GR20 Corsica: stages, difficulty, refuges and how to hike Europe's toughest long-distance trail

The GR20 sits on Corsica, a French island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. GR stands for Grande Randonnée, the French network of long-distance footpaths that spans much of western Europe. Among those routes, the GR20 holds a reputation of its own. In Corsican the trail is called Fra li Monti, meaning "across the mountains," and the name says everything about its character: this is not a valley walk with occasional climbs, but a sustained high-mountain traverse that rarely drops below 1,000 metres and frequently exceeds 2,000 metres.

The trail was inaugurated in 1972 alongside the creation of the Parc Naturel Régional de Corse, the regional body that still manages the refuges today. The idea came from mountaineer Michel Fabrikant, who wanted a route that linked the major peaks of the island from top to bottom. What emerged was a trail that would go on to attract tens of thousands of hikers a year from across the world, and a route that rescue services on the island handle around 250 interventions on every season.

The northern half, from Calenzana to Vizzavona, is the section that earns the GR20 its reputation. The terrain is relentlessly rocky: bare granite ridges, boulder fields, scree slopes and sections of iron chain where the route ascends near-vertical faces. The views are spectacular precisely because the path stays so high. This half is technically more demanding and takes the majority of the trail's total ascent.

The southern half, from Vizzavona to Conca, changes character. The path is still mountain terrain, but the ridges are gentler, the forest cover more frequent, and the day distances generally longer and more rolling. The Coscione plateau, with its open meadows and meandering streams, is the defining image of the south. It is less technically demanding than the north but should not be underestimated: the stages are long and the cumulative fatigue of multi-day hiking still bites hard.

Vizzavona, the midpoint, is accessible by road and train and provides a natural break between the two halves. Many hikers choose to walk one half only, either for time reasons or to match the terrain to their experience level. Both halves offer a complete experience in their own right.

GR20 Corsica route options: the whole trail, one half or a taster

You do not have to commit to the full GR20. We offer every permutation of the route as a self-guided package, with refuges reserved, half board arranged and the app ready to navigate.

The full trail, north to south: GR20 Full Version north to south, 15 days — 184.6 km from Calenzana to Conca. From €675 per person.

The full trail, south to north: GR20 Full Version south to north, 16 days — 184.4 km from Conca to Calenzana. From €720 per person.

The northern half, north to south: GR20 Northern Half north to south, 9 days — 92.1 km from Calenzana to Vizzavona. From €375 per person.

The northern half, south to north: GR20 Northern Half south to north, 9 days — 92.2 km from Vizzavona to Calenzana. From €375 per person.

The southern half, north to south: GR20 Southern Half north to south, 6 days — 92.5 km from Vizzavona to Conca. From €240 per person.

The southern half, south to north: GR20 Southern Half south to north, 7 days — 92.2 km from Conca to Vizzavona. From €285 per person.

A 4-day taster on the northern GR20: Advanced Petit GR20, 4 days — 37.9 km that takes you from Calenzana up to the two northern refuges and back. From €95 per person. This is an honest test of what the GR20 terrain feels like without the full commitment.

Prices as of September 2026, per person based on two travellers.

What does the GR20 cost?

Doing the GR20 costs somewhere between €700 and €1,500 for most independent hikers over 15 days, depending on how much you eat at the refuges, whether you carry your own food, and what you spend on transport. A Bookatrekking package covers the core of that expenditure with no surprises.

What is included in a Bookatrekking GR20 package: all refuge accommodation along the route, half board at each refuge (dinner and breakfast), access to the Bookatrekking app with offline GPX navigation and the weather forecast per refuge, and full booking management (we handle the calls, the confirmations and the changes).

What is not included: your flights or ferry to Corsica, transport to the trailhead (bus from Calvi to Calenzana costs around €8, taxi around €20 to €30), lunches on the trail (budget around €10 to €15 per day at refuges that serve a midday menu, or less if you carry your own food), personal travel insurance, and any extras at the refuges such as drinks or snacks.

For the full 15-day trail north to south, packages start from €675 per person. For the full 16-day south to north version, from €720 per person. The northern half starts from €375 and the southern half from €240 (6 days north to south) or €285 (7 days south to north).

Refuge meals are straightforward: dinner typically runs to three courses and costs around €15 to €20 if you pay separately; breakfast is around €8 to €12. Both are included in a half-board package. Lunch is not served at every refuge and is not part of the package, so planning ahead for midday food matters, especially on stages without a village below the route.

The GR20 refuge season runs from roughly late May to early October. Outside those dates the huts are unmanned: the buildings stay open as emergency shelter, but there is no food, no host and no booking system. Walking the GR20 outside the refuge season requires you to be entirely self-sufficient and is only advisable for experienced mountaineers.

June is a popular month but the northern passes may still carry significant snow in the first two weeks of the month, making high sections icy and technically more serious than in summer conditions. Hikers starting in early June often begin from the south for this reason, allowing the northern snowpack to melt while they walk the gentler southern stages.

July and August bring guaranteed warmth, longer daylight hours and fully stocked refuges, but also the highest crowds. Refuges fill to capacity, the trail feels busy, and the heat on exposed ridges in the early afternoon can be punishing. Thunderstorms are also more frequent in August, developing quickly over the high ground in the afternoons.

Early September is widely considered the best window. The refuges are still open and serving food, the crowds thin out noticeably, and the light and temperatures are ideal for walking. Snow is not a concern, and the autumn colours begin to arrive on the lower forest sections.

What about the weather day to day? Mountain conditions on Corsica change fast. Mornings that start clear can see clouds building by midday and storms arriving by early afternoon. The Bookatrekking app shows the current weather forecast for each individual refuge on your route, based on the coordinates of that hut, so you can make informed decisions about start times and whether to push on or wait. This is a practical advantage over general weather apps that average conditions across the island rather than pinpointing your specific location on the ridge.

As mentioned above, Corsica is a French island on the Tyrrhenian Sea, also known as Corse in French. You can reach the island either by boat or by plane. There are 4 airports on the island, 2 in the north and 2 in the south. If you are planning on starting the trek from the north, then it is advisable to land in Calvi (CLY). If you are planning on starting from the south, the closest airport to Conca is Figari (FSC). The airlines flying directly to the island are Air France and Air Corsica, with flights departing from Paris, Marseille, and Nice. The flights take usually 1 to 1,5 hours.

You can also reach the island by boat. Between April and September, there are daily ferry rides from Toulon, Nice or Marseille. Of course, this option is cheaper than the plane but it takes longer. The ferry ride from the coastline to the island takes around 6 hours. If you want to take a ferry to the southern section of the island, it will be even longer.

The starting and endpoints of the GR20 are Calenzana village in the north of the island and Conca in the South. Vizzavona is the midway point and easily accessible if you want to walk one half of the trail.

Once you get to a port or airport in Corsica, it is quite easy to get to the trailhead, both north, and south. If you land in Calvi (north), you can take a 30-minute ride by bus or cab to Calenzana. A cab usually costs between 20 and 30 euros per ride while the bus costs around 8 euros. If you land in Figari (south), we recommend taking a bus to Conca. The ride is 2,5 hours long and taking a taxi to Conca can be quite expensive.

The GR20 route from Calenzana to Conca

The classic direction walks the GR20 route from north to south, beginning in the village of Calenzana and finishing in Conca. In this direction, our 15-day full GR20 north to south covers 184.6 km across 15 walking days. The longest day is 23.7 km (stage 6, from Refuge de Ciottulu di i Mori to Refuge de Manganu), while the shortest is 5.3 km (stage 3, Refuge de Carozzu to Refuge d'Asco Stagnu). Stages are deliberately uneven: some short days in the north involve more ascent per kilometre than many full-distance days in the south.

In the north-to-south direction you tackle the hardest terrain while your legs are freshest, which is why most experienced hikers prefer it. The trail is also better established in this direction: waymarking, refuge positions and the general flow of hikers all assume Calenzana as the starting point.

The south-to-north direction has its advocates too. Starting from Conca means you acclimatise gradually on the gentler southern half before the rocky northern section arrives. In early June, when snow still sits on the high northern passes, starting from the south gives that snow time to melt before you need to cross it. Our 16-day full GR20 south to north uses this logic, covering 184.4 km with the longest day at 24.0 km.

A typical day on the GR20 begins early. Most hikers are moving by 07:00, both to avoid the midday heat in summer and to reach the refuge before the better bunk spots are taken. Morning stages usually involve the bulk of the ascent; afternoon walking tends to be on descending or contouring paths. Refuge arrivals between 14:00 and 17:00 are common. Once you arrive, the routine is consistent: claim your bunk, shower if there is one, reserve your dinner, and let your legs recover while the evening light shifts across the mountains.

The trail does not follow a road network and most refuges have no vehicle access. That isolation is part of its appeal: for two weeks, your world is granite, trail markers, mountain weather and the company of other hikers who have chosen the same challenge.

How difficult is the GR20 really?

The GR20 is described as the toughest waymarked long-distance trail in Europe, and that description is honest rather than marketing. What makes it hard is not one single factor but the accumulation of several: technical terrain, sustained elevation change, multi-day fatigue, limited infrastructure and unpredictable mountain weather.

On the northern half, chains and iron rungs are built into the rock on several key passages. These are not optional assists: they are the route. You will use your hands. The Cirque de la Solitude, a near-vertical rock chasm between Refuge d'Asco Stagnu and Refuge de Tighjettu, was closed after a fatal accident and the route now goes via the Monte Cinto area instead, but the replacement section still involves over 1,100 metres of ascent on a single day with rough, high-altitude terrain. Sections such as the Spasimata slabs, the chains below Capu Ghiovu and the passages near Pointe des Éboulis all require confident footwork and a steady head for exposure.

The southern half is technically easier but the days are longer. On the south-to-north itinerary the same leg runs the other way, from Refuge de Manganu to Refuge de Ciottulu di i Mori, and covers 24 km. Sustained long days after a week or more of hiking demand a different kind of toughness: not scrambling ability, but endurance and the mental discipline to keep moving when your body would rather stop.

Before attempting the GR20 you should be comfortable hiking for six to nine hours in mountainous terrain, have experience on rocky paths, and be genuinely comfortable with heights. If chains and exposure at altitude make you anxious, the northern half will be a stressful experience. The trail is best suited to confident mountain walkers who have completed at least one multi-day hike in alpine or sub-alpine terrain.

Which GR20 stages are the hardest?

The northern half concentrates the most technical ground. Stage 1 (Calenzana to Refuge d'Ortu di u Piobbu) begins with over 1,300 metres of ascent before you have found your trail legs. Stage 4 (Refuge d'Asco Stagnu to Refuge de Tighjettu) covers 8.3 km but gains 1,160 metres, passing through high-altitude terrain near Monte Cinto at 2,706 m. Stage 7 (Refuge de Manganu to Refuge de Petra Piana) involves a chain-assisted chimney at Bocca Alle Porte. The longest day on the south-to-north itinerary is the leg from Refuge de Manganu to Refuge de Ciottulu di i Mori, at 24 km with 1,090 metres of ascent, which is a significant physical test in any conditions.

GR20 exit routes: where you can stop or bail out

The GR20 is not a loop and has no easy shortcut back to the trailhead, but there are several points where you can descend to a road and leave the trail. Vizzavona is the most significant: it has a train station and is accessible by car, making it the natural mid-point exit. The Asco valley (near Haut Asco) can be reached by road. Col de Vergio has a road crossing. Bavella, near the Aiguilles de Bavella in the south, is reachable by a road that drops to the coast. If weather, injury or fatigue forces a decision, knowing these exits in advance matters. The Bookatrekking app displays your position relative to the nearest road access point on each stage.

The refuges along the GR20 are managed by the Parc Naturel Régional de Corse and open from late May to early October. Each refuge holds between 25 and 50 people in large dormitory rooms with wooden bunk beds and mattresses. You must bring your own sleeping bag. Most refuges have cold outdoor showers and basic toilet facilities. Electricity is available but limited: do not expect reliable phone charging. A solar power bank is worth its weight.

Tents can be pitched at designated areas near each refuge. The fee is lower than a dormitory bunk, but camping is not permitted anywhere else along the route. Even at a tent pitch, you will need your own sleeping bag and mat.

Food at the refuges follows a predictable pattern. Dinner must be reserved as soon as you arrive, not when you feel like eating. It is typically served from 19:00 and consists of three courses that vary by hut and by what the refuge can stock given its isolation. Breakfast is often prepared the night before and handed out in the morning, so you can leave before dawn if the stage demands it. Lunches are available at some refuges between 12:00 and 14:00, usually a small menu of omelettes, pasta, soup or charcuterie.

Booking refuges in July and August is genuinely difficult. The refuges fill weeks in advance during peak season, and the park's booking system requires persistent effort. This is the main operational reason hikers choose a package: we secure the beds and the half board before you arrive on the island.

"We were really happy with the arrangement that Bookatrecking made for us for our Corsica GR20 trip. Communication was very clear and courteous. Bookatrecking made all reservations for us along the trail accommodating our complex schedule. The GR20 trail is very challenging, but at least the refugios reservations part was easy thanks to Bookatrecking! Thank you!"

— Katya Bulaevskaya, 5 stars on Trustpilot, July 2022

Cash is the norm at most refuges. Some accept card payment, but do not rely on it. Carry enough euros to cover meals and any tent fees for the stages ahead.

Half board is not included when you book your accommodation. You can choose to carry food with you or you can get your meals at the huts. You can always find a freshwater spring in the vicinity of the refuges. You can also buy food and reserve a hot meal and breakfast. Bear in mind that the hot meals must be reserved upon arrival.

Breakfasts are often prepared the night before and handed out so you can leave as early as you want the next day. As regards lunch, if you are passing a refuge between 12h and 14h you will often find a small lunchtime menu with choices, such as cheese and omelets, pasta, Corsican soup, and plates of smoked charcuterie. If you order dinner (remember to ask for it as soon as you get to the hut!), it is usually served from 19h onwards. There may be more trekkers than seats available, so be patient. Dinner usually consists of three courses which vary from hut to hut. Bear in mind that you will be in the mountains, so don't expect over elaborated dishes. Also, you will be expected to bring your own knife to mealtimes, so don't forget to carry one!

Menus vary from one hut to the other and their meals usually depend on the stock they have. Hot dinners can cost between 15-20 euros, while breakfast and dinner cost around 8-12 euros each. Refuges are the only places where you can buy food and get drinking water along the trail. However, there are some stages where you can go shopping in the villages below. All refuges have an indoor kitchen that you can use. These are equipped with gas, water, and kitchen utensils. Remember to always keep a lighter, or match with you! You might find there are only 4 gas rings available for a large number of hungry trekkers, so try to be patient.

This spectacular trek is full of stunning views and breathtaking rock formations. Here are some of the highlights you will encounter during your trek:

• Cirque de la Solitude: a steep and challenging part between Refuge d'Asco Stagnu and Refuge de Tighjettu, where hikers have to climb using the chains bolted to the rock.
• Lac de Nino: a glacial lake in the middle of the grassy meadows between Refuge de Ciottulu di i Mori and Refuge de Manganu.
• Lac de Melo and Lac de Capitello: two glacial lakes surrounded by rugged rocks between Refuge de Pietra Piana and Refuge de l'Onda.
• Monte d'Oro: the 12th highest summit of Corsica.
• Monte Incudine (2134 m): the highest mountain of Corse du Sud (Southern Corsica) with great vistas of the Plateau de Coscione between Refuge d'Usciolu and Refuge d'Asinao.
• Aiguilles de Bavella: spectacular cliffs between Refuge d'Asinao and Refuge de Paliri.

The GR20 is waymarked with the standard red-and-white paint flashes used on all Grande Randonnée routes in France. On the rocky terrain of the northern half these markers are painted directly onto boulders and granite faces, often supplemented by cairns on sections where paint does not adhere well to the rock. On the southern half, the markers follow forest paths and are generally easier to follow.

In good conditions and on well-worn trail sections, the waymarking is sufficient. On the granite slabs and boulder fields of the northern half, visibility drops and markers become less frequent, partly because painting every rock would scar the landscape. A GR20 map in the traditional paper sense is useful context, but a GPS track is more reliable on the ground. The Bookatrekking app provides an offline map with your exact position overlaid on the GR20 route, so you can navigate even without a phone signal. All major GR20 sections cross areas with limited or no mobile coverage, which is why an offline solution matters.

The app also displays the live weather forecast per refuge, which is particularly useful when you are deciding whether to attempt a technical section in the afternoon or hold back and camp early. Navigation decisions and weather decisions are connected on a trail like this, and having both pieces of information in one place reduces the margin for error.

Beyond the GR20, Corsica's trail network connects to several other long-distance routes worth knowing. If you are considering a long-distance hike at a similar level of commitment but in a different landscape, the Tour du Mont Blanc is the other great benchmark of European long-distance walking, circling the Mont Blanc massif through France, Italy and Switzerland. For a Mediterranean island hike with a gentler profile, the GR221 in Mallorca offers a comparable island-crossing experience without the technical alpine terrain.

The GR20 trail is not a route where you improvise navigation. Know your waymarks, carry your GPX, and check the weather for each stage the evening before you walk it.