Vizzavona
The only village splitting the GR20 in two.
The only village splitting the GR20 in two. Train station (Ajaccio/Bastia), shops, restaurants. Stay at Hotel Monte d'Oro or Gite Savaggio. Many hikers resupply here, rest, or exit. Forest swimming holes nearby.
The place
Vizzavona is barely a village — a train station, a cluster of buildings in deep beech forest — yet it looms in every GR20 hiker's mind like a capital city. This is the trail's traditional halfway point, the hinge between the brutal north and the (slightly) gentler south, and the little station on the Ajaccio–Bastia line is where the tribe sorts itself: some celebrate and push on, some resupply and rest, and some quietly board the train, which is also a victory of self-knowledge.
The station café does a steady trade in celebratory drinks, and parcels-to-self wait for the organised. Don't leave without visiting the Cascades des Anglais just down the trail — a staircase of waterfalls and green pools under the beeches, named for the era when English tourists in unsuitable clothing came here to marvel. Swim, eat something enormous, and sleep indoors if you can: the south will ask plenty of you too.
Getting there
| Leg | Distance | Elevation | Trail runner | Fit / sportive | Multiday hiker | Relaxed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From Refuge de l'Onda | 16 km | +210 / −1230 m | 3h48 | 5h16 | 6h50 | 8h12 |
| To Bergeries d'E Capannelle | 10 km | +1000 / −350 m | 2h47 | 3h59 | 5h15 | 6h17 |
Booking
Booking is mandatory for all overnight stays on the GR20, including bivouac pitches. Wild camping is not allowed on the trail.
Other places to stay nearby
- Hôtel Monte d'Oro Hotel + gîte
A grand old-world hotel up at the Col, with a well-known restaurant and its own 28-bed gîte d'étape — comfort or dorm, your choice. - Chambres d'hôtes Casa Alta B&B / chambres d'hôtes
A quiet five-room guesthouse, a good spot to break the trek in two with a proper rest at the halfway point. - Hôtel-Restaurant Le Vizzavona Hotel
Twelve rooms plus a separate chalet by the station, with full catering — handy for arrivals by train. - Le Refuge (gîte, opposite the station) Gîte d'étape
A 32-bed private gîte right across from the Vizzavona station — the simplest option for a quick overnight.
If this stop is full or closed. These are private and not bookable via pnr-resa.corsica — contact each directly and confirm before you rely on it. Web-sourced July 2026.
Stages featuring this stop
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