Prepare
Phone signal, charging and resupply: refuge by refuge
Can you charge your phone and get a signal in the GR20 refuges? The answer fits in two sentences: no, don't count on the refuges to charge — carry a power bank; and yes, there is signal, but in patches, mostly on the ridges. Here's the honest picture, refuge by refuge.
The essentials
Two truths to pack
1. Charging. The GR20 refuges are run by the Park and work off-grid, on solar power at best. A few sockets exist here and there (sometimes paid, around €2), but they're scarce, mobbed in the evening, and never guaranteed. Simple conclusion: a power bank is essential, and a small solar panel is a real plus over twelve to sixteen days.
2. Signal. Mobile coverage is unstable or non-existent near most refuges (dead zones). You mostly get signal on the ridges and near the few road-accessible points, like Haut-Asco. Use those windows to message home, check the weather and manage a booking.
In an emergency, 112 (call) and 114 (SMS) work even without your own operator's signal: they switch to any available network. That's decisive in dead zones — all detailed on the safety page.
Refuge by refuge
Signal, charging, water and resupply, refuge by refuge
For the 12 staffed Park refuges, north to south, here's what we know — staying honest about what's uncertain. Everything is indicative and to be confirmed with the warden: these facilities change with the season, the warden and the weather.
| Refuge | Signal | Charging | Water | Resupply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ortu di u Piobbu | Dead zone | None reliable | Spring (100 m) | Shop |
| Carrozzu | Dead zone | Solar, limited | At the refuge | Shop + meals |
| Ascu Stagnu (Haut-Asco) | Variable | Limited (road) | At the station | Mini-market + bar |
| Tighjettu | Dead zone | None reliable | At the refuge | Shop + meals |
| Ciottulu di i Mori | Dead zone | None reliable | Spring | Meals any time |
| Manganu | Dead zone | Solar, limited | At the refuge | Half board + meals |
| Petra Piana | Unconfirmed | None reliable | At the refuge | Shop + meals |
| L'Onda | Dead zone | None reliable | At the refuge | Kitchen + meals |
| Prati | Unconfirmed | None reliable | At the refuge | Shop + meals |
| Usciolu | Dead zone | None reliable | Stream | Shop + meals |
| Asinau | Unconfirmed | None reliable | Unconfirmed | Unconfirmed |
| I Paliri | Dead zone | None reliable | At the refuge (cold) | Unconfirmed |
How to read: Dead zone = no signal expected · Variable = depends on operator and spot · Unconfirmed = not reliably documented. Solar/limited charging sometimes exists but is never guaranteed.
Charging
The golden rule: don't count on the refuges
Plan your power as if no refuge could charge your phone — that's the only safe assumption. In practice:
- A power bank of 10,000 to 20,000 mAh, depending on how you use your phone (GPS, photos, tracks).
- Airplane mode during the day: a phone hunting for signal in a dead zone drains the battery for nothing.
- A small, light solar panel is a real plus on a long traverse, charging as you walk.
- Where charging exists (rare, sometimes paid), treat it as a top-up, never your main plan.
Signal
Where it catches, and staying reachable
Signal follows the terrain: you get more on the heights, on ridges and cols, than down in the valleys where most refuges sit. The road-accessible points — Haut-Asco, Vizzavona, Bavella — are the most reliable.
To stay reachable: use the ridges to send your messages, keep airplane mode the rest of the time, and save your maps and booking confirmations offline. For very committing solo routes, some carry a beacon or satellite phone — but 112/114 stays the basic reflex, covered on the safety page.
Water & resupply
Drinking and resupplying on the way
For water, most refuges have a water point or a spring nearby; the full map of springs and fountains is on the GR20 water points page.
For resupply, several refuges run a small shop and serve meals, but the offer varies a lot: Haut-Asco (mini-market) is the best stocked, others stick to the basics. The detail, refuge by refuge, is on the refuges pages.