Stage 10: To Bergeries d’ E Capanelle
- Ascent: 1000 meter
- Descent: 350 meter
- Time: 5hr
The Southern part of the GR20 is on the whole much easier than the Northern part. There is less scrambling and gradients are somewhat more gentle. This does not mean that the stretch from Vizzavona to Conca is not worth hiking, there is still a lot of spectacular terrain to cross before reaching the end of the GR20!
Stage 10 is an easy stage. It starts off with a long but fairly easy climb through Oak forrest from Vizzavona all the way up to Bocca Palmento. The forrest offers plenty of shade so sleeping out is not punished as much as on other parts of the hike. Bocca Palmento itself is a broad and grassy plain offering excellent views of Monte d’Oro.
From Bocca Palmento the path countours the mountainside, again mostly in Oak forrest. After about 30 minutes you get to the pictoresque Bergeries d’Alzeta. The following stretch contains quite a lot of ups and some downs and can feel quite long. The stage ends with a very steep ascent through Oak forrest to reach the Bergeries d’ E Capanelle.
Bergeries d’ E Capanelle is located along a road and is therefore somewhat more ‘luxorious’ than normal. It has a restaurant with excellent local Mouflon cheese and a gite d’etappe which has great, warm showers and proper toilets. Camping is possible on the skislope across the road from the main building.