The opening day of Europe's toughest long-distance trail — from Calenzana into the granite mountains of northern Corsica on the legendary GR20.

Stops on This Tour (10)

1. 1
   Calenzana Village Calenzana marks the northern start of the GR20 — a 180-kilometre mountain trail considered the most challenging marked route in Europe. Today's section climbs 1,500 metres to Refuge d'Ortu di u Piobbu. Fitness and proper equipment are non-negotiable. The trail involves scrambling, exposure, and route-finding in poor visibility. Carry a minimum of two litres of water.
2. 2
   Corsican Maquis Zone The trail climbs through dense maquis — the fragrant scrubland of Mediterranean herbs: myrtle, cistus, juniper, and wild rosemary. Napoleon said he could smell Corsica before he could see it. The scent is intoxicating and unlike anywhere else in Europe.
3. 3
   Forêt de Sambucco The trail enters a chestnut and pine forest — welcome shade as the gradient steepens. Corsican pine trees can live over 1,000 years; the oldest specimens have survived centuries of wildfires in their thick, fire-resistant bark.
4. 4
   Rocky Ridge Scramble Above tree line, the trail transitions to bare granite. The scrambling begins — hands required on steep slabs. Red and white blazes mark the route, but they can be spaced far apart on open rock. The Mediterranean appears below, impossibly blue against the grey granite.
5. 5
   Bocca a u Saltu The first significant pass of the GR20. The wind can be fierce through the col. The granite here is Hercynian — the same 300-million-year-old intrusion that forms much of Corsica's mountainous spine. The island is essentially a granite mountain range rising from the sea.
6. 6
   Granite Slab Traverse The trail crosses broad granite slabs at a steep angle. In dry conditions, the friction is excellent; in rain, these slabs become treacherous. The rock is smoothed by millennia of ice and water — Corsica's mountains bore glaciers during the last ice age.
7. 7
   Punta Ghjallu Viewpoint A viewpoint over the Figarella Valley and the sea beyond. Corsica's mountains rise to 2,706 metres — remarkable for an island. The interior is as wild and remote as any landscape in western Europe. Mouflon sheep — the wild ancestors of domestic sheep — inhabit these heights.
8. 8
   Snowmelt Stream A stream fed by lingering snow patches provides water — treat or filter before drinking. The landscape above the tree line is stark: granite, snow, and sky. The only sounds are wind and the trickle of water over rock.
9. 9
   Final Ascent to Refuge The final climb to the refuge involves more scrambling over granite boulders. The trail is marked but steep — poles provide stability. Practice Leave No Trace at this elevation; the fragile alpine vegetation takes decades to recover from damage.
10. 10
    Refuge d'Ortu di u Piobbu The first GR20 refuge perches at 1,570 metres on a granite shelf above the Figarella Valley. Meals are available (Corsican charcuterie, cheese, and red wine) but sleeping is in bunks or tents. The stars at this elevation are extraordinary. You have survived Day 1 of Europe's hardest trail.

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