Walking, trekking and hiking in Corsica

The GR20 long distance path is known throughout the world and is the most famous walking route in Corsica. This route is 180km long and runs from north to south over the granite mountainous spine of Corsica, and is often described as the toughest long distance path in Europe. The map opposite shows this route which starts at the pretty village of Calenzana near the northern coast, and finishes at Conca in the south east. The scenery is spectacular and varied from snow-capped peaks over 2,500m high to glacial lakes and forests.

The GR20 route goes over a variety of rugged terrains and in parts requires the confidence of being able to scramble over airy ridges and rocky outcrops. The route has over 10,000m of variation in height and is generally walked in around 15 days, staying overnight in various mountain refuges. The route is well marked all along the way with red-and-white waymarks. The best time of the year to walk the GR20 is between June and September.

Not everyone has the time or energy to walk the complete route, and there are several branches to the route that link it to various towns and villages. From these it is then possible to walk part of the GR20 route. A railway goes through Vizzavone, Taltone and Corte that enables a circular route of the central part of the GR20 to be completed using this railway line.

Other long distance paths on Corsica include 3 routes that cross the island west to east called Mare a Mare (sea to sea) routes. These are also shown on the map opposite. The Mare a Mare North path starts at Cargese and finishes at Moriani. The Mare a Mare Centre path starts at Porticcio and finishes at Ghisonaccia. The Mare a Mare South path starts at Propriano and finishes at Vecchio. These 3 long distance paths are less demanding that the GR20 and they also pass through various villages where you can sleep for the night.  The Short Treks on Corsica Guidebook covers the Mare a Mare North and Mare a Mare South along with 3 other shorter treks.