Lindekaer

The GR 20 is known as the not only the most beautiful but also the toughest hike of Europe. These predicates could nothing but intrigue me and I therefore decided to give the hike a go in late June. The hike is found on the French island of Corsica.

In case you wonder what GR means, I've written a detailed description of my first GR hike in Spain.

Background

The GR 20 goes between the cities of Calenzana and Conca on Corsica. It is possible go both north and south bound. The trail is about 180 kilometers and goes through very varied terrain. For this reason, the hike is categorized as advanced. Commonly the hike is divided into the northern and sourthern part with the first going from Calenzana to Vizzavona and the latter from Vizzavona to Conca.

My hike

I decided to allocate 10 days for the actual hike. The hike consists of 15 stages and it is commonly recommended to do one stage a day. However, due to other holiday plans I was short on time. To my delight, I found that many people have completed the GR 20 in much less than 15 days. Of particular inspiration for my planning was Pete's blog. I settled on walking south bound and doing double stages every day.

A quick note - refuge is the French word for a small hostel. Typically a small mountain hut with beds, camping grounds and the possibility to buy food.

First day - Calenzana to Refuge d'Ortu di u Piobbu (stage 1)

I arrived to Calvi around 10:00 and grabbed a taxi straight to Calenzana (the price was approx. EUR 40). I went to the local supermarket and bought a lunch consisting of pizza and yoghourt - I also bought hiking snacks for the first days. After having eaten I started the hike; the trail can be reached by walking to the left of bar "Le GR 20".

The small square of Calenzana. Fill your water here in the fountain

The ascent started from the first step and the heat was fierce. I quickly learned to pay attention to the GR signs, as I missed one and walked 20 minutes in the wrong direction - whoops!

When climbing the mountains the backwards view of Calvi was nothing but stunning. Towards the end of the stage I spotted the refuge on the other side of the valley. As I also learned that day, being able to see your destination does not mean that you are close.

At the refuge I paid for a camp site (EUR 7) and ordered the full dinner menu (EUR 20). I had to be creative when setting up my tent as the ground was very rocky - as my Swiss companion, Marcel, showed me, bringing extra rope for tying your tent to rocks is a must.

Second day - Refuge d'Ortu di u Piobbu to Haut Asco (stage 2 and 3)

I woke up at around 4:30 unable to sleep anymore. I was simply too excited. This day was of great importance, since it was my first encountering with doing a double stage. Additionally, the first stages in the north are known to be the toughest. I was in for a treat.

After eating a few small yoghourts I packed my stuff and got on the move. Finding it really hard to navigate in the thick forest, I was relieved to spot a bright red backpack up the trail. It turned out to belong to an old, hardcore, French hiker called Germain. Despite him not speaking English and my French being rusty, we ended up hiking for almost all of stage 2 together.

After some awesome rocky mountain traversal I reached Bocca Innuminata and took a small rest. From here on Carrozzu was only a one hour descent away.

In Carrozzu I had a quick lunch and an electrolyte drink. I made the mistake of leaving for Haut Asco too early and thereby climbing in the worst midday heat. Lesson learned! Right after Carrozzu you find a suspension bridge crossing a small river with small waterfalls. Stop here to take a swim and enjoy life, plenty of strain coming up ahead.

Climbing up alongside the river is challenging as the slabs of rock lack texture. There are a few sections with chains for security. Once reaching the top you find a small valley with a peaceful mountain lake - did I say swim again?

After a little climb you reach the most amazing viewpoint. I was blown away! After a snack I started the grueling two hour descent to Haut Asco. To compensate for the struggles, you find a restaurant (that accepts credit card) in Haut Asco. I ordered the full menu and fell asleep as soon as I hit my mat.

My rather sloppy tent setup at Haut Asco

Seventh day - Bergeries de Capannelle to Refuge d'Usciolu (stage 12 and 13)

Waking up in the morning I could feel a severe ache in my Achielle's tendon. It had been bugging me for a few days, but this morning it had also gotten pretty stiff. I limped to the bergerie and evaluated the situation. I had only two days left to complete the full hike, but on the other hand I didn't want to run the risk of a serious injury. Having made up my mind I went to the terrace and watched the sunrise feeling in peace with stopping for now.

I left Bergeries de Capannelle by the mountain road - it was only a three hour walk to the main road. I decided to hitchhike my way north, which turned out to be a good decision. Within 30 minutes is was in a car with a lovely Swiss couple who drove me all the way to Corte. From there I had easy access to Calvi by train.

Back to civilization

Ending my hike a few days earlier freed up some extra time for the beach. I decided to spend my time in the city of Calvi on the northern coast of Corsica, since this was also where I was flying home from. Calvi turned out to provide exactly what I needed - a much needed excuse for lying on the beach and eating vast amounts of food.

I ended up staying at a camp site close to the beach paying only EUR 14 per night. As a counter balance to my sudden inactivity I headed for a small trip to the church Notre Dame de la Serra, which is located in the hills behind Calvi. What a magnificent view!

Beautiful panorama from Notre Dame de la Serra

I also spent one day as a tourist exploring the old town. The citadel of Calvi is worth a visit - I particularly enjoyed visiting the base for the parachute division of the French Legion.

The experience as a whole

I loved the GR 20. I have never walked a trail that rough, beautiful and challenging. When I return, I will do only single stages and spend more time enjoying the superb views, swim in the lakes and rest a bit more. I felt a positive vibe along the whole trail and I only met friendly people. The hike has my greatest recommendations!