The hardest trail you’ve never heard of.
Corsica’s GR 20 is Europe’s toughest long-distance hike—180 kilometers of granite ridges, scree slopes, and relentless ascents that test even seasoned backpackers. But for American hikers, it’s more than a challenge; it’s a mystery. Almost no reliable English-language information exists, and the culture shock can hit harder than the climbs.
GR 20: A Guide for Americans bridges that gap. It’s not a glossy guidebook written from behind a desk—it’s a ground-level account by someone who actually walked it, blistered feet and all. Part travel memoir, part practical manual, it tells you what the trail is really like and how to prepare for it—physically, logistically, and mentally.
Inside, you’ll find:
Straight talk about the real difficulty—what “technical” means in Corsica versus the White Mountains or Sierras
Packing and gear strategies that work when “ultralight” meets “European reality”
Honest advice on refuges, food, and cultural etiquette (including how not to be that American)
Maps, transport, and cost insights tailored to U.S. travelers
Firsthand stories that mix grit, humor, and humility—from lost packages to wild pigs to the fox that walked beside the author
If you’ve ever dreamed of a trail that’s equal parts brutal and breathtaking, this book is your missing link between imagination and itinerary. It’s for anyone who wants to know what it’s like to hike across Corsica, to prepare without illusions, and to experience something that changes you in all the best ways.
This isn’t a brochure. It’s a conversation. Because sometimes the only way to begin is the same way this story began—by buying the goddamn ticket.