30 (great) ideas for your next hikes in France

Hikes around the cities

There's no need to cross the whole of France to take the key to the countryside. Bucolic and often off the beaten track, here are some examples of surprising itineraries within an hour of Paris, Bordeaux, Nantes, Lille or Marseille.

1/ ON THE "VEXIN EXPRESS

58 km - 2-3 days - Chars station / Bonnières station. To get away from the hustle and bustle of Paris, without passing through the classic Fontainebleau forest and Chevreuse valley, head west towards the Vexin. This vast plateau overlooking the loops of the Seine on its southern side is criss-crossed by a multitude of short hiking trails and two GR paths, where you can walk between fields, wooded valleys and villages with character. " The proof that it is possible to get a change of scenery just a few minutes by public transport from the capital", explains Clément Lhommeau, founder ofHelloways. The site has designed a route called Vexin Express, which has quickly become a hit with Parisian walkers. From the Chars station, you walk through fields and forests until you reach the steep hillside overlooking the Seine.
➤ O UR ADVICE: spend a night at the Bergerie de Villarceaux, a forest and organic farming estate with gîtes, a bivouac area and an organic restaurant (booking required).

2/ THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF FONTAINEBLEAU

52 km - 2-3 days - Fontainebleau-Avon station / Maisse station. Hiking in the Fontainebleau forest? Nothing original. But a complete crossing of the forest from east to west, with a total of more than 1,000 m of ascent, is a little more unusual! For Clément Lhommeau, from the website Helloways, who mapped out this "Trans'bleausarde", there is even something to be surprised about: "The path passes through all the most beautiful corners of the forest. A small sample: the Denecourt tower, the Apremont gorge, Barbizon, ridge paths, others that weave their way between sandstone blocks... In the sandy massif of the Trois Pignons, the path partly follows that of the "25 bumps", a historic circuit designed to climb the difference in altitude without leaving the Ile-de-France. There are gites, hotels and campsites along the way (wild camping is forbidden).
OUR ADVICE: make a diversion to Milly to have a look at the Cyclop, a monumental sculpture built between 1969 and 1994 (limited opening hours, ask for information).

3/ THE GRAND TOUR DE BORDEAUX

160 km - 10 days - Loop from Bordeaux. Walk 160 km... without (too) much distance from the city? It is possible in the Gironde metropolis, which in 2019 will have a GR (in fact, the old Boucle verte revamped) crossing 17 communes. On the left bank of the Garonne, it takes a vast tour of the margins of the conurbation (Blanquefort, Saint-Médard-en-Jalles, Pessac, Gradignan) linking parks and natural areas. Along the way, you will also come across several vineyards and wine châteaux. On the right bank, which is more uneven, the GR follows the slopes from Bouliac to Bassens, again from park to park, with beautiful views over Bordeaux. The official start is at the Chaban-Delmas bridge. But the trail is very accessible by public transport, and can therefore easily be walked in sections.
➤ O UR ADVICE: 11 "peri-urban refuges" have been set up. These huts, without water or electricity but with dry toilets, are free of charge (reservation required).

⋙ An urban hiking trail for walking in Bordeaux and its surroundings

4/ CARRIED BY THE SÈVRE NANTAISE

46 km - 2 days - Boussay- La Bruffière / Nantes station. Forget the ocean! This weekend getaway takes place in fresh water, along the banks of the Sèvre Nantaise, a tributary of the Loire. The idea is to be dropped off by train at Boussay (30 min south-east of Nantes), to return on foot to the city of the Dukes. We follow part of the GR de Pays Sèvre et Maine, walking under the foliage that borders this beautiful river, through the Muscadet vineyards. You will pass through some pretty villages and the town of Clisson, known for its medieval castle, its hard rock festival Hellfest and its air of "little Tuscany" (it was rebuilt in the 18th century with an Italian inspiration). " Between historical relics (mills, castles, factories), winding and even chaotic paths and the ever-fresh air of the river, this micro-adventure along the water brings you into Nantes through the main door, that of nature," sums up Clément Lhommeau, of the Helloways website.
➤ O UR ADVICE: on sunny days, don't forget your swimming costume: many places are suitable for swimming. And why not finish the hike by canoe or paddle from Clisson?

5/ WINDWARD ON THE OPAL COAST

50 km - 2-3 days - Boulogne-sur-Mer / Calais. A trip along the Opal Coast is the perfect option for a weekend full of sea air, with a view ofEngland as a bonus (on a clear day...). From Boulogne-sur-Mer, both a fishing port and a fortified town, the idea is to head north along the coast, through beaches, dunes and marshes, to Cape Gris-Nez, the closest point on the French coast to Great Britain. A dozen km further on, Cap Blanc-Nez dominates the sea from the top of its vertiginous chalk cliffs. White rock, green grass, a plunging view of the Channel and its cargo highway: the site is spectacular. From there, Calais is still 10 km away. You enter via Blériot-Plage, from where Louis Blériot took off in 1909 for the first crossing of the Channel by plane. On the way, you will also find some charming seaside resorts, such as Audresselles and Wissant, and many possibilities to sleep and eat with your nose in the sea.
➤ O UR ADVICE: hiking in the coalfield? It's possible, and it's another good option from Lille. Between Béthune and Valenciennes, seven loops of 50 to 115 km are labelled GR de Pays.

6/ WALKING THROUGH A CÉZANNE CANVAS

51 km - 2 days - Loop from Aix-en-Provence station. This itinerary will take you on an in-depth exploration of Mont Saint-Victoire, and will take you along its long summit ridge, which rises like a wave of stone in the hinterland of Marseille. From Aix, instead of going straight to the summit, head east to the village of Puyloubier, via the Bimont dam, the Cézanne refuge and then the superb perched path that runs along the foot of the limestone walls (via the Oppidum pass, the Baudino refuge and the Saint-Ser chapel). The next day, go up to the crests by the GR9 and walk along them towards the setting sun, until you find the Bimont dam. The view will make you forget that there is no water or shade on the way. On this route, "it's not unusual to think you're in a big American park", says Clément Lhommeau of Helloways. If you want to treat yourself, spend the night in Puyloubier, with its gastronomic restaurants and its rosé wine that refreshes in the fountain! Don't overdo it: you still have 2,000 m of ascent on the menu the next day...
➤ OUR ADVICE: from June to September, the massif may be forbidden due to the risk of fires. Find out more before you leave. Otherwise, you can also do this hike in spring, autumn, and even in winter!

GOURMET WALKS

Crossing vineyards, touring farms, climbing the mountain pastures and enjoying good food in the evening... These itineraries take you on a discovery of our terroirs. With the certainty of always having quality products on hand for the next day's picnic!

7/ THE GOLDEN VINES OF BEAUJOLAIS

109 km - 6 days - Loop from Lozanne. To the west of Villefranche, between the Saône and the Massif Central, this corner of the Beaujolais region turns golden in the setting sun: it is known for its villages made of "golden stone", a local ochre-yellow limestone which was used to build castles, churches, wash houses... and winegrowers' houses. Perched villages such as Ternand or Oingt are perfect examples. The GR de Pays which criss-crosses the region, starting from Lozanne (easily accessible by train from Lyon), winds its way through the vineyards of the AOC Beaujolais. On the path or not far from it, you will find prestigious domains and some good restaurants to taste the local gastronomy. Several shorter loops are possible.
➤ O UR ADVICE: the Beaujolais has been labelled a Unesco World Geopark since 2018, for its geological wealth. The path runs alongside several remarkable sites, such as the "golden stone" quarries of Glay.

8/ THE GREAT WINES OF THE LANGUEDOC

73 km - 4 days - Loop from Saint-Mathieu-de-Tréviers. In Montpellier, everyone knows the Pic Saint-Loup, which is both the name of a limestone mountain dominating the Languedoc plain... and that of a wine, whose vines stretch out at the foot of the summit. Starting from Saint-Mathieu-de-Tréviers (accessible by transport), the Vignes au Causse tour first crosses these wine-growing lands, passing near half a dozen estates. The section around the picturesque chapel of Aleyrac, in the middle of the vineyards, with a view of the peak, is perhaps the most beautiful. "It's a magical section, where you have the impression of being alone in the world", notes François Bou, of the Hérault FFRP committee. Then the path rises on the causse, and joins the plain of London to the west before climbing the peak from the west, from where you overlook the entire winegrowing landscape.
➤ O UR ADVICE: two addresses for sleeping and eating (very well): L'Auberge du Cèdre, opposite the Cazeneuve estate, and Le Mas de Baume, in Ferrières-les-Verreries.

9/ MEETINGS ON THE FARM

53 km - 3 days - Montbard / Chanceaux. To enable hikers to meet the farmers of the regions they are passing through: this is the objective of the association Au cœur des paysans, which imagines hiking routes interspersed with farm visits. Like this one, which starts from the TGV station in Montbard and winds through the green countryside of the Auxois, north of the Morvan, to the village of Chanceaux, from where you can reach Dijon. On the way, five farms (cereal production, cattle, sheep, chickens and snails) are open to visitors - remember to book. The area is steeped in history: we are right next to the site of the battle of Alesia. Don't miss the visit to the museum park. You also pass through Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, one of the most beautiful villages in France, famous for its aniseed sweets.
OUR ADVICE: book a table at the best restaurant in the area: the Auberge du Cheval-Blanc, with Régis Bolâtre, in Alise-Sainte-Reine.

10/ THE GOOD RESTAURANTS OF THE GERS

153 km - 8 days - Loop from Auch. Here is a tempting walk to discover the gastronomic heritage of the South West. Starting from the city of Auch (its Sainte-Marie cathedral is a major site on the Pilgrim 's Way to Santiago de Compostela), the GR de Pays Cœur de Gascogne will take you through all the good addresses. In the spa town of Castéra-Verduzan, first of all, you can take the time to visit the Bidache farm, which specialises in black Gascony pork. In Condom, the capital of Armagnac, the producers organise visits and tastings. In La Romieu, Les Jardins de Coursiana offer plums, honey and homemade sorbets and it is possible to picnic there. In Sainte-Mère, the Moulins farm produces foie gras, duck confit and the famous Lectoure melon. With a full belly, all you have to do is let yourself be driven through the rolling countryside, from bastide to castelnau, from the ramparts of Lectoure to Flaran Abbey, and its collection of paintings by Cézanne, Picasso, Courbet...
➤ O UR ADVICE: when it comes to good restaurants, there is an embarrassment of riches. Here are three: the traditional Florida in Castéra-Verduzan, the Racine in Lectoure, run by a Belgian and a Quebecoise, and La Grande Salle in Auch, at the Hôtel de France, a local institution

11/ THE PATHS OF THE GREEN FAIRY

48 km - 2 days - Pontarlier / Noiraigue (Switzerland). At the beginning of the 20th century, the ban on absinthe in France dealt a heavy blow to the Pontarlier region. The production of this plant alcohol was one of the jewels of this city of the Haut-Doubs, and occupied, in its golden age, more than 3 000 people. But the lifting of the ban in 2011 has enabled the town to reclaim its status as the capital of the "green fairy". Five producers have their headquarters in the town (and can be visited), including the Guy distillery, created in 1890. And an Absinthe road, with a footpath, has been traced to the Val-de-Travers, above the lake of Neufchâtel, in Switzerland. From Pontarlier, it first climbs the Larmont mountain, crosses the border between woods and alpine pastures and descends to the banks of the Areuse, which it follows to Noiraigues. Along the way, you will come across other distilleries, the village of Couvert, the true cradle of absinthe at the end of the 18th century (before production was relocated to Pontarlier), and also the Maison de l'Absinthe, a beautiful and instructive museum in Môtiers.
OUR ADVICE: from Noiraigues, continue to the narrow gorges of the Areuse, a magical site full of waterfalls and small lakes. Possibility of returning via the ridges and the summit of Les Tablettes.

12/ ON THE TRAIL OF THE PRINCE OF GRUYÈRES

140 km - 6-8 days - Loop starting from Queige. With its steep paths, its 4,400 m of vertical drop and its full view of Mont Blanc, this itinerary would have been well suited to the "Towards the summits" category. But going around the Beaufortain massif, between Albertville and Bourg-Saint-Maurice, is also the best way to discover the local speciality: Beaufort cheese. Passing above 1,500 m, towards Cormet de Roselend, you will walk through alpine pastures dotted with flowers. This is where the tarines and abondances graze in summer, whose milk is used as the basis for the "prince of gruyères". Further on, a variant of the trail leads to a balcony above the photogenic Roselend lake and to the Plan Mya refuge, a mountain chalet which serves mountain cuisine based on local products. And be sure to stock up in one of the shops of the dairy cooperative, in Les Saisies, Arèches (a variant of the route) or Beaufort - in the latter, you can even watch the cheese being made.
➤ O UR ADVICE: there's more than just cow's cheese in the Beaufortain! So drop by the Chalet du Lac, at the foot of Mont Mirantin. It sells grataron d'Arèches, a delicious goat's cheese.

Hiking in small and medium-sized mountains

The Vosges mountains, the Auvergne volcanoes, the high plateaus of the Jura, the pre-Alps... France is full of small and medium-sized mountain routes. A wild setting and well-spread out differences in altitude provide a gentle prologue, before tackling higher altitudes!

13/ LA PETITE MONGOLIE AUVERGNATE
135 km - 7-8 days - Loop from Egliseneuve d'Entraigues or Allanche. No Puy de Sancy, Puy de Dôme or Plomb du Cantal on this route. And yet, between the burons, the volcanic stone, and the cows in abundance, there is no doubt: we are in the Auvergne! Created in the 1980s, then abandoned, the Tour des Vaches rouges has been redeveloped and redesigned. It runs through the green expanses of the high pasture plateaus of the Cézallier, a region as magnificent as it is little known, culminating at an altitude of 1,458 m, in the heart of the Auvergne Volcanoes Park. "We are immersed in this "little Auvergne Mongolia" landscape, in a very sparsely populated area", describes Philippe Tours, a hiking technician. Twenty or so accommodations welcome the hiker who wants a little more comfort than a tent.
Our advice: for those who only have a few days ahead of them, the tour can be divided into two loops of 80 km each.

14/ ON THE SLOPES OF A SUPER-VOLCANO

140 km - 7-8 days - Loop from Murat, Le Lioran... Did you know that all the Cantal mountains are the remains of a single super-volcano, the largest in Europe? Formed 13 million years ago, this sleeping colossus (its last eruption was 2 million years ago) has undergone intense activity, which has given rise to a tumultuous landscape. This hiker's paradise is encircled by the star-shaped GR400, which hops merrily from one valley to the next. If it takes a week to complete it, you can do it in 2, 3, 4, 6 days... Whatever the itinerary, try to include a passage over the crests between the Puy Mary and the Col de Rombière," says Sylvie Favat, from Cantal Destination. That's where you'll find the most spectacular scenery."
➤ OUR ADVICE: for a privileged view in the early hours of the morning, spend a night at the (unguarded) buron d'Eylac refuge, just at the foot of Puy Mary.

15/ THE SUMMIT OF PROVENCE

226 km - 10 days - Loop from Buis-les-Baronnies. The tour of the Provençal Baronnies crosses a region of medium mountains between the Drôme and the Hautes-Alpes, protected by a regional nature park. Low density, tormented limestone relief, villages bathed in light, abundant wildlife... The itinerary, which culminates at 1,500 m and totals 10,500 m of vertical drop, offers a real change of scenery. You walk among olive trees and low stone walls, up to the Buëch valley, where you approach the high peaks of the Ecrins and the Dévoluy. It is cut in the middle by the GR91, which allows you to do only part of it. It can be walked all year round, including in winter," notes Philippe Poirier, of the FFRP in the Drôme. Be careful though, in summer the heat can quickly become overwhelming."
➤ O UR ADVICE: save a day to venture out on the via ferrata of Buis-les-Baronnies, one of the longest and most beautiful in France.

16/ LE GRAND TOUR DES BALLONS

70 km - 4 days - Loop from Orbey. Want to discover the Vosges? This 4-day loop crosses some of the most emblematic spots of the massif - without forgetting to get lost in some secret corners. Starting from Orbey, it begins by climbing to the Lac Blanc, before following the ridges a little below, via a series of lakes hidden between the fir trees (Lac du Forlet, Lac Vert...). After the Schlucht pass and the summit of the Hohneck (1 363 m), you will take the GR5 through the stubble fields (high altitude pastures typical of the Vosges), then the GR532 to the Petit Ballon. From there, it's just a matter of going back to the valley of Munster to return to the starting point. It's a good introduction for those who don't know the massif," says Quentin Cogitore, who has put together this route for his hiking blog Vosges qui peut. The panoramas are superb, you discover most of the biotopes characteristic of the massif... and there are some challenging parts, notably the Roches trail (a long section on the cliff face)." While some sites are very busy, especially in summer, the crowds thin out the rest of the year.
➤ O UR ADVICE: allow yourself a stopover in one of the farm inns of the Petit Ballon. This is an opportunity to try the marcaire meal, the traditional peasant snack.

17/ THE HAUT-JURA FROM CRESTS TO COMBES

53 km - 3 days - Loop from Lélex. Starting from Lélex (accessible by bus from the TGV station of Bellegarde- sur-Valserine), you start by joining the ridge path that runs up to the Colomby de Gex (1,688 m), one of the highest points of the massif. "From up there, the view is incredible. You can see the whole of Lake Geneva, with a panoramic view of the Chablais and the Mont Blanc massif", describes Cyril Henry, in charge of the Grandes traversées du Jura association. After Mijoux and Lajoux, there is a change of atmosphere: the route explores the "hautes combes", these high plateaus at an altitude of over 1,000 m, covered with meadows and spruce forests. After the small villages of Les Moussières and La Pesse, we gently descend towards Lélex.
OUR ADVICE: in Les Moussières, a village located on two AOCs (comté and bleu de Gex), go through the Fromagerie du Haut-Jura, which houses production workshops, a museum and a shop. You won't feel so guilty about filling up after three days of effort!

18/ BETWEEN GORGES AND PEAT BOGS

110 km - 6 days - Chaux-des-Crotenay / Nyon (or Sain-Claude). The Echappée jurassienne, 352 km from Dole to Lake Geneva, is a sort of west-east equivalent of the Grande traversée du Jura, the classic route that crosses the massif from north to south. The first third of the trail is at low altitude, through landscapes of gorges, waterfalls, lakes and peat bogs... But shortly after Lons-le-Saunier, the path begins to rise, until it reaches over 1,000 m as it approaches Switzerland. Before Les Rousses, the path passes on a balcony above Morez, then by the summit of Gros Crétet, at 1 300 m. You then have to choose: either continue to Nyon and Lake Geneva, two or three days' walk away on the GR5. Or branch off in the direction of Saint-Claude, which is more practical if you want to return to Chaux-des-Crotenay by train. If you have two more days, you can also opt to start from Lons-le-Saunier, which allows you to make a diversion to the Hérisson waterfalls and the Quatre lacs lookout, two major sites in the Jura... before returning to the classic route.
➤ O UR ADVICE: after Les Rousses, make a small diversions to Prémanon to visit the Espace des mondes polaires. The place houses the collections of the explorer Paul-Emile Victor (1907-1995), a local child.

Hiking at altitude

Put on your best shoes and take out the walking sticks... These aerial routes will give you access to some of the most beautiful panoramas in the Alps and the Pyrenees. Even if we are not yet into mountaineering, we promise you some nice vertical drops!

19/ THE SECRET VALLEYS OF VANOISE

60 km - 3-4 days - Loop from Val d'Isère. This itinerary may link some of the most beautiful parts of the Vanoise Park, but you will often find yourself alone in the long valleys that surround the Pointe de la Sana (3,436 m). From Val-d'Isère, the slopes quickly disappear as you climb towards the Fond des Fours refuge. From there, you head south towards the high Col de la Rocheure (beware, the markings are minimal). The pass leads to the valley of the same name, a jewel lined with peaks at over 3000m. We then reach the Plan du Lac, which is much more popular, via a diversion at altitude through the pass and the pointe de Lancerlia (2909 m). Then we head north towards the Leisse valley, dominated by the south face of the Grande Casse, to the refuge and the pass of the same name. Return to Val-d'Isère via Tignes or the Col de Fresse.
➤ O UR ADVICE: you can extend the pleasure with numerous short day hikes along the route (Col des Fours and Vanoise, Lozières lakes...).

20/ WONDERS OF UBAYE

61 km - 5 days - Loop from Larche, Fouillouse or Maljasset. Nestled between the Queyras and the Mercantour, the upper Ubaye valley is one of the wildest corners of the French Alps, dominated by the rocky bastions of the Aiguille and the Brec de Chambeyron. To flirt with these heights, follow the GRP Tour du Chambeyron. The calves will be hot (more than 5,000 m of difference in altitude), but the setting is well worth it: high mineral valleys, passes at more than 2,500 m (and a summit at 3,000, the Frema head, which is easily reached from the Gypière pass), waterfalls and glacial lakes (such as that of the Nine Colours, in the shape of a heart), fauna and flora in abundance... without forgetting a disorienting incursion into the Italian Val Maira.
➤ O UR ADVICE: take the Sautron pass to complete the hike in three days. A little more time? Extend the itinerary by two days with the Font Sancte tour.

21/ STEEPLY TOWARDS SWITZERLAND

45 km - 4 days - Loop from Sixt-Fer-à- Cheval, Samoëns, Morzine ... Want to test the hospitality of a Swiss "cabane" (refuge) and taste a good rösti at 2,000 m altitude? In the Giffre massif, the tour of the Dents blanches, a short but tough circuit (4,200 m of difference in altitude), winds around a small mountain range culminating at 2,700 m between Haute-Savoie and Valais. You navigate through a landscape of mountain pastures, high meadows and steep limestone walls, with a few sensational passages, such as the Col des Ottans, a long aerial chimney equipped with cables. On the way, you will find several refuges, such as the Folly, Vogealle, or Susanfe, in Switzerland, from where you can climb the Haute Cime (3,257 m, a long and demanding hike to be done only when there is no snow).
Our advice: a departure from Sixt allows you to go through the cirque du Fer-à- Cheval, an impressive natural amphitheatre formed by 2 ,000 m cliffs.

22/ THAT THE MOUNTAIN IS BEAUTIFUL

130 km - 11 days - Aiguebelle / Vizille. With its 11,000 m of difference in altitude, its size is roughly equivalent to that of the Tour du Mont-Blanc or the Corsican GR20... With the advantage of being completed a little more quickly than these two great classics of mountain hiking. The high crossing of Belledonne, this massif which stretches between Savoie and Isère, bordered by urban areas and roads, but very wild in the interior, is the new challenge thrown down to hikers. Since 2017, this route, originally created by the Fédération des Alpages, has been marked out in white and red under the name GR738. From Aiguebelle in the north to Vizille in the south (or vice versa), you will cross a summary of what the mountain has to offer: forest paths, ridges or balconies, demanding passages in scree slopes, mountain pastures, wild valleys, mineral heights, dark lakes, grandiose panoramas... " This route is destined to become one of the new must-do mountain hikes," says Sylvain Bazin, journalist and author of La France des GR (published by Glénat).
➤ O UR ADVICE: if the weather is good, climb to the Pra refuge, at the Croix de Belledonne (2,926 m), almost the highest point of the massif. A busy but superb hike.

23/ ON THE SWALLOW TRAIL

70 km - 3 to 5 days - Lescun or Arette / La Pierre Saint-Martin. At the beginning of the 20th century, in this region between the Basque Country and Bearn, hundreds of Spanish women crossed the border on foot, through the mountains, to look for work on the French side. Because of their black clothes, they were called "swallows". The Swallows' route (or ruta de las Golondrinas) pays tribute to them today. This cross-border route runs through the La Pierre Saint-Martin massif (or Larra-Belagua on the Spanish side), where the Pyrenees begin to rise above 2,000 metres. This region, with one of the most spectacular limestone reliefs in Europe, is dominated by the 2,504-metre-high Anie peak pyramid, which can be climbed along the way. The itinerary, which visits four refuges in the two countries, exists in three versions: a sporting and mountainous 3-day version, a "classic" 4-day version, and a long 5-day version, with an incursion on the Spanish side in the Belagua valley (upper part of the Roncal valley).
OUR ADVICE: this karstic massif hides some of the deepest chasms in the world. For a glimpse, visit the spectacular Verna room.

24/ IN THE SHADOW OF THE VIGNEMALE

102 km - 7 days - Loop from Fabrèges (Ossau valley). A one-week escape in the heart of the Pyrenees National Park, around its giants of more than 3,000 m (the Balaïtous, the Vignemale, the Grand Fache, the Pic d'Enfer...): this is the tempting menu of the 3,000 Lakes (3,000 Ibones) tour. It starts on the French side, at the foot of the Pic du Midi d'Ossau, and heads east: the small Migouélou refuge, the Cambalès lakes, the popular Oulettes de Gaube refuge and its full view of the Vignemale... Then it is the passage to Spain at the Mulets pass, and the return to the west. " Between the two sides, French and Spanish, you can clearly see the difference in ecosystems, and also in culture", notes Julien Lageat, in charge of the Entrepyr project, a website compiling cross-border routes in the Pyrenees. Climbs of the high peaks around the route, between hiking and mountaineering, are possible but not to be taken lightly (good conditions and equipment required). The itinerary, with a total of 6,700 m of ascent, can easily be divided into shorter variants.
OUR ADVICE: to reach the official start, you must take the little train from Artouste. To avoid this "touristy" preamble, go directly to the col du Lurien.

Multi-day hikes in France

For those who have time on their hands, here is a selection of six escapes that can be done, without hurrying, in two to three weeks. Ideal for seeing the country, and for letting yourself be intoxicated, kilometre after kilometre, by the slow rhythm that makes the charm of long walks.

25/ NORMANDY BY ITS EDGES

436 km - 20-22 days - Isigny-sur-Mer / Le Mont-Saint-Michel. It is true that the GR34, which follows the Breton coastline for 2,000 km, is the king of coastal paths! But its Norman variant, the GR223, also has serious arguments. From Isigny-sur-Mer to Mont-Saint-Michel, it circles the Cotentin peninsula, that part of Normandy that juts out into the Channel. Marshes, valleys and hedgerows, small ports such as Barfleur or Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, urban passage through Cherbourg... And above all, kilometres and kilometres of coastline lined with fields, where you can pass from immense sandy beaches to isolated bays, from dunes to granite cliffs, under changing skies. To the north of the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, the view of the "Wonder" is unforgettable. This section has even been called "the most beautiful kilometre in France"...
➤ OUR ADVICE: no time to do the 460 km? Be satisfied with a loop around one of the two points of the Cotentin: the Cap de la Hague to the north-west, or the Cap de Barfleur to the north-east.

26/ THE ARGOAT PATHS

223 km - 12 days - Loop from Morlaix. In Brittany, we distinguish between Armor, the coastal part, and Argoat, the inland part. The former is well known to tourists, the latter less so... wrongly so! To immerse yourself in it, you can walk the 500 km of the GR37, the classic inland crossing of Brittany. Or, less well known, concentrate on Finistère and its GR380, a beautiful loop around the Monts d'Arrée. Mystical parish enclosures from the 16th-17th centuries, the bewitching peat bog of Yeun Elez, where you expect to come across the Ankou at every step, the eminences of Roc'h Trévézel and Roc'h Trédudon, the intriguing rocky chaos of the Huelgoat forest... Here you can discover the Brittany of fields and legends, lost villages, hedged farmland and wild moors. A change from the coast!
OUR ADVICE: if, in spite of everything, you feel like going to the sea, just don't complete the loop and get back, halfway along the GR37, to head west towards Crozon.

27/ L'ÉCHAPPÉE CÉVENOLLE

240 km - 10-12 days - Le Puy-en-Velay / Saint-Gilles-du-Gard. And at the very end, the sea... Régordane is a bit of a "Stevenson's path", but more direct and almost to the coast! Like its famous cousin, the GR700 starts from Le Puyen-Velay, heads towards the Allier valley, the Gévaudan, the Cévennes, then Alès. But it wastes no time in long detours: in the Middle Ages, the Régordane route was a commercial and pilgrimage route, the final part of the axis leading from the Île-de-France to the Mediterranean. After Alès (where Stevenson stopped), the path continues towards Nîmes and Saint-Gilles-du-Gard, once a flourishing port on the edge of the Camargue. From this rich historical and cultural past, one comes across many traces: medieval villages, castles, churches... All of this in an ever-changing landscape, from the forests of the high plateaus of the Massif Central to the softness of the Costières.
➤ O UR ADVICE: the path more or less follows the "Cévennes line", linking Clermont-Ferrand à Nîmes. So you can always find a station to shorten your stay.

28/ DOWN THE LOIRE

430 km - 16-20 days - Bonny-sur-Loire or Briare / Mûrs-Erigné (Angers). Cycling along the most beautiful river in France is an idea that has become one of the great classics of cycle tourism. But the itinerary can also be considered on foot... Provided you have time to spare. The GR3, which connects Mount Gerbier-de-Jonc to the Atlantic, is indeed 1,243 km long. This can be done in two months. An intermediate objective could be to cover its most majestic part, classified as a Unesco heritage site: that of the châteaux, vineyards and iconic views of the wild river, between the east of the Loiret and the Angers region. You will then set off from Bonny-sur-Loire or Briare, known for its astonishing bridge-canal spanning the river. Before gliding along the river to Orléans, Blois, Amboise, Tours, Saumur... The GR3 was the first GR created in France in 1947," says Didier Babin, President of the French Hiking Federation. It is not overcrowded, crosses some very beautiful regions... and will take you right up to the incomparable Chambord!"
➤ O UR ADVICE: for a wilder side of the Loire, venture upstream, still on the GR3, or one of its variants (GR3F, GR des gorges de la Loire).

29/ ESCAPADE IN CATHAR COUNTRY

117 km - 9 to 12 days - Foix / Berga (Spain). Exile rather than burning at the stake: in the Middle Ages, fleeing the Inquisition, the last Cathars or "Bonshommes" took this route to find refuge in northern Catalonia. Starting from Foix, the Chemin des Bonshommes (GR107) first intersects with the better known sentier Cathare, which leads to the Mediterranean. But once past the bastion of Montségur and the Frau gorges, it branches off to the south and enters a secret country of medium mountains, to reach the high valley of the Ariège and the Puymorens pass, the ancestral crossing of the Pyrenees. The crossing of another pass, the Portella Blanca (2,517 m), will then take you into Spain. The route continues towards the Cadi-Moixero natural park, a forest-covered limestone fortress, through a handful of villages, and around the double forked summit of Pedraforca. There are one to two days left until Berga.
OUR ADVICE: from Mérens, a mountain variant will take you to Porté-Puymorens via another high pass, with a nice passage along the pond of Lanoux.

30/ IMMERSION IN WILD FRANCE

250 km - 11 days - Aumont-Aubrac / Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. One look at the map and you know you're in for a treat. The Saint-Guilhem route, which starts on the Aubrac plateau, passes through some of the wildest parts of France. You will pass through the village of Sainte-Énimie, right at the gateway to the Tarn gorges, cross the arid solitudes of the Méjean causse and criss-cross the Cévennes to the foot of Mount Aigoual... With a grand finale in the limestone amphitheatre of the Navacelles cirque (Hérault). In the past, these 240 km were travelled by shepherds, pilgrims and traders passing from the highlands to the lowlands. Brought out of obscurity about ten years ago, it is now a route of pure beauty through rural and preserved France, where the spaces are infinite and the panoramas beautiful to tears. "This is definitely the most beautiful crossing of the Massif Central, and none of the places you pass through deserve to be bypassed," boasts journalist Sylvain Bazin, author of La France des GR (published by Glénat).
➤ O UR ADVICE: if you want to enjoy the unique atmosphere of the Tarn gorges a little more, a variant consists in walking up them from La Canourgue.