the weather forecast before doing so as it can be very dangerous when it's windy !

Itinerary Overview

The 180km hike from Calenzana to Conca follows the granite backbone of the mountains that divide the island in two, many of which rise above 2000m. The GR20 is recognised as the most difficult hike in Europe! Incredibly beautiful and varied. If you do one stage a day, it takes about 16 days, depending of course on your fitness and the weather. I did it in 12 days with an average of 15km per day. Here is my itinerary overview :

  • Day 1 (1st stage): Calenzana - Ortu di u Piobbu (12,1 km, +1557 m,  -266 m)
  • Day 2 (stages 2 and 3): Ortu di u Piobbu - Carrozzu - Asco Stagnu (12,2 km, +1693 m, -1815 m)
  • Day 3 (stage 4): Asco Stagnu - Tighjettu (10 km, +1429 m, -1197 m)
  • Day 4 (stage 5 and a half of 6): Tighjettu - Ciottulu di i Mori - Castel di Vergio (14,3 km, +764 m, -1006 m)
  • Day 5 (end of stage 6): Castel di Vergio - Manganu (15,9 km, +761 m, -560 m)
  • Day 6 (stages 7 and 8): Manganu - Petra Piana - L'Onda (15,4 km, +1154 m, -1372m)
  • Day 7 (9th stage): L'Onda - Vizzavona (13,4 km, +457 m, -927 m)
  • Day 8 (stage 10): Vizzavona - E Capanelle (14,1 km, +1085 m, -415m)
  • Day 9 (11th stage): E Capanelle - Prati (17,6 km, +1069 m, -856 m)
  • Day 10 (12th stage): Prati - Usciolu (10,8 km, +758 m, -833 m)
  • Day 11 (stages 13 and 14): Usciolu - Matalza - Asinau (16,2 km, +932 m, -1146 m)
  • Day 12 (stages 15 and 16): Asinau - I Paliri - Conca (24,7 km, +1200 m, -2468 m)
  • 1 Night: Calenzana
  • 1 Night: Refuge d'Ortu di u Piobbu
    The sunset was incredible, the camping area is also very nice and flat.
  • 1 Night: Refuge Asco-Stagnu
  • 1 Night: Refuge Tighiettu
  • 1 Night: Hôtel Castel de Vergio
  • 1 Night: Refuge de Manganu
  • 1 Night: Refuge de l'Onda
  • 1 Night: Gr20 Alzarella Bivouac Vizzavona
  • 1 Night: Bergeries de E Capanelle - Gîte U Fugone
  • 1 Night: Refuge de Prati
  • 1 Night: Refuge d'Usciolu
  • 1 Night: Refuge d'Asinau
  • 1 Night: Gite de la Tonnelle
Calenzana - null
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Calenzana

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Calenzana - null - null
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Refuge d'Ortu di u Piobbu - The sunset was incredible, the camping area is also very nice and flat.
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Refuge d'Ortu di u Piobbu The sunset was incredible, the camping area is also very nice and flat.

Refuge d'Ortu di u Piobbu - The sunset was incredible, the camping area is also very nice and flat. - null
Refuge d'Ortu di u Piobbu - The sunset was incredible, the camping area is also very nice and flat. - null
Refuge d'Ortu di u Piobbu - The sunset was incredible, the camping area is also very nice and flat. - null2+
Refuge Asco-Stagnu - null
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Refuge Asco-Stagnu

Refuge Asco-Stagnu - null - null
Refuge Asco-Stagnu - null - null
Refuge Asco-Stagnu - null - null3+
Refuge Tighiettu - null
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Refuge Tighiettu

Refuge Tighiettu - null - null
Refuge Tighiettu - null - null
Refuge Tighiettu - null - null1+

The weather was actually really bad and because of the torrential I was not able to continue my hike. So I stopped in this nice refuge called "Castel di Vergio" which is also an hotel. The dorms were great and I also had the opportunity to wash my clothes wich was amazing after a rainy day like that. :)

Hôtel Castel de Vergio - null
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Hôtel Castel de Vergio

Hôtel Castel de Vergio - null - null
Hôtel Castel de Vergio - null - null
Hôtel Castel de Vergio - null - null1+

The weather was actually really bad and because of the torrential I was not able to continue my hike. So I stopped in this nice refuge called "Castel di Vergio" which is also an hotel. The dorms were great and I also had the opportunity to wash my clothes wich was amazing after a rainy day like that. :)

Refuge de Manganu - null
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Refuge de Manganu

Refuge de Manganu - null - null
Refuge de Manganu - null - null
Refuge de Manganu - null - null1+
Refuge de l'Onda - null
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Refuge de l'Onda

Refuge de l'Onda - null - null
Refuge de l'Onda - null - null
Refuge de l'Onda - null - null2+
Gr20 Alzarella Bivouac Vizzavona - null
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Gr20 Alzarella Bivouac Vizzavona

Gr20 Alzarella Bivouac Vizzavona - null - null
Gr20 Alzarella Bivouac Vizzavona - null - null
Gr20 Alzarella Bivouac Vizzavona - null - null
Bergeries de E Capanelle - Gîte U Fugone - null
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Bergeries de E Capanelle - Gîte U Fugone

Bergeries de E Capanelle - Gîte U Fugone - null - null
Bergeries de E Capanelle - Gîte U Fugone - null - null
Bergeries de E Capanelle - Gîte U Fugone - null - null1+
Refuge de Prati - null
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Refuge de Prati

Refuge d'Usciolu - null
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Refuge d'Usciolu

Refuge d'Usciolu - null - null
Refuge d'Usciolu - null - null
Refuge d'Usciolu - null - null
Refuge d'Asinau - null
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Refuge d'Asinau

Refuge d'Asinau - null - null
Refuge d'Asinau - null - null
Refuge d'Asinau - null - null2+
Gite de la Tonnelle - null
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Gite de la Tonnelle

Gite de la Tonnelle - null - null
Gite de la Tonnelle - null - null
Gite de la Tonnelle - null - null3+

Q & A

  • What would you have changed?

    The weather because the rain was making the hikes very dificult ! Except that, everything was incredible : the landscape, the peaople I've met, the atmosphere of the mountains, the kindness of huts' caretakers...

  • Anything go wrong during the trip?

    No :)

  • Restaurant recommendations?

    I didn't stayed at Petra Piana's hut but I took a very goog lunch over there. The restaurant owners are very sweet !

  • Tips you would give a friend?

    Carry your own food in your backpack for this hike because as all the huts were very remoted and the food was very expensive ! To restock, you will find a little food store in the Vizzavona camping.

  • Packing tips?

    Sunscrean, rain poncho, bring reusable water bottles that can carry at least 3 liters.

  • Transportation Tips?

    If you are in France before, take a ferry boat instead of the plane :)

  • Booking details?

    Here is the official website where you can book your nights in the huts. If you want to camp next to the hut, it's possible and it's cheaper :) You can either camp with your own tent (7€) or rent one directly on site. https://pnr-resa.corsica/

Lodging

  • 20214 Calenzana, France

    Here is the website of the third hut I did : Refuge de Tighjettu https://www.le-gr20.fr/pages/les-refuges/le-refuge-de-tighjettu.html

  • 20214 Calenzana, France

    Here is the website of the 4th hut I did : Castel di Vergio https://www.le-gr20.fr/en/pages/refuges/castel-di-vergio-hotel.html

  • 20276 Asco, France

    Here is the website of the 5th hut I did : Refuge de Manganu https://gr20-infos.com/refuges/manganu/

  • 20224 Albertacce, France

    Here is the website of the 6th hut I did : Refuge de l'Onda https://gr20-infos.com/refuges/onda/

  • Col de Verghiu, D84, 20224 Vergio, France

    Here is the website of the 7th hut I did : Refuge de l'Arzarella https://www.alzarella.com/

  • 20125 Orto, France

    Here is the website of the 8th hut I did : Refuge d'E Capanelle http://gite-u-fugone.com/