With its many mountainous massifs, France is a hiking country par excellence. From the Alps to the Pyrenees, via the Jura and the Massif Central, France offers a great diversity of hikes with diverse and varied landscapes. In the Alps, Haute-Savoie is a prime destination, with the Mont-Blanc massif and its unforgettable landscapes on the rock and snow giants overlooking the Chamonix Valley. On the other hand, the walker can also climb the Pyrenees mountains, with landscapes of exceptional quality maintained by traditional livestock farming. Further north, it is the Jura and the Vosges, a mountainous land that has passed through the ages. Finally, one should also mention the Massif Central, whose volcanoes have been extinct for several thousand years. All the hikes described on this page are also possible in winter with a pair of snowshoes or skis, which is an opportunity to discover the landscapes from a different angle.
Browsing the "France" Tag
Cornettes de Bise
20 July 2006 | by Pierre-Alexandre
The Cornettes de Bise offers a beautiful panorama but requires a real effort to reach its summit. The hike is difficult because of the length of the course, the important gain and a long very steep passage somewhat exhausting for the legs. Many exposed passages require great vigilance. The itinerary
Waterfalls of Angon (Cascades d’Angon)
25 June 2006 | by Pierre-Alexandre
This outing is an ideal easy walk on a hot summer day, as the route exclusively takes place in the forest. The site of the Waterfalls of Angon (Cascades d’Angon) allows discovering a huge canyon by a very well-equipped trail with barriers
Pointe d’Ireuse
3 November 2005 | by Pierre-Alexandre
Little visible from the valley, Pointe d’Ireuse presents itself rather under the appearance of a vast dome than under the aspect of a peak. The itinerary describes a loop passing through the Chalets de Nifflon d’en Bas, then the picturesque chapel of Nifflon d’en Haut, with a return to the
Montagne de Chevran
11 October 2005 | by Pierre-Alexandre
I propose here a small walk above Cluses. The Montagne de Chevran offers a spectacular view over the Valley of the Arve, Pointe d’Areu, the Môle, Pointe d’Andey, and many other summits
Lac and Pointe d’Arvouin
22 September 2005 | by Pierre-Alexandre
The itinerary that I propose here is more a half day trip than a real hike as the elevation gain and distance are negligible. The magnificent mountain pastures and the very close summits will make this itinerary an unforgettable memory for young and old alike
Pointe Percée and Col des Verts
20 August 2005 | by Pierre-Alexandre
I propose here two itineraries in one: Pointe Percée and the Col des Verts. The ascent of Pointe Percée is definitely not made for families. The last third of the route after the ascent of a fairly steep scree requires the use of the hands to rise in faults and chimneys on slippery rocks
Mont Buet
7 August 2005 | by Pierre-Alexandre
The ascent of Mont Buet can be seen as the culmination of a hiking season of varying levels of difficulty, as the objective is very high, the elevation gain very important, and the route very long. Several technical difficulties are encountered: a trail with cairns only after the refuge, a passage of large
La Tournette
23 July 2005 | by Pierre-Alexandre
La Tournette is a superb spot to contemplate all the summits above Lake Annecy as well as the Aravis Range and the Mont Blanc Massif, sometimes hidden by the clouds when it's hot. This route is somewhat technical in its final part, as many passages are equipped with cables and
Pointe et Lac de Tardevant
18 July 2005 | by Pierre-Alexandre
The Aravis Range is made up of a succession of combes delimited by calcareous peaks. The combe of Tardevant is situated in middle and is the only one to have a lake, which makes it a perfect hiking destination. The itinerary runs along the slopes of the Grand Crêt
Pic du Jallouvre
15 July 2005 | by Pierre-Alexandre
Pic du Jallouvre remains a very beautiful excursion reserved for the experienced walkers. If the beginning of the trail is a charming bucolic walk in the alpine pastures of Cenise, what follows next is quite different: very quickly, the path passes near a vast scree
Pointe de Chésery
12 July 2005 | by Pierre-Alexandre
Pointe de Chésery constitutes a very beautiful itinerary that dominates the village of Lindarets in the heart of the Portes du Soleil between Châtel, Morzine, and Avoriaz. The course presents no particular difficulty, except the last part of the ascent that is a bit steep
Cassis Calanques
5 July 2005 | by Pierre-Alexandre
Cassis Calanques constitute, in Provence, a classified site of 4,000 hectares of nearly 20 km long and 4 km wide on the municipalities of Marseille, Cassis, and La Ciotat. We spent a day in 2005 exploring these wonders. Morgiou, Sugiton, Devenson, Port-Pin, and Port-Miou are the most
