Here you can find more information regarding resupply strategies for water and food along the GR20.

Water along the GR20

Every evening, we collected water at the clean sources of the refuges, and I personally carried 3L with me every day, since we hiked the GR20 in July and the temperatures were getting very high. Additionally, some of the water sources on trail might dry out during the warmest summer months, so I strongly advise to always carry with you plenty of water for the whole stage. There are many rivers along the trail from which water can also be collected, but it is recommended to always filter it, if not collected from an official source.

Food along the GR20

For hiking the GR20, it is important to minimize your backpack weight, and the presence of food at every hut on the trail will allow you to do so.

If you are planning to cook your own meals, food can be purchased at the small shops of the refuges, either for breakfast, dinner, or even lunch on the way. The shops sell indeed all sorts of snacks, sausages and cheese, can food, pasta, sauce and bread. Moreover, a shared cooking area will also be present, equipped with cooking gas. It is therefore not necessary to carry your own camping gas and stove, but they could come in handy if you want to avoid the queue forming around the cooking area at dinner time. However, we advise to bring your own lighter, pot, knife and spork, since not all the kitchens are well equipped.

All refuges also serve dinner and breakfast to hikers. Some of them even offer a-la-carte meals during the day, and a picknick to take away for the next stage. If you want to enjoy a social meal at the hut, make sure to reserve it once you show up and check in.

Our Food Plan

Since we were not aware about the situation on the GR20 and feared overcrowding, we decided to carry with us enough food for 7 dinners. However, as soon as we arrived at the refuge after our first stage, we realized that we made a big mistake. Not only our backpacks felt super heavy, but food was also going to be available at every hut on the trail!

We therefore started to get rid of our food by cooking almost every evening in the northern section. For breakfast and lunch on the way, we always purchased snacks, energy bars, sausage and cheese at the small shops of the huts. After a while, we started alternating cooking with proper meals at the refuges, since we sometimes felt tired and lazy in the evening, and we wanted to enjoy a social time with fellow hikers.