You’ll be able to swoon over postcard-perfect views of lavender fields billowing in summer season breezes, or vistas of hovering Alpine peaks and wild, Atlantic-bashed coastlines, however you’ll by no means really feel the true magic of France and the poetry of its landscapes till you sling in your climbing boots and hit the dusty trails.
And what wonders await hikers in France! From dormant volcanoes that final bubbled up over the past Ice Age to azure rivers corkscrewing by way of deep canyons, France has a path to match each temper, second and degree of skill. Our eight favourite French hikes soak up all the pieces from cloud-grazing peaks to Provence’s drowsy, sun-kissed countryside and the wave-hammered seashores of the Basque Nation.
Sentier du Littoral, French Basque Nation
Greatest coastal day hike
25km (15.5 miles), 5–6 hours, straightforward
Seashores smashed by Atlantic waves, rocky coves, countryside blanketed in maquis (scrub) and fishing villages snuggled beneath excessive cliffs present a hefty hit of the ocean on this coastal stunner of a day hike within the French Basque Nation. Forging a path between the Pyrenees and the Bay of Biscay, the Sentier du Littoral delivers one heart-lifting coastal view after one other because it strides from Bidart to Hendaye through Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
Highlights are plentiful. You gained’t overlook the views of the Bay of Biscay from Colline de Cenitz, the cheerful seaside buzz of St-Jean de Luz, Socoa’s chunky Seventeenth-century fort and the dramatic cliffs of the Corniche in a rush. Stroll the path from north to south for arresting views of the Jaizkibel mountain vary, the granite crown of Les Trois Couronnes and the 905m (2969ft) peak of La Rhune, topped by Neolithic dolmens and stone circles and swirling with Basque mythology.
Technically, the hike is a breeze, however in summer season particularly, be sure to convey loads of sunscreen and water and stroll within the early morning or late afternoon to dodge the relentless noon solar.
Chemin de Stevenson, Cévennes
Greatest hike for rural romance
270km (169 miles), 2 weeks, average
A love letter to Scottish creator, Robert Louis Stevenson, who trekked throughout the Cévennes in 1878 along with his cussed donkey Modestine, this hike is one in every of France’s most basic – and charming – long-distance rambles. You’ll be able to learn concerning the journey in Stevenson’s travelogue, Travels with a Donkey within the Cévennes. Touring from the forests of the Cévennes throughout the ragged granite Mont Lozère massif into the rolling farmland and valleys of Gévaudan and Velay, the route is the agricultural French dream in a nutshell.
Donkey or no donkey, the path (also referred to as the GR70) is an actual magnificence, weaving from Le Puy-en-Velay to Alès by way of forested ravines and rolling cornfields, passing ruined châteaux and stone-built hamlets, and crossing sunbaked hillsides the place cicadas and cowbells present the backbeat.
Fiery sunsets give option to nights spent tenting or sleeping at easy rural gîtes (guesthouses), because the surroundings builds like a drumroll, saving one of the best for final – the Unesco-listed Parc National des Cévennes, bristling with beech, oak and candy chestnut woods and scored by gorges, cliffs and rivers. This spectacularly biodiverse park is house to beavers, otters, roe deer and golden eagles.
The burly Scot and his mule little doubt discovered the climbs a chunk of cake, however a number of ridge ascents flip what would in any other case be a delicate stroll right into a tougher hike, so come ready. Mountaineering the complete route takes round two weeks, or you’ll be able to simply sort out one of many particular person sections.
Lac Blanc, Chamonix
Greatest hike for mountain fiends
11km (7 miles), 5–6 hours, difficult
Mais oui, it’s simpler to take the cable automotive, however the place’s the enjoyable in that? Should you’re the form of hiker who thinks it’s dishonest to face eye to eye with one in every of Europe’s most spectacular mountains with out breaking a sweat or getting a blister, this hike from Argentière close to Chamonix to jewel-like Lac Blanc is for you, expensive pal.
It’s all uphill from the place to begin in Tré-le-Champ in Argentière, with greater than 1000m (3280ft) of rocky and rugged ascents to barter, and some dizzying mounted ladders to climb. However it’s effectively price it – the Lacs des Chéserys are a tantalizing prelude for sapphire-blue Lac Blanc, with its out-of-this-world view of 4808m (15,774ft) Mont Blanc and the Aiguille du Midi.
Wildlife thrives at these craggy heights, so hold a glance out for mouflon, golden eagles and, above all, ibex. The icing on the cake is attending to eat at – and even higher, keep the evening at – the Refuge du Lac Blanc, perched at 2352m (7717ft).
You’ll want a head for heights, an honest degree of health and good timing for this one, as you’re coping with correct Alpine terrain. The path is barely accessible from the second half of June by way of to September; earlier than or after that, because the title ‘White Lake’ suggests, you’ll have snow to cope with.
GR20, Corsica
Greatest hike for the sheer problem
180km (112 miles), 2 weeks, difficult
Of the various 1000’s of miles of sentiers (climbing trails) spidering throughout France, the trek hailed as essentially the most epic is the GR20 in Corsica. This two-week, into-the-wild, no-holds-barred, knee-crunching monster of a trek sends a shiver down the backbone of even essentially the most ardent and skilled hiker. Maybe essentially the most stunning factor is that this beast of a hike exists on a Mediterranean island the place most individuals come to relax on the seashore.
However it’s a magnificence, too. Traversing the island from Calenzana to Conca, north of Porto Vecchio, it delivers continuous drama, from deep ravines to glacial lakes, granite crags to wind-battered craters, peat bogs to snow-topped peaks and plains to forests. That is one in every of Europe’s hardest trails and the terrain is hardcore, with loads of steep climbs, uncovered scrambles and slippery crossings that can make you curse and madly crave extra.
Some planning is required as you’ll be drawing water from springs and sleeping in mountain refuges. Word that wild tenting is formally not permitted, however folks might casually flip a blind eye for those who’re discreet and passed by dawn. The entire route takes two weeks, it’s going to break your again and soul, however you’ll be raving about this stroll ceaselessly.
Tour du Mont Blanc, France, Switzerland, Italy
Greatest long-distance hike
180km (112 miles), 10–14 Days, moderate-challenging
Insanely common (and with good motive), the long-distance Tour du Mont Blanc throws you in on the deep finish, whisking you thru a number of the most jaw-dropping surroundings in France, Switzerland and Italy because it circumnavigates the gnarly, snow-polished peaks of the Mont Blanc massif. A check of grit and stamina, the path twists as much as sky-high passes, grazes glaciers and wild rivers, and plunges you into distant, stunning valleys and meadows bursting with wildflowers.
Nearly as memorable because the views are nights spent tenting beneath starry skies or digging right into a heat meal at a country hut plonked on a mountainside. You will additionally relish peachy sunrises and sunsets, and the possibility to glimpse altitude-loving wildlife similar to marmots, chamois and ibex.
The tour is a summertime endeavor, accessible from late June to early September, however come ready for wild climate always – situations can change on the drop of a hat, as dazzling sunshine provides option to thunderstorms. There’s no want for technical gear (crampons, ropes, and so on) however convey heat layers, waterproofs and strong boots.
Beginning and ending in Les Houches close to Chamonix, the path is greatest hiked clockwise so you’ll be able to acclimatize for the more durable climbs in direction of the top. Planning is crucial because the mountain huts get booked out months forward.
Sentier des Ocres, Roussillon
Greatest hike in Provence for households
1.5km (0.9 miles), 1 hour, straightforward
With its spectacularly eroded rock formations, blushing a coloration chart of reds from dusky pink to rusty terracotta, this canyon in Roussillon in Provence feels extra just like the American Wild West, particularly beneath a searing blue sky.
This former quarry was as soon as an necessary middle for the ochre mining trade, however in the present day it is the cinematic backdrop for a brief however astonishingly pretty round path, which weaves by way of a desert-like panorama of cliffs and ridges and groves of chestnut and pine.
It’s a terrific brief hike for households, with data panels giving the within scoop on native vegetation and wildlife. Put on strong strolling footwear and keep away from white garments, as you will get dusty. You’ll be able to stroll the route from mid-February to December.
Puy de Dôme, Massif Central
Greatest volcano hike
6km (3.7 miles), 1½ hours, average
The world that makes up France’s midriff stays sorely missed by hikers, however Auvergne’s long-extinct volcanoes are a geological and visible deal with. Right here, sleeping volcanoes that final blew their prime greater than 7000 years in the past rumple the panorama. The countryside is blanketed in inexperienced, giving option to granite plateaus and glacier-sculpted valleys that may solely actually be appreciated on foot.
This wondrous panorama types the huge Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d’Auvergne, and the jewel in its crown is the Unesco World Heritage-listed Chaîne des Puys, a 40km (25-mile) string of cinder cones and lava domes. The showstopper is 1465m (4806ft) Puy de Dôme.
Most people soar on the rack railway to succeed in the highest, leaving hikers to benefit from the peace of the Chemin de Muletiers, a brief, steep outdated mule path that hoists its method up picket steps and alongside wildflower-fringed paths to the summit. This path has been hiked for millennia, as pilgrims as soon as used it to succeed in the Gallo-Roman Temple de Mercure, which now lies in ruins on the prime. Uplifting views from the summit scan throughout a panorama puckered with volcanoes all the best way to the Limagne plain.
Blanc-Martel Path, Gorges du Verdon
Greatest canyon hike
16km (10 miles), 6–7 hours, average
One in every of France’s most stirring pure wonders is the Gorges du Verdon, the place limestone cliffs razor above the startlingly turquoise Verdon River because it carves its method by way of the plateau to the Alps. Within the shadows and hush of early morning, the canyon is totally peaceable, enclosed by partitions of rock reaching as much as 700m (2297ft), however hear fastidiously and also you would possibly hear the screech of a golden eagle wheeling overhead.
You’ll be able to admire the canyon from many viewpoints and picnic spots, however the best way to really get the measure of Verdon is to hike the Blanc-Martel Path, which twists and turns by way of the gorge and right down to the river. Later, the route sneaks alongside trails scored into the excessive canyon partitions, often dipping right into a tunnel (convey a torch), traversing a bridge or teetering up a flight of picket steps. It’s a correct day-long journey, with the odd steep descent and ascent thrown into the combination.
Because the hike is point-to-point, you’ll want to consider transport. The most suitable choice is to begin your stroll at Chalet de la Maline in La Palud-sur-Verdon and finish at Level Chic, the place you’ll be able to take a shuttle bus again to the trailhead. The gorge will get as sizzling as an oven in summer season, so get a pleasant early begin and produce loads of sunscreen and water.
