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The northern section of the GR20 is undoubtedly the stretch that established the reputation of this legendary trail, often ranked among Europe’s most demanding. A specialist in walking holidays in Corsica, Grand Angle invites you to follow this route in the best possible conditions. This point-to-point walking holiday follows a distinctly alpine route, crossing the island’s highest passes, skirting glacial lakes and challenging walkers with rocky sections that are sometimes equipped with chains.
This route from Vizzavona to Asco offers a true immersion in the Corsican mountains, where spectacular rocky landscapes alternate with rare high-altitude meadows, such as those around Lake Nino.
This guided GR20 walking holiday, with a guide who knows the terrain expertly and arrangements for transporting your luggage, lets you focus on what matters most: the pleasure of walking and the beauty of the views.
For experienced walkers who prefer an independent adventure, discover our self-guided Northern GR20 holiday or browse all our self-guided GR20 holidays.
Meet at Ajaccio’s ferry terminal at 14:00, followed by a transfer to the hamlet of Canaglia (journey time: 1 hour 30 minutes). Settle into your accommodation. Meet your guide, hear an introduction to the trip and prepare your bags for the walk.
The route initially follows the Mare a Mare Nord trail upstream along the Manganellu river to the Meli waterfalls. Here we join the GR20, which first takes us to the Tolla shepherd’s hut. The pleasant trail climbs gradually up the valley through a pine forest that now covers the former summer grazing pastures. The shepherds' huts at Gialgo remain a reminder of this pastoral tradition. A final effort is needed to reach the Petra Piana mountain refuge. You will need to carry some of your personal belongings for the overnight stay.
This is a demanding stage through rocky terrain, with some sections equipped with chains to help you negotiate boulders, rock slabs and scree at over 2000m above sea level. This is true high-mountain terrain! The scenery, however, is spectacular. To the east, you will see the Restonica valley and its lakes; to the west, the sea and the Gulf of Sagone. You will need to carry some of your personal belongings for the overnight stay.
Early in the season, if snow is still present, the route may be adjusted to ensure the group’s safety.
Cross the vast Camputile plateau. The GR20 follows the Tavignano, Corsica’s longest river, upstream to its source at Lake Nino. This lush green setting, where cows and horses graze freely, offers a peaceful pastoral landscape.
After the Bocca à Reta pass (1883m), the route follows the Serra San Tomaghju ridge to Bocca San Petru, a panoramic viewpoint overlooking the west coast and the Gulf of Sagone. The descent to Col de Vergio then follows a pleasant contour path, winding beneath the majestic Corsican pines of the Valdu Niellu forest.
The climb follows the Golo glacial valley up to the Ciottulu refuge, nestled at the foot of the majestic Paglia Orba (2525m), one of the jewels of Corsica’s mountains. The GR20 then skirts the rugged terrain towards the Foggiale pass, where a viewpoint offers striking views over the Niolu and Mélarie valleys.
The descent continues over rock slabs towards the Stranciacone ravine, before dropping into the heart of the Melari Valley. Shaded by the Corsican pines of the beautiful Albertacce forest, the trail finally leads to the Vallone shepherd’s hut, where you will spend the evening camping.
On this stage, you will not have access to your main luggage. Your personal belongings for the night will be transported by mules. A 40-litre waterproof bag will be provided for the items you need for the evening and a few changes of clothes.
On this stage, the GR20 crosses the Cintu massif. This iconic section offers exceptional panoramic views of the island’s main peaks. Passing through Pointe des Éboulis, you reach the highest point on the GR20, at an altitude of 2604m. The demanding, exposed alpine route takes you through a landscape made entirely of rock. At the end of the route, the trail reaches the resort of Ascu Stagnu, your destination for the day.
If the weather deteriorates, alternative transport arrangements are in place to get you safely to your accommodation.
The route climbs between boulders and rises above the Corsican pines to reach the Bocca Stagnu pass. You discover a unique panorama of the island’s mountain ranges before continuing to the Muvrella pass. The long descent into the Bonifatu cirque then begins. A unique, unspoilt natural haven. You reach the end of your GR20 trek. A bus transfer takes you to the town of Calvi and its citadel (around 15:30).
Itineraries are provided as a guide. They were drawn up using the latest information available at the time of writing: unforeseen events are always possible, and circumstances beyond our control may affect how they unfold. They may be adjusted according to current weather conditions (including the risk of thunderstorms), technical considerations or participants' fitness levels. On the ground, our guides have the final say on the itinerary and may need to change the route depending on the weather or if the group’s safety requires it.
Specific recommendations for the GR20
Please be aware that the GR20 is becoming increasingly popular, but remember that it remains Europe’s most difficult trek. Forgetting this would set you up for failure from the outset and could even put you in danger. Do not overestimate your abilities: find out what to expect and prepare properly for your trip!!
It is important to know that, among people tackling the GR20 independently and under their own arrangements, 70% drop out before completing the route. Thanks to our logistical support and our guides' experience, our success rate is around 95%. However, trekking the GR20 with us is only suitable for people who are physically fit and already have experience of multi-day treks, with everything that entails: determination, a willingness to make sustained physical effort, the ability to live as part of a group and acceptance of being without your usual comforts.
If your fitness or technical ability is considered insufficient, our guides would have to ask you to discontinue your GR20 trek, for your own safety and for the group’s well-being and cohesion. In addition, if your personal equipment is unsuitable for trekking in high mountains (see our equipment list), we would be unable to accept you at the start of the trip for obvious safety reasons.
To help you avoid losing the money you have paid for your trek (see our booking terms and conditions), as well as all the inconvenience of such a situation, we recommend that you thoroughly research the trip before making your decision. If in doubt, we recommend choosing one of our introductory GR20 trips to test yourself before embarking on the fantastic traverse along the ridges! It is also worth knowing that Corsica’s mountain huts are fairly old, have limited capacity and offer quite basic comfort (cold showers, few or no toilet facilities, no blankets…). In bad weather or at certain times, the huts can become overcrowded, and accommodation conditions can sometimes be very basic.
Booking dates are not currently available for this trip. Please check back soon or contact us to plan your journey.
Cassandre Dufour
Travel expert in France, Switzerland and Italy.
Excellent physical fitness is required, with numerous steep ascents and off-trail sections along ridges and across rock slabs and rocky terrain. The main challenges are the length of some stages and the technical nature of the terrain. Some days may involve 1000m of ascent and up to 8 hours of walking. Regular fitness training focused on endurance is recommended 2 to 3 months before departure.
Each day, you hike carrying your essentials for the day and your lunch. In the evening, your travel bag (such as a sports bag) will be waiting at your accommodation, except on nights 2 and 3, when you will need to carry your overnight essentials with you. Sleeping bags and sleeping bag liners are provided at the mountain huts. Please limit the weight of your transferred bag to 12 kg.
Accommodation is in shared dormitories in mountain huts and hikers' lodges, or camping near mountain huts or shepherds' huts.
Bedbugs:
Bedbugs have appeared in recent years.
Despite pest control treatments, you should remain vigilant wherever you sleep by checking the bedding and avoiding placing your bag on the bed throughout the trek.
If you wish, we recommend bringing a suitable insecticide (e.g. Clako bedbug spray).
At the end of your trek, we recommend placing all your clothing in bags (water-soluble bags are available) before machine washing it. These precautions help prevent and reduce the risk of spreading bedbugs to other accommodation and your home.
Bathroom facilities:
Like the ageing mountain huts themselves, bathroom facilities are often very basic. Cold-water showers (or even washing in a river) and a lack of toilets are common. However, we choose our accommodation with care to ensure that you can take a hot shower and enjoy a basic level of comfort.
Full board is provided throughout the trek and consists of:
*Travellers with specific dietary requirements or allergies are asked to bring freeze-dried meals suitable for their dietary needs. High-altitude mountain huts cannot always prepare meals to meet these requirements.
Water treatment:
The island has many springs along the trails and fountains in the villages.
As we cannot guarantee that this water is safe to drink, we recommend chemically disinfecting it with water purification tablets.
From 6 to 12 people.
Guide
Led by a state-qualified mountain walking guide.
On Day 1 at 14:00 at the Ajaccio ferry terminal, or directly in Vizzavona if you arrive via Calvi or Bastia.
On Day 7 from 15:30 in Calvi.
Ajaccio, Bastia, Calvi and Figari airports.
Scheduled or charter airlines:
Airport–bus station shuttles (Ajaccio)
For timetables, enquire at the airport or bus station information desk, or contact TCA (tel: 0495232941). Services run daily except on 1 May.
Approximate fare: €5
Tel: 0825888088
Tel: 0825095095
For more information, visit www.corsicaferries.com/Pcorsica.srv
Tel: 0970832020
For more information, visit lameridionale.fr
Sailcoop: A crossing with a carbon footprint close to 0, thanks to our new partner Sailcoop, which offers crossings from Toulon to Calvi or Calvi to Toulon (240 € per crossing per person, including a cabin berth and meals during the crossing). Departures daily from 15/06 to 15/09, and every 2 days during the rest of the operating period. The crossing takes between 20 and 24 hours. If you are interested in this option, please contact us for more information. (https://www.sailcoop.fr/).
Car parking (Ajaccio)
Unattended paid parking: Parking du Port de l’Amirauté Charles Ornano (near the station). Attended paid parking 24 hours/24 (60 € per week).
Parc de stationnement du Diamant,
Avenue Eugène Macchini
Tel: 04.95.51.00.85
Car parking (Vizzavona)
Free, unattended parking at the Col de Vizzavona (300m from the Monte Oro hotel and lodge).
Public transport in Corsica
Bus routes:
There are many bus routes departing from the main towns and cities. Visit: www.corsicabus.org
Chemins de Fer de la Corse railway company:
Bastia, Ponte Leccia, Corte, Vizzavona, Ajaccio line
Bastia, Ponte Leccia, Île-Rousse, Calvi line
Left luggage in Ajaccio
Bar du marché (Boulevard du Roi Jérôme), 50metres from the tourist office. You must make a purchase to leave a bag.
Ajaccio
Calvi
Around two weeks before your departure, you will receive joining instructions specifying the meeting time and place, your guide’s name and contact details, and the address of your first accommodation.
Since 2012, Grand Angle has been a member of ATR, the leading association for more responsible tourism. We design our trips – on foot, by bike and on snow – to invite everyone to discover the world differently: with curiosity, respect and kindness.
As a member of the board of directors since 2018, we actively help the sector adopt more meaningful practices. In practical terms, we focus on:
We also share the values of the traveller’s ethical charter, which encourages everyone to take simple steps to protect the places they visit and enjoy meaningful encounters.
Since 2025, Grand Angle has been recognised as a Travelife Partner, an international label that certifies our responsible environmental, ethical and sustainable management practices, both within our company and in our work with partners and the organisation of our trips.
This label, the second level of a rigorous international certification scheme, recognises our practical actions to support responsible tourism. We are actively working towards the next level, Travelife Certified, in line with our sustainable development policy
In this section, you will find links to products from our partner Alpinstore, a French online retailer specialising in outdoor equipment, based in Annecy.
For carrying your belongings
Find out how to pack your hiking backpack in our magazine.
For hiking
For maximum comfort, choose a layered clothing system: warm base layers (leggings + top) such as “Carline” or “Capilene” (hollow fibres that wick away perspiration) + a sweatshirt or fleece jacket + a mountain jacket and overtrousers with a waterproof, breathable membrane (such as Gore-Tex or equivalent) for bad weather. As a general rule, except in hot climates and countries, avoid cotton, which holds moisture close to the body (and takes a long time to dry), and choose suitable synthetic fabrics instead.
Please note: synthetic technical clothing performs very well. Merino wool clothing has also become available; it performs very well, is comfortable to wear and has the advantage of resisting sweat odours!
For your lunchtime picnic
Protection from sun and rain
After your walk
You can find this advice in our article “what to take on a hike”.
This list is a guide and should be adapted to your trip and the season in which you travel.
Essential items to bring:
For nights camping out, we provide the necessary equipment (tent and sleeping mat)
Corsica
Area: 8748 km2
Length: 183km, width: 83km
1000km of coastline
12km from Tuscany and 160km from Provence.
Corsica is surrounded by islands and islets such as Elba and Capraia
Crystalline Corsica: this covers most of the island and includes its highest peaks, aligned along a north-northwest to south-southeast axis. These include the volcanic rhyolite massif of Monte Cinto, also Corsica’s highest point at 2710m, the granite massif of Rotondo, and Monte d’Oro. Further south, the Bavella pinnacles form some of the island’s most distinctive and rugged terrain, ending at the southern tip with the unusual jumbles of granite boulders on the mountain of Cagna. Finally, in the northwest, the Calanche de Piana, an extension of the Cinto massif, merge into the sea.
Alpine or schistose Corsica: this occupies the northern and eastern parts of the island and is characterised by gentler, lower slopes than those of the central mountain range. Cima di Follicie is the highest point on Cap Corse at 1322m, rather than Monte Stello (1307m), as guidebooks so often incorrectly state. Further south, Castagniccia, a fertile region rich in chestnut woodland, includes the San Pétrone massif.
The central trough: forming the boundary between Alpine and crystalline Corsica, this is a central depression running between L’Île-Rousse and Solenzara via Corte.
The eastern plain: stretching from Bastia to the mouth of the Solenzara River, this area consists of alluvial deposits that have created lagoons such as Biguglia.
Limestone Corsica: one of the most distinctive features of Corsica’s geology is its limestone outcrops. Although small in extent, these areas are nonetheless remarkable. Examples include the cliffs of Saint-Florent and Bonifacio.
Southern Corsica Tourist Office
Place Foch
PO Box 21, 20176 Ajaccio
Tel: 0495515303
Fax: 0495515301
Corsica Regional Natural Park
2 rue Major Lambroschini
20000 Ajaccio
Tel: 0495517910
Fax: 0495218817
Corsica is, first and foremost, an island, so its climate is humid. The Alpine foothills affect the climate locally, and rainfall varies considerably depending on the wind direction. To put it simply, when the libecciu blows (a south-westerly wind), it brings heavy rainfall to the whole western side of Corsica, drenches the island’s highest peaks and becomes a cold, dry wind over eastern Corsica.
The highest recorded rainfall is in Vizzavona and the surrounding area, at 1498 mm. The lowest figures are recorded along the coast, on the Sanguinaires Islands near Ajaccio, at 450 mm, and on the Bonifacio plateau, at 481 mm. The rainfall pattern is typical of a Mediterranean climate, with little rain in summer, although violent thunderstorms can break out, particularly in mountainous areas. From November to mid-April, it is not uncommon to see snow-covered mountains above 1000m. Average temperatures along the coast range from 5° to 8° in winter and from 22° to 25° in summer. Naturally, temperatures in mountainous areas vary with altitude. Hikers should be aware that sudden drops in temperature are not uncommon, even in summer, above 1200m, due to abrupt changes in the weather. Hikers are therefore strongly advised not to rely on the coastal climate as a guide and to be prepared for any sudden drop in temperature.
4,3 · 3 reviews
Jean_Louis 6/29/26
— The route is as difficult as stated in the brochure, even dangerous in some sections, but extraordinarily beautiful, all the more so as we had good weather all week. The guide was friendly and attentive whenever one of us ran into difficulty, and the welcome at the refuges was warm. To be done by fit people who aren't prone to vertigo!
François 6/23/26
— A trip that’s interesting for its scenery, challenges, and elevation gain.
—
— Reply from the team
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