From the Carrozzu refuge to the Asco Stagnu refuge

The third stage of^{the GR®20}is a beautiful climb through scree. And magnificent orange lilies add colour to the mountain.

This walk is part of a multi-day hike: GR®20 from Calenzana to Conca in 13 days

Details

n°59

Creation:
04 Sep 2010

Last update:
06 Feb 2023

Last review:
16 Oct 2023

Activity: Walking
Distance: 4.46 km
Average duration: 3h 35
Difficulty: Difficult
Back to start: No
Ascent: + 816 m
Descent: - 655 m
Highest point: 1,993 m
Lowest point: 1,219 m

Country: France
Area:
District: Calenzana (20214)
Start: N 42.426173° / E 8.900487°
End: N 42.40343° / E 8.922329°
IGN map(s): Ref. 4149OT, 4250OT, 4250OTR
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Description of the walk

(S) From the Carrozzu refuge, follow the^{GR® trail} towards the south-west. After a short section equipped with chains, you will reach the Spasimata footbridge, which allows you to cross to the left bank.

(1) After the footbridge, the^GR® climbs up large rock slabs overlooking the stream. Take care in wet weather. Some sections are equipped with cables.
The trail then continues to climb through alder trees and scree from an ancient glacial valley. The trail then becomes a little steeper along a rocky ridge, leading you to Lake Muvrella (1,860 m).

(2) The climb between Lake Muvrella and the pass of the same name is very steep in a corridor with large boulders. Cross over to the other side, on the western slope, and reach Bocca di Stagnu (2,010 m).

(3) The descent is quite steep and quite long, initially over open terrain, which allows you to see the destination of the stage, then continues through old pine trees to the Asco Refuge (E).

Waypoints

S : km 0 - alt. 1,268 m - Refuge Carruzzo
1 : km 0.4 - alt. 1,227 m - Spesimata footbridge - Figarella (fleuve)
2 : km 2.28 - alt. 1,863 m - Lac de la Muvrella
3 : km 2.59 - alt. 1,975 m - Bocca di a Muvrella
E : km 4.46 - alt. 1,429 m - Refuge d'Ascu Stagnu

Notes

Refuelling is quite important at the station. There are two refuelling points, one at the refuge and one at the hotel. Prices are roughly the same for all products.

Worth a visit

Once you arrive at the old Haut Asco ski resort, you can go swimming in the pools of a river. Go to the hotel car park, towards the rubbish bins, and follow the small orange-marked path. The first spot has small pools, but a little further on there are larger ones with plenty of space to rest.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5

Based on 2 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5

Route interest
5 / 5

Alain Chapel

16 Oct 2023 at 14:06 7200 • Edited: 16 Oct 2023 at 14:16 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Stage³ of the GR 20: no issues with the route on the app; heavy thunderstorms on the ridges that day and a tricky descent to the Ascu Stagnu refuge.

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gazok54

06 Dec 2016 at 18:40 3600

Thank you, Carlit38
bibi, the author of this hike has just reset the waypoints. Everything should be fine now.

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Carlit38

05 Dec 2016 at 09:00 3600

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 05, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Thank you for this map!
Please note, however, that the downloaded file does not correspond exactly to what is displayed on the website. The numbering of the waypoints is off. For example, on the PDF file, the Spesimata Footbridge corresponds to point 1 in the list of points, but to point 2 in the description and on the map. Curiously, this anomaly does not exist on the website...

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natou75

14 Feb 2014 at 14:41 3600

It was while reading a webhttp://www.lesclesdumidi.com/actualite/actualite.html that we got the idea to do the GR20 at the end of June this year. We booked a small rental in Calvi so we could start the GR20 near Calenzana. We definitely won't be doing the descent to Vizzavona.
I read that most hikers walk from north to south, that it's more common. Why is that ? What's the difference?

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Corsica GR20

03 Nov 2013 at 12:44 3600

Hello,
We completed the GR20 (south to north) and took a short break in Asco (just long enough to recharge our batteries) to find that, in summer, the ski resort setting contrasted sharply with what we had seen along the rest of the route and brought us back abruptly to "civilisation"!
So we decided to continue on to Carozzu... at the risk of not meeting Martine

But beyond these architectural considerations, the stage is absolutely beautiful... We'd love to do it again, this time from north to south!

It should also be noted that Asco has the advantage of offering a wide range of excellent restaurants (a large choice of tables)... And when you've been on a hiking diet for several days... what a treat!

See you soon, perhaps...
GR20-Documentary

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Charles Édouard

15 Oct 2013 at 20:03 7200

I completely agree with Manu. The welcome is deplorable compared to what the Ascu refuge used to be. It feels like a funeral parlour. What's more, the caretaker has difficulty expressing himself and it's impossible to understand what he's mumbling.

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gazok54

07 Oct 2013 at 11:27 7200

Thank you Manu77 for your comments, but please feel free to use the link "Leave us your detailed opinion - click here", located below the description, to give us even more information about the hike .
Kind regards, gazok54, moderator

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Manu77

06 Oct 2013 at 05:58 7200

An excellent hike and an impressive descent brought us to the refuge, where we were eager to see Martine (the caretaker) again...BUT where is MARTINE?....there we meet the new wardens...two clearly unfriendly civil servants...only interested in our wallets and with no knowledge of the mountains...A PIECE OF ADVICE: SKIP ASCO...UNBEATABLE VIEWS FROM THE RIDGES.

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bibi

21 Feb 2012 at 09:04 3600

A beautiful route to do in dry weather, as the start, with its large slabs overlooking the stream, can be very slippery. We saw some beautiful orange lilies. Lake Muvrella is very small and looks more like a pond.

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