Do you want to walk in a group with a guide, or would you prefer to walk in complete freedom as a couple or with friends? Should you choose a point-to-point route or a single centre route? What level should you choose according to your fitness and the difficulty of the walk? Here's all the information you need to choose the type of walking holiday that's right for you!

Which package should you choose?

Guided

  • A mountain leader guides you throughout the trek, guaranteeing your safety and helping you to discover the different natural and cultural aspects of Corsica.
  • You walk in a small group on pre-scheduled dates.

Self guided 

  • You manage your own day.
  • You walk using our  mobile guidance application, which gives you complete autonomy during your trip. 
  • You leave with a minimum of two people on the date of your choice.

Point to point or single centre based hiking?

Single centre based

These tours leave from one or two different types of accommodation, with looped routes that allow you to return to the same accommodation in the evening. For these trips, we have selected regions with a wealth of natural sites offering a wide variety of walks.

Point to point

Point to point tours allow you to discover a region of Corsica by moving on to a new stop-off point each day. On some of our tours, we sometimes offer 2-night stays in the same establishment.

Luggage assistance

Without bag

Most of the time, our trips are "no-bag", meaning that you only carry your personal belongings for the day and your picnic. The rest of your luggage is transported to the next stage by vehicle or pack animal, so you'll find your luggage following you every evening.

Lightened pack

For some hikes, we use the term "lightened pack". In this case, you will have to carry some of your personal belongings, such as your sleeping bag and a change of clothes, during one or more stages. Generally speaking, our logistics allow you to have access to your luggage about every other day.

With bag

You carry your personal belongings throughout the trek.

The levels

For each tour, we indicate a level using a pictogram to help you judge the relative difficulty. In our technical data sheets, you'll find more details about the length of the stages and the daily height differences. On some routes, several variations can be offered each day. The electric bike option can also be used to make some days easier by reducing the effort required on the climbs.

Level 1 – Gentle

Accessible to all who are fit and healthy, who regularly practice some sport. These holidays are ideal as a first taste of an active holiday, without any significant difficulties or technical sections.

  • Walking Holidays :  Our gentle walks have 3-4 hours of effective walking with ascents of between 300 and 500m per day. Accessible to occasional walkers and to anyone in good health, you don’t have to be a seasoned hiker to enjoy these walks and they are good for a first taste at a walking holiday. We aim to make our gentle walks interesting, taking in the culture of the island.
  • Cycling Holidays : Easy going stages of 10 to 20 km per day. Ascents of around 500m per day. Circuits designed with families and easy going cyclists, who want landscapes and culture. These holidays are ideal for those who are looking for an active holiday, accessible to those who practice a sport regularly you need to be fit and healthy.
  • Walking Holidays : from 4 h to 5 h walking per day on paths that don't present any technical difficulties asuch. An average of 500m to 700m ascent per day and aimed at those who walk regularly.
    Cycling Holidays : stages from 20 km to 40 km per day. A maximum of 1000 m ascent per day. Aimed at those who cycle regularly and who have had previous cycling holidays.

Level 2 - Moderate

These holidays are ideal for those who are looking for an active holiday, accessible to those who practice a sport regularly you need to be fit and healthy.

  • Walking Holidays : from 4 h to 5 h walking per day on paths that don't present any technical difficulties asuch. An average of 500m to 700m ascent per day and aimed at those who walk regularly.
  • Cycling Holidays : stages from 20 km to 40 km per day. A maximum of 1000 m ascent per day. Aimed at those who cycle regularly and who have had previous cycling holidays.

Level 3 - Challenging

These holidays require you to be fit. You practice around 3 hours sport per week and you have already been on many active holidays.

  • Walking Holidays : Challenging walks are 5-7 hours effective walking per day on varied and rough terrain, such as scree. You need to be sure footed and able to walk uphill for between 600 to 1000m per day comfortably at a steady rhythm. You need good stamina and the ability to adapt to different weather conditions.
  • Cycling Holidays : Stages of 40 km to 70 km per day. Ascents of around 1500 m per day. You are a frequent cyclist who can master the effort involved.

Level 4 - Tough

A very fit and health physical condition is required for these holidays, you should train and you have the stamina to push for a number of days. You are a frequent hiker or cyclist and you practice this sport whenever possible.

  • Walking Holidays : This strenuous grade requires that you are fit and have good trekking experience. The walks are long between 6-9 hours a day, maybe more. You can expect steep uphill and downhill sections with maybe up to 1000m altitude gain some days. The temperatures will range and weather conditions can be severe. Some days may require light backpacking.
  • Cycling Holidays : stages from 70 km to 140km per day. Climbs of up to 2500 m per day. Much experience in cycling and a frequent practice of the sport.

Effective times

Times should be used as a rough indication; they have been calculated on an overall average of many people who have completed this itinerary. Effective walking or cycling times do not take into consideration stops to eat, rest, pauses and orientation time, so you must add on the necessary time needed for breaks. Timings are approximate, take into account the varying terrain, your own speed and how long during the day you like to stop for. It’s essential that you allow considerably more time than has been indicated when judging your day’s timings. We advise you to set out early, get the majority of the walking done in the morning to arrive mid afternoon at the overnight stop.

Active children

All children are different, we know from experience! Generally, we accept children on our trips from 12 years of age, but certain holidays are possible with much younger children, especially if they are active. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have a hill walking 7 year old, or an alpine toddler in a carrier, as there are a number of holidays which would be suitable for the more adventurous family.

Holiday Accommodation

Our selection of hotels across Corsica covers a comprehensive range, from simple GR20 Refuges and Bergeries, to comfortable family run Auberge and the luxury and sophistication of Corsica 4 & 5* hotels. Hotels are the ideal base for a Corsican walking holiday, allowing you to explore the island at your own pace before relaxing at the end of the day in a great location. 

Hotel to Hotel Holidays

The accommodation used in our walking holidays is all chosen for the location, comfort and value for money making them the practical choice before and after a day hike.

We personally source all our accomodation, and our choice of sometimes hidden gems allows guests to get away from it all on a Corsican walking holiday. Simple family run Ferme Auberge, Chambres d'Hôtes and Character mountain hotels offer an escape from modern life whilst being close to the majestic natural surroundings of Corsica. All offer a warm welcome far from the crowds of the coast and some are a step back in time.

In the main resorts we have a good selection of generally 3* and 4* hotels that are ideal for walkers on a point to point holiday. They all offer a certain standard that our guests require, lacking pretention but with the comfort and facilities you expect today.

Our collection of 4 & 5* hotels offer superb customer service and magical surroundings, and each hotel allows you to really relax after a day out and about in luxury, with all the facilities that you would expect from a high quality hotel.

We try to describe our hotels and their surroundings as accurately as possible. Although every effort is made to ensure the information is correct, some facilities may not be available at certain times of year, or at times when maintenance work is required or events are being held. Check in time is generally accepted as mid afternoon, with check out by 10am. Half board is usually on a set menu basis and breakfasts are "buffet" or continental style unless otherwise stated.

The style and décor of hotel accommodation will inevitably differ across our programme. We endeavour to give an accurate description of each hotel or guest house, but if something is particularly important to you, don't hesitate to ask.

GR20 Accommodation

On the GR20 you will find simple hiking accommodation in Bergeries, Gites and Park Refuges. You can enjoy a hearty meal and take pleasure in talking to like minded walkers at the end of the day before settling in for the night in simple dormitories, or small rooms for 4.

The accommodations on the GR20 are very basic and rudimentary.  Showers and WC facilities are limited and are not present at every night stop. In the Park Refuges we mainly provide tent accommodation with sleeping matress. You may be asked to put up and take down your tent, this is simple as most of them are pop up design. At each night stop there is spring water, a small provisions shop and hot meals.  Guardians may be working alone and have extremely limited kitchen facilities so, you need to be patient, there are often several sittings for the evening meals.  In dormitories, nights can be noisy due to snoring and rustling.

On the whole route there are just 3 night stops where hotel accommodation is available VIZZAVONA, VERGIO and HAUT ASCO. Hotels tend to be simple mountain Auberges at most night stops.