Europe · France
GR20
Corsica, France
Where these numbers come from
Public sources, official ones first, each numbered and listed under Sources, checked Nov 2026. Anything they don't give is left out.
Relief map
The route
A long-distance mountain route along the spine of Corsica, from Calenzana in the north to Conca in the south, in 16 stages between staffed refuges. It is often called one of the hardest marked trails in France and in Europe, with a strongly alpine feel.1,2
Route drawn from OpenStreetMap (GR 20 Principale, read Nov 2026). © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Terrain: Mapzen Terrain Tiles (EU-DEM, SRTM) on AWS. A sketch for planning, not for navigation.
Before you go
The basics
- Distance
- About 200 km, as the French hiking federation gives it (the park's page gives no total).2
- Days
- 16 official stages of 4 to 8 hours' walking; the park's last stage speaks of about 15 days on the trail.1,2
- Usual difficulty
- Described by both the park and the French hiking federation as among the hardest trails in France or Europe; alpine in character, needs excellent fitness, with climbs over 600 m on each stage.1,2
- Best time
- the park's refuges are staffed from 16 May to 4 October in 2026; the federation advises against going outside the staffed months because of late snow and scarce water later1,3
- Permits
- No permit, but every night in a park refuge, on its bunks or in its bivouac area must be booked ahead on the park's site pnr-resa.corsica (opened mid-January for the season). 2026 prices: bunk 20 EUR, bivouac 12 EUR, hired tent 27 EUR for one or 39 EUR for two; meals are bought on site, cash or cheque. Calenzana does not allow departures onto the GR20 after 11 am.1,3
- Getting there
- Start in Calenzana in the north. Halfway, at Vizzavona, the train runs to Ajaccio and Bastia. From Conca a shuttle to Porto-Vecchio and Santa Lucia di Porto-Vecchio runs on request.1
- Lodging
- Huts and tent
Park refuges with bunks, bivouac areas and hire tents at each stage; a few private gites and sheepfolds along the way (e.g. Castel di Verghju, Vizzavona, E Capannelle).1
Bookings and permits
When bookings open, from the sources named under each. Dates move: confirm on the official site.
GR20 park refuge bookings (bunks, bivouac, tents)
Every night must be booked ahead on the park's site, pnr-resa.corsica, which opened in mid-January for the season.
Next: about Jan 15, 2027 (a typical date: confirm on the official site)
Book on the park's GR 20 page (bookings on pnr-resa.corsica).
Source: Parc naturel régional de Corse: GR 20 (official); FFRandonnée: GR 20, the 2024 season is open. Checked November 2026.
Alert me when bookings open
From the sources
Safety
Rescue numbers
- Emergency: 112 (European emergency number)
- 17 (gendarmerie)
- 18 (fire and rescue)
- PGHM Corse mountain rescue: 04 95 24 24 00 (for serious cases or if the others can't be reached)
Source 1
Phone signal
- Phone coverage is unreliable along the whole route, with calls hard or impossible around several refuges (e.g. Ortu di u Piobbu, Carrozzu, Tighjettu, Manganu, L'Onda, Usciolu, Paliri)
Source 1
Insurance
- For trekking in France's mountains, the UK government says to make sure your insurance covers extra costs such as mountain rescue and helicopter evacuation
Source 4
Bail-out points
- Vizzavona, between the northern and southern halves, has the train to Ajaccio and Bastia
- The route passes the Haut Asco and E Capannelle ski stations
- Stage 6 can be split at the private lodging at Castel di Verghju
- The Cirque de la Solitude is closed; the official detour is now the route
Source 1
From the sources below, checked Nov 2026. For planning, not navigation: check before you go.
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Your time
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Typical: 15–16 days (the hike's facts).
Ask this hike
Planning questions about GR20, answered only from this page's facts, the creators' versions and hikers' public tracks, with where each answer comes from. When the data doesn't say, the answer says "not given".
From hikers
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Answered from the data
Questions people ask
How many days do you need for GR20?
How long is GR20?
124 mi (200 km). About 200 km, as the French hiking federation gives it (the park's page gives no total).
From Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre (official trail body), checked Nov 2026. [2]
When is the best time to hike GR20?
May–Oct. The park's refuges are staffed from 16 May to 4 October in 2026; the federation advises against going outside the staffed months because of late snow and scarce water later.
From Parc naturel régional de Corse (official); Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre (official trail body), checked Nov 2026. [1] [3]
Do you need a permit for GR20?
No permit, but every night in a park refuge, on its bunks or in its bivouac area must be booked ahead on the park's site pnr-resa.corsica (opened mid-January for the season). 2026 prices: bunk 20 EUR, bivouac 12 EUR, hired tent 27 EUR for one or 39 EUR for two; meals are bought on site, cash or cheque. Calenzana does not allow departures onto the GR20 after 11 am.
From Parc naturel régional de Corse (official); Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre (official trail body), checked Nov 2026. [1] [3]
How do you get to GR20?
Start in Calenzana in the north. Halfway, at Vizzavona, the train runs to Ajaccio and Bastia. From Conca a shuttle to Porto-Vecchio and Santa Lucia di Porto-Vecchio runs on request.
From Parc naturel régional de Corse (official), checked Nov 2026. [1]
Where do you sleep on GR20?
Huts and tent. Park refuges with bunks, bivouac areas and hire tents at each stage; a few private gites and sheepfolds along the way (e.g. Castel di Verghju, Vizzavona, E Capannelle).
From Parc naturel régional de Corse (official), checked Nov 2026. [1]
What's the emergency number on GR20?
Emergency: 112 (European emergency number). 17 (gendarmerie). 18 (fire and rescue). PGHM Corse mountain rescue: 04 95 24 24 00 (for serious cases or if the others can't be reached).
From Parc naturel régional de Corse (official), checked Nov 2026. [1]
Sources
- Parc naturel régional de Corse (official) · official · checked Nov 2026
- Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre (official trail body) · official · checked Nov 2026
- Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre (official trail body) · official · checked Nov 2026
- www.gov.uk · official · checked Nov 2026
Facts are written in our own words from these pages; nothing is copied. Rules, fees and closures change: check the official page before you go.