Grand Randonnée 20

June to

September

Kilometers

Days

31h 6m

FKT (Standard)

About the Route

WHY TREK IT?

The Grande Randonnée (GR) is a network of hiking paths in Europe, spread mostly throughout France, Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The GR20 in Corsica is considered the most difficult GR route, and also the most beautiful. It crosses Corsica diagonally, north to south, covering 110 miles and 32,800 feet of elevation change. Most take around 15 days for the journey, but that depends on your speed, endurance, and experience with rugged terrain.

“The Cirque de la Solitude is the most notorious single section of the entire GR20. People are so scared of it that they huddle in petrified groups the night before.”

- Tom Fordyce

Highlights of the GR20 include sparkling glacial lakes – like Lac de Nino, Lac de Melo, Lac de Capitello, and Lac de Creno – as well as numerous summits with striking viewpoints, including Monte d’Oro (7,850 ft) and Monte Incudine (7,000 ft). If you’re motivated by the views up high, you can also make side trips to the summits of Monte Corona (7,025 ft), Monte Cinto (8,875 ft), Paglia Orba (8,275 ft), Monte Rotondo (8,600 ft), or Monte Renoso (7,725 ft). Of course, the greatest memories of the trip might come from the most challenging part of all, the Cirque de la Solitude. In this notoriously exposed section of the GR20, trekkers have to rely on old chains and careful balance to scramble up a steep and often sheer rock face to continue the journey.