Tourist info and booking details for Corse Island

GR 20 – a walk to remember

As the toughest long distance trail in Europe, the GR 20 hike spans about 200km from the north to the south of Corsica. Its variation in height and geographical terrain make the path very difficult but also very beautiful because of the change in scenery. 

Route planning

The trail itself is divided in two parts. The northern starts in Calenzana and stops in Vizzavona. Although considered more beautiful, it is actually the most difficult part, because of the steep and rocky paths. The southern part is a bit easier. It goes from Vizzavona to Conca and it’s mostly less spectacular, except for the Coscione plateau which has wonderful green meadows. 

Getting there

Some hikers choose to start the trail from the south in Conca or even from the middle in Vizzavona. If you choose to start from Calenzana you should know it’s well accessible from Sainte Catherine Airport in Calvi. You can also take a ferry from Calvi, and then continue by bus. To get to Conca you can either take a bus from Porto Vecchio or a ferry from Marseille or Livorno. You can also choose to start from Vizzavona and go either north or south. There is a railway station there which connects Vizzavona with Ajaccio and Bastia. 

When to go

The best time for a GR20 trek would be late June or early September. This is when most huts are open, weather is not so hot and the trail is less crowded than in July or August. Between November and May the weather is snowy and there are no guards in refuges off-season, so the trail is quite dangerous. From February to April the GR20 should be crossed only by experienced cross-country skiers.

 
Stops and Highlights

The stops along the way where you can buy food, get water and rest for the night are called refuges. Here you can choose to either sleep in a hut or if you have a tent set it near by. The common prices are 8 – 10 euros per bed in a hut or 3 – 5 euros per person camping. You should also buy a map of the trail, even if it’s well marked with red and white rectangles on rocks, boulders and trees. It’s very easy to get on a feeder path or lose your way, so having a good map is necessary. The map will also help you pinpoint the highlights, such as:

• Cirque de la Solitude - a steep and challenging part where hikers have to climb chains bolted to the rock,
• Lac de Nino, Lac de Melo and Lac de Capitell - three glacier lakes
• Monte Incudine - the highest mountain of Corse du Sud