France walking holiday highlights & map

The word for ‘hike’ in French is randonner, and throughout the country there is a network of long distance, waymarked trails known as the Grandes Randonnees, or GR (pronounced Jay-Err). French hikers will always refer to the GR10, for example, which traverses the Pyrenees, the GR50 and GR54 in the Parc National des Écrins, or the GR52 through the Alpes Maritimes in the Mercantour National Park. Consequently, there is a super impressive infrastructure that has grown around the GRs and other trails, many based on ancient shepherd routes or hunting domains. Whether it is through the alpine wonders of Mont Blanc or Haute Savoie, the Pyrenean promeneurs’ paradise or ancient woodlands of the Poitou-Charentes, France walking holiday highlights are many and varied.

“For walkers who enjoy seeing birds, ‘Bocage’ in the Pay de Gâtine in Poitou-Charentes, especially May and June, is recommended, when nesting birds are at their most active. Mixed countryside with woods, small cultivated fields, meadows and pastures with ancient hedgerows, orchards and lakes is the best for seeing birds and makes for more-interesting walking. The Anse de l’Aiguillon (just north of la Rochelle on the Atlantic coast) is the best place in Europe to see wading birds. 250,000 birds congregate here each autumn in wonderful maritime walking country”.

“The Valgaudemar Valley is a big, austere, narrow Alpine valley with glaciers and peaks of over 3,000m on either side and was discovered by famous Alpinist, Edward Whimper, but has never gained the reputation of say the Barre des Ecrins because the summit is a little bit lower, so it doesn’t hold the same kudos as doing a 4,000m peak. The advantage in terms of mountaineering is it’s totally off the beaten track, so you’re not going to be sharing a refuge with 200 other people and treading on their poo and rubbish outside. It feels how Alpinism was when Alpinism first started; fewer crowds and a fantastic climbing experience that makes you feel on top of the world, but with the advantage of being away from the honeypot.”