GR20: crossing Corsica north to south

Stage routesFrance

GR20: crossing Corsica north to south

Fifteen days of granite, chains and refuges across the Corsican mountains. The hardest trek in western Europe.

On foot · Stage by stage · 163 km · 15 stages · 2 min read

What the GR20 is like

It crosses Corsica north to south through the mountains, Calenzana to Conca. Some sections need your hands: chains, rock slabs and long descents that punish the knees. The north is the technical half and the south is more runnable.

You sleep at park refuges, in a bed or a tent, and there are no villages along the way except Vizzavona, which splits the trek in two and has a railway station.

Key facts

TypeOn foot
Distance163 km
Total climbing13,170 m
Start and finishCalenzana → Conca
On foot15 days, 11 km a day on average
When to goJune to September. Snow lingers in the north in June and the south is brutally hot in August.
Pick your stages

From where to where?

The whole route is 15 stages. Pick where you start and finish: always in a stage town.

Usual: 15 days.

KEAGO MAP
ⓘ© MapTiler · © OpenStreetMap contributors
Route profile163 km · 15 stages
0 m1,000 m2,000 m135679101112131415

Altitude of each stage town; each stage's climbing is in its details.

15 days, 162.5 km and 13,170 m of climbing: about 10.8 km a day and 14 nights on the way.

  1. Calenzana → Ortu di u Piobbu12 km · 1360 m D+Eat: Refuges with basic supplies
  2. Ortu di u Piobbu → Carrozzu6.5 km · 790 m D+
  3. Carrozzu → Asco Stagnu7.5 km · 1360 m D+
  4. Asco Stagnu → Tighjettu9 km · 1360 m D+Eat: Castel di Vergio
  5. Tighjettu → Ciottulu di i Mori10 km · 730 m D+
  6. Ciottulu di i Mori → Manganu15 km · 820 m D+
  7. Manganu → Petra Piana9.5 km · 690 m D+
  8. Petra Piana → L'Onda6.5 km · 620 m D+
  9. L'Onda → Vizzavona9 km · 800 m D+
  10. Vizzavona → Capannelle14 km · 1110 m D+Eat: Bergeries de Capanelle and Basseta
  11. Capannelle → Prati16 km · 620 m D+
  12. Prati → Usciolu9 km · 680 m D+
  13. Usciolu → Asinau16 km · 890 m D+
  14. Asinau → Matalza9.5 km · 720 m D+
  15. Matalza → Conca13 km · 620 m D+

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How to plan it

It is 15 stages from refuge to refuge. With a week you do only the north or the south, entering or leaving at Vizzavona. Experienced walkers join stages and finish in ten or eleven days.

Walk it from June to September: in June snow lingers in the north and in August the south gets hot. Book refuges as soon as they open, expect long exposed stretches between water sources, and check the forecast before each pass because afternoon storms are serious.

Stages

  1. Calenzana → Ortu di u Piobbu12 km · +1,360 mEat: Refuges with basic supplies
  2. Ortu di u Piobbu → Carrozzu6.5 km · +790 m
  3. Carrozzu → Asco Stagnu7.5 km · +1,360 mMonte Cinto cirque
  4. Asco Stagnu → Tighjettu9 km · +1,360 mEat: Castel di Vergio, Vizzavona
  5. Tighjettu → Ciottulu di i Mori10 km · +730 m
  6. Ciottulu di i Mori → Manganu15 km · +820 m
  7. Manganu → Petra Piana9.5 km · +690 m
  8. Petra Piana → L'Onda6.5 km · +620 m
  9. L'Onda → Vizzavona9 km · +800 mAnglais waterfalls and forest
  10. Vizzavona → Capannelle14 km · +1,110 mEat: Bergeries de Capanelle and Basseta
  11. Capannelle → Prati16 km · +620 m
  12. Prati → Usciolu9 km · +680 m
  13. Usciolu → Asinau16 km · +890 m
  14. Asinau → Matalza9.5 km · +720 m
  15. Matalza → Conca13 km · +620 mGR20 finish, mountains by the sea

One stage a day, town to town. Approximate distance and climbing: every GPX varies a little.

Frequently asked questions

How long is GR20: crossing Corsica north to south?163 km in total, with around 13,170 m of climbing.
How many days does it take?15 days on foot (11 km average per stage).
Where do people usually sleep?The usual overnight points are Ortu di u Piobbu, Carrozzu, Asco Stagnu, Tighjettu, Ciottulu di i Mori, Manganu, Petra Piana, L'Onda, Vizzavona, Capannelle, Prati, Usciolu, Asinau, Matalza, Conca. The stage table lists them section by section.
Where does GR20: crossing Corsica north to south start and end?It starts in Calenzana and ends in Conca. You can start or finish at any stage end.
When is the best time to go?June to September. Snow lingers in the north in June and the south is brutally hot in August.

In Keago this route becomes a plan: one card per stage with time and duration, the daily track, each night's accommodation with link and location, the meals, and both travel tickets where the whole group can see them. Everyone confirms and you know who is missing.

Create your account and keep building your GR20: crossing Corsica north to south plan.

It is free and takes a minute.

  • Save the plan and pick up where you left off
  • Carry it on your phone, map and times included
  • Send it to your group with one link
  • Download the itinerary and the calendar
Create my accountI already have an account