What can be better than taking an adventurous trip to France that you will not stop talking about to your friends for the rest of your life? So, no wonder today we are talking about the best hiking trails in France, but why do you need to specifically travel to France? France is famous not only in Europe but all around the world for its numerous historic cities, mountain villages, and gorgeous Mediterranean beaches. The capital city of Paris is especially known for its fashion houses, classical art museums such as the worldwide-famous Louvre, and landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower. Wines and exquisite cuisine are also well-known in the country. The prehistoric cave drawings of Lascaux, Lyon's Roman theatre, and Versailles' immense Palace testament to France's rich history. If it is your first-time travel to France, Paris and Versailles are absolutely must-see destinations. France's natural beauty is diverse and breathtaking. It attracts millions of tourists each year thanks to its lovely weather and rich culture. Beautiful plains and snow-capped mountains, large rivers, and alpine meadows await tourists to appreciate their splendour. From the snowcapped top of Alpine mountains to the deep blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea, France possesses a startling diversity of scenery. We easily could write books about France's charms that never fail to impress its visitors, but there are a few things to think about before you book your trip, one of which is the France visa. We understand how time-consuming applying for a France visa can be, especially if you plan a holiday trip for a very big company. However, there is no need to be concerned because our team of experts is always available to assist you with any questions or issues during the France visa application process. In any situation, you can go to the "Services" section of the website and select your country of origin and destination if you want to obtain more information on France visa requirements, no matter what your travel purpose is. Overall, we can claim that France is one of the finest countries to visit if you love nature. It has the most contrasting environment globally and four gorgeous seasons that provide a wide range of outdoor activities for every adventure lover. However, as you can see from the title of our post, today's topic is a little different, and we will be talking about the best hiking places in France, but what exactly does "hiking" even imply? To put it one way, hiking is a long, strenuous walk through the countryside, usually on trails or pathways. However, it is not something too new; walking for enjoyment became mainly fashionable in Europe throughout the seventeenth century. Now that we have learned a lot about France and have some knowledge about hiking, we can start looking for hiking trails in France and answering questions such as "how long is a hiking trails in France?" and so on.
1. Tour du Mont Blanc
One of Europe's most popular long-distance hiking tours in France is the Tour du Mont Blanc. It rounds the Mont Blanc massif, covering around 170 kilometres and including 10 kilometres of elevation and descent. It also crosses through Switzerland, Italy, and France. It is one of the most well-known long-distance hiking trails. The circle circuit is usually walked in 11 days in a counter-clockwise fashion. The Col des Fours in France and the Fenetre d'Arpette in Switzerland, both at 2,665 meters, are the highest peaks on any iteration of the trail. Although the elevation is not high enough to produce altitude sickness in most people, the trail is a challenging physical test. The Chemin des Rognes is a difficult hilly road that takes three to four hours starts in Bellevue and concludes in Baraque des Rognes. Hikers will be rewarded with breathtaking views of the Chamonix Valley, the Aiguille du Midi, and the Aravis Mountain Range on this path, but how long is hiking trails in France? For example, the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc is an annual ultramarathon that follows the Tour du Mont-Blanc course. The winning time for completing the entire circuit is usually about 20 hours.
2. GR51
The GR51 is one of the best hiking routes in France. It runs the entire length of the French Riviera, beginning in Marseille and ending in Nice. However, unfortunately, there will not be much water to be observed during this hike. Aside from the start of the trail, of course, which takes you along the stunning white cliffs of Les Calanques, you will be walking inland. As a result, it is known as Balcons de la Mediterranee. The Menton-Garavan railroad station marks the start of the eastern terminus, a 15-minute walk east of Menton. There's a strong climb at the start, but once you're up there, where the cool air and the view are, it's mostly level, with the exception of the occasional descent down into a valley and back again. Marseille and its environs are best visited in the spring, between March and June, and in the autumn, from mid-September to November. Due to the risk of forest fires, the Parc National des Calanques is frequently closed to hikers in the middle of the summer, making the latter two stages inaccessible. A long walk in a well-known vacation destination that is not very well-known. It is also worth mentioning that it is possible to go from Nice to Sainte-Agnès in one day by taking the train to Menton and then the bus to Sainte-Agnès, which is usually considered to be one of the best hiking places in France.
3. Cirque de Gavarnie
Hikingin Northern France is one of the must-do during your trip to this beautiful country. The Cirque de Gavarnie is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is accessible to most people. It is a feature of the National Park of the Pyrenees Mountains and one of the top attractions in the French Pyrenees region. For ecological and cultural reasons, UNESCO designated this 30,000-hectare complex as a World Heritage Site in 1997. To date, only 27 locations in the world have gained this honour. The Cirque de Gavarnie is a cirque in the central Pyrenees, close to the Spanish border in southwestern France. Gavarnie is easy to find. You will be in front of the wall when you arrive in the village, and after 1.5 hours of easy walking, you will arrive at the foot of the cirque, where the historic inn is located. The walk can be done on foot or horseback, and it adds a very romantic element to Gavarnie's general look. No wonder why this trail is considered a pearl of hiking in Northern France.
4. The Nietzsche Path
Hikers flock to this hilly road for the beautiful scenery and Mediterranean vistas. On the French Riviera, the Nietzsche Path is a tough hillside trek with spectacular sea views. This challenging walk follows in the footsteps of the well-known German philosopher. Nietzsche lived at the tranquil beach town of Eze, in the heart of the French Riviera, from December 1883 to April 1884. Eze is made up of two communities that have been united together. The modern town of Eze bord-de-Mer is located on the French Cote d'Azur's shore. Alpine Village, Eze village though is a charming medieval town with narrow winding streets, is a few hundred meters up a steep mountain hill. The Nietzsche Path, shaded by oaks and olive trees, offers views of the Mediterranean shoreline and the Saint-Jean Cap Ferrat peninsula. On a clear day, you can see Italy and the island of Corsica from the coast. The hike takes around 1.5 hours and culminates in Eze-sur-Mer, a beachfront neighbourhood with a beach bordered by pine trees. Eze is a popular day trip destination from Nice, which is about 20 kilometres away. It's also worth visiting Nice, a beautiful beach city that makes the path one of the best hiking places in France.
5. Normandy
Normandyis a northern French region. White-chalk cliffs and WWII beachheads, including Omaha Beach, the location of the iconic D-Day landing, connect the coastline. Mont-Saint-Michel, a rocky island off the shore, is crowned with a magnificent Gothic abbey. With over 3,000km of long-distance hiking paths to choose from, you can be sure to have a great hike in Normandy to get closer to nature. Normandy is one of the most popular walking areas in France. Walking is the greatest method to view most of the Seine-Maritime region because it allows you to access portions of the coast and countryside that are not accessible by car. The Manche is one of the best hiking places in France. The scenery is beautiful, whether you like the wilderness of the moors, the challenge of crossing the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, or peaceful treks along the coastline.
