UKC

I'm planning on doing the Gr20 in September but having trouble booking the huts en route. The parc corse website isn't taking reservations for some reason so I tried to email them regarding my booking but have not had any response. Any suggestions? Thanks

In reply to Removed UserGRUMPY MONKEY:

We did in June, about 8 years ago. We only did the top half, from the road to the northern end. The huts were pretty busy but there was always space, we didn't book any of them. There was only one night when it pissed down and there were people on the floor everywhere. I imagine it would be much quieter in sept. The huts were pretty warm, so you will only need a lightweight sleeping bag. We took a small tent and mats as well but never used them. I wouldn't bother next time. Take plenty of hill food for breakfast and lunch - you will generally only get an evening meal in the huts. That was a bit disappointing but it was a great trip overall.

In reply to Removed UserGRUMPY MONKEY:

I'm having a similar issue - we are going in a couple of weeks time. I did manage to get a response from them which said to just keep checking the website, not the most helpful! I saw somewhere that the site is due to open for bookings on the 12th June so I'm planning to try again then. From what I've read booking may only be really necessary if you are planning to stay inside the refuge or hire one of their tents, and less necessary if you are taking your own tent.

In reply to Removed UserGRUMPY MONKEY:

This is the site where it says the booking site should open on the 12th. It also has updates about the conditions on the route.
http://randoblogpnrc.blogspot.co.uk/

In reply to fshbf:

We were planing to stay in the refuges to cut down on weight

In reply to Removed UserGRUMPY MONKEY:

We did the northern half from Vizzavona in 2011 with three teenagers and stayed in the refuges. I had booked every night on the Parc Corse website, but got no email confirmation that the booking had gone through. I rang the Parc office a couple of times and (if memory serves) got verbal confirmation that we had a booking, but still no email or otherwise written confirmation of it.

So we get to the first one, at Onda, quite late. No, they have no record of our booking. The teens, by this stage, are practically crying or insurrecting because it's a hard first day to there from Vizzavona. I protest in French, carry the day and we all get to sleep on the kitchen floor, except for me, who has the hump by this point and opts to sleep on a table outside 'so I can see the stars'.

And so it repeated at several of the remaining refuges. But in every case, they relented and let us stay. Our booking must have gone through though because in at least one, our names were on a list. That was the second, Petra Piana, where we arrived soaking after a couple of hours of rain. The place was rammed, standing room only in the steamy kitchen, washing lines all over the place and only one empty bunk space left. I politely pointed out, in English, French and then German that at least a few people must be lying in spaces they hadn't booked. No response. I go over to the next building to find the warden. He's asleep. But, when he wakes up, he is magnificent and turfs out the interlopers. Our names, amazingly to me by this point, are on his list and in we march, with barely a thought for the ejected.

The food at the refuges is very expensive. There are always kitchens where you can cook.

I loved it. Enjoy!

In reply to Removed UserGRUMPY MONKEY:

There used to be issues with bed bugs on a number of the huts. I did it 4 years ago and camped instead just to be safer. Might be worth looking into bed bug reports from people who've done it more recently.

In reply to Removed UserGRUMPY MONKEY:

I did it in late June 2015 using the huts. I seem to recall booking it all in the April so I'm surprised to hear they aren't releasing beds until 12th June. It was so busy we wouldn't have got near the huts without the booking. I got an email confirmation afterwards (in french) and had no problems when turning up at the huts.

Originally we had planned to depart on a Saturday from Calenzana but all the beds were booked so it might help if you can start on a different day of the week. (The large tour groups e.g. KE Travel, tend to depart on a Sat/Sun and book up the whole huts).

Some of the huts have pre-pitched tents outside which are an excellent alternative as you don't have some snoring French dude inches from your face

Let me know if you need any further info - I've got a trip report somewhere I wrote for Carlisle Mountaineering Club. It's such a great adventure!

In reply to Removed UserGRUMPY MONKEY:
I did it five years ago and remember a similarly chaotic hut booking system. We thought we'd booked online but were regularly told we didn't have a reservation. In that very French way, somehow it worked out in the end! Only on one night did we have to sleep in one of the pre-pitched tents. Obviously you take your choice, but I was glad not to be camping - it is tough walking so I wouldn't have wanted the weight. I noticed a slight bias of Brits camping and 'everyone else' not camping!

It was one of the best walks I've done but I do remember the huts being pretty basic (compared with, say, Alpine huts) and the Corsicans being the grumpiest people I'd ever met!

In reply to roxyroundtheworld:

Thanks. We are planning to leave caravans on the Tuesday so hopefully we will miss the crowds.

In reply to fshbf:

Thanks had a look at the website and will try to book on the 12th.

In reply to Removed UserGRUMPY MONKEY:

still can't book refuges on Above recommended website. Anyone got any other ideas on how to book gr20 huts?

In reply to Removed UserGRUMPY MONKEY:

We were near end of September and it was very quiet, no need to book. Maybe the booking only runs in Peak July / August during peak season. The other issues were supplies as some guardians were running them down in preparation for the official close.