Official GR20 stage · 15/16
Stage 15: Asinau → I Paliri
The longest stage of this closing stretch crosses the Bavella massif to the I Paliri refuge, overlooked by the Punta Tafunata — a granite needle pierced by a large hole, an emblem of the massif.
Essentials
The essentials
Key facts
- Distance · 15.2 km
- Elevation gain · +456 m
- Elevation loss · -961 m
- Max altitude · 1,554 m
- Difficulty · Sustained (3/5)
- Estimated walking time · 3h55 – 6h25
- On the trail · Stage 15 / 16
Download this stage's GPX
Official OpenStreetMap track, snapped to the PNRC refuges.
On the ground
On the ground
After the trail splits at Asinau, the standard route skirts the Bavella needles to the west, while the alpine variant (slabs, handlines) stays reserved for hikers comfortable with exposure — rated 'strong, optional', with the standard path avoiding it entirely. The stage drops sharply (961 m of descent against just 456 m of climb) down to I Paliri at 1055 m, the lowest refuge on the route, tucked among Laricio pines and red granite spires.
The alpine Bavella variant (cables, scrambling) is reserved for hikers at ease with exposure; the longer standard route avoids it entirely.
Water & resupply. Nearby Col de Bavella is one of the few genuine resupply points in the south (a shop and inns) — a useful reference if your stage plan runs through that area. At I Paliri, the last refuge before Conca, confirm water availability with the warden.
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