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Booking GR20 refuges: how it works
One rule dominates GR20 planning: every overnight stay must be booked in advance — including tent pitches. Here is how the system works and how to avoid the classic mistakes.
The rules in short
Most refuges on the GR20 are run by the Corsican regional natural park (PNRC). For all of them, booking is mandatory for every overnight option: a bed in the dormitory, a pre-pitched rented tent, or a pitch for your own tent on the bivouac area. Sleeping next to a refuge without a booking — or wild camping elsewhere along the trail — is not permitted. Refuges are staffed roughly from mid-May to early October; outside that window services are closed and the booking platform tells you what is available.
Your three overnight options
| Option | What you get | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Dormitory bed | Bunk in the refuge, shared dorm | Fewest places — sells out first in summer |
| Rented tent | Pre-pitched tent with mats, on site | No tent to carry; a popular middle ground |
| Own-tent pitch | Bivouac spot next to the refuge | Cheapest and most flexible, still requires booking |
Current prices for each option are shown on pnr-resa.corsica during booking — they change from season to season, so trust the platform, not blogs.
PNRC refuges vs private stops
Not every bed on the GR20 belongs to the park. Several stops are private — hotels, gîtes and bergeries — and these are booked directly with the owner rather than on the park platform. Examples from the trail: the hotel at Castel di Vergio and the gîte at E Capannelle book through their own websites, while bergeries such as Radule, Vaccaghia and Tolla take reservations by phone only. Each entry in our refuge hub links to the correct booking channel for that stop.
How to book, step by step
- Fix your itinerary first. Decide your daily stages — how far you walk each day determines where you sleep. Our how-many-days guide and the planner help here.
- List your overnight stops in order, and note which are PNRC refuges and which are private (check the refuge hub).
- Book the PNRC nights on pnr-resa.corsica — create an account, pick each refuge and date, choose bed / rented tent / own-tent pitch.
- Book the private stops directly — by phone for the bergeries, online for hotels and gîtes.
- Book bottlenecks first if availability is tight: small or popular refuges such as Carozzu or Manganu constrain the rest of your schedule.
- Keep confirmations offline — mobile coverage on the trail is patchy.
When to book
For July and August, book as soon as your dates are firm; the popular refuges fill weeks to months ahead. June and September are calmer but small refuges still sell out. If your dates are flexible, September is kinder in every way — see when to go.
Lock your booked itinerary in the planner
Recreate your booked stages in the RandoNav planner and carry your full schedule, times and stops with you on the trail.
Open the GR20 plannerFrequently asked questions
Do I have to book GR20 refuges in advance?
Yes. Booking is mandatory for all overnight stays at the PNRC refuges — dormitory beds, rented tents and your own-tent bivouac pitches alike. Wild camping outside designated bivouac areas is not allowed on the GR20.
Where do I book GR20 refuges?
Park-run (PNRC) refuges are booked on the official platform pnr-resa.corsica. Private stops — hotels, gîtes and bergeries — are booked directly with the owner, by phone or via their own website.
How far in advance should I book?
For July and August, book as soon as your dates are fixed — popular refuges fill up weeks or months ahead. June and September are more forgiving, but the small refuges (and anywhere with few pitches) can still sell out.
How much does a night in a refuge cost?
Prices change from season to season, so we deliberately don't list them here. Current tariffs for dormitory beds, rented tents and bivouac pitches are shown during booking on pnr-resa.corsica.
What if I fall behind my booked schedule?
This is the real risk of a fully-booked itinerary: bookings are tied to dates. Build in a buffer day, walk a conservative schedule at the start, and check the platform's current conditions for changes and cancellations before you set out.