Hiking trails of France
France has 65,000 kilometres of waymarked Grande Randonnée trails, maintained by the French Hiking Federation — from the Breton clifftops of the GR34 to the Pyrenean ridges of the GR10, the wild Corsica of the GR20 and the Tour du Mont-Blanc. Find here our recommended itineraries, from legendary GRs to discovery trails in the national parks.
The Grande Randonnée network
The French Hiking Federation (FFRandonnée) has maintained and waymarked the national network of long-distance trails since 1947. Three categories coexist: the GRs (national long-distance trails, white-red waymarking, such as the GR5 Holland-Mediterranean or the GR65 Voie du Puy of the Compostela way), the GRPs (regional loops, yellow-red waymarking, such as the GR58 Tour du Queyras or the GR54 Tour des Écrins) and the PRs (Petites Randonnées, yellow waymarking, day-loop local trails). Beyond the FFRandonnée network, several iconic tours attract thousands of hikers each year: the Tour du Mont-Blanc (170 km, 7-10 days, crossing France-Italy-Switzerland), the Corsican GR20 often described as Europe's most challenging trail, or the high alpine routes for experienced hikers.
Trails map
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GR20 North: Calenzana to Vizzavona
The northern section of the GR20, Corsica's legendary trail, through granite needles, mountain lakes, and wild maquis.
Customs Officers Path: GR34 in Brittany
The finest stages of the GR34 along the Breton coastline, past pink granite cliffs, wild beaches, and fishing harbours.
Hiking the Calanques
Five iconic calanques between Marseille and Cassis, turquoise coves, white cliffs, and garrigue trails facing the Mediterranean.
Tour du Mont-Blanc: Best Stages
The must-do stages of the Tour du Mont-Blanc across three countries, through glaciers, alpine pastures, and mountain refuges.
Stevenson Trail: GR70
From Haute-Loire to Gard, follow in the footsteps of Robert Louis Stevenson and his donkey Modestine through the Cevennes.
GR20 South: Vizzavona to Conca
The southern part of the mythical GR20, more accessible than the north, through laricio pine forests, natural pools, and Bavella needles.
GR54: Tour of the Ecrins Massif
A 180 km alpine loop around the Ecrins massif, through glaciers, high-altitude lakes, and mountain hamlets of the Hautes-Alpes.
GR58: Tour of the Queyras
Loop through the Queyras natural park, past sundials, Vauban forts, larch forests, and high-altitude lakes.
GR400: Tour of the Cantal Volcanoes
Loop around Europe's largest stratovolcano, through mountain huts, summer pastures, glacial cirques, and green Cantal valleys.
GR10: Crossing the Ariege Pyrenees
The Ariege section of the GR10, between high-altitude lakes, granite peaks, mountain barns, and prehistoric caves.
Compostela: Le Puy-en-Velay to Conques
The most famous section of the Compostela trail in France, crossing the high plateaus of Aubrac and its solitary mountain huts.
Coastal Path: French Riviera
The coastal path Riviera-style, between turquoise coves, rocky headlands, umbrella pines, and fishing villages.
GR55: Tour of the Vanoise Glaciers
In the heart of France's first national park, through gleaming glaciers, turquoise lakes, ibex herds, and high mountain refuges.
Cathar Trail: Castles of Vertigo
From the Mediterranean to the Pyrenees following the Cathar castles perched on rocky pinnacles, through garrigue and forests.
Mare a Mare North: Crossing Corsica
Cross Corsica from Moriani to Cargese, through chestnut groves, perched villages, gorges, and pine forests.
Tour of the Vercors: The Natural Fortress
Loop around the natural fortress of the Vercors, through vertiginous cliffs, deep forests, and the high plateaus of the Resistance.
GR5: Alps Traverse, Lake Geneva to Modane
The northern section of the Great Alpine Traverse, from Lake Geneva to Vanoise, through Chablais, Beaufortain, and Savoyard alpine pastures.
Tour of Canigou: Sacred Mountain of the Catalans
Loop around the Canigou peak, sacred mountain of the Catalans, past Romanesque abbeys, orchards, and beech forests.
Ochre Trail: Roussillon and Provencal Colorado
Trails through the blazing ochre quarries of the Luberon, between red cliffs, fairy chimneys, and fragrant garrigue.
Hiking the Verdon Gorges
Europe's Grand Canyon via the Martel and Imbut trails, between 700m cliffs and emerald waters.
Meije Balconies: Facing the Glacier
A balcony hike facing La Meije and its glaciers, between La Grave and Villar-d'Arene, accessible high mountain terrain.
Serre-Ponçon Hike: Morgon and Boscodon
Hiking between lake and mountain in the Hautes-Alpes. From the summit of Grand Morgon to the forests of Boscodon, via the wild beaches of Lake Serre-Ponçon.
Pyrenees National Park: Gavarnie and the Cirques
Hikes in the Pyrenees National Park, between the UNESCO-listed Gavarnie cirque, high-altitude lakes, and 3000 m peaks.
Cevennes National Park: GR6 and GR7 Trails
Crossing the Cevennes via the GR6 and GR7, through limestone causses, Tarn gorges, chestnut groves, and schist hamlets.
Broceliande Forest: Megalithic Trails
Hikes in the Paimpont-Broceliande forest, between megaliths, legendary springs, and Arthurian sites in inland Brittany.
Auvergne Volcanoes: Chain of Puys Hike
Hiking the UNESCO-listed Chain of Puys, from peak to peak between craters, lava domes, and lunar landscapes.
GR34 Southern Brittany: Gulf of Morbihan to Quiberon
Southern section of the customs officers' trail, between the Gulf of Morbihan, its islands, the Auray river, and the Quiberon peninsula.
GR21: Etretat to Dieppe Cliff Trail
The Alabaster Coast cliff trail, between Etretat's natural arches, hidden valleys, and Norman fishing ports.
GR223: Cotentin Coastal Path
Around the Cotentin peninsula via the coastal path, through dunes, heather moors, granite headlands, and Norman harbors.
Mercantour Park: Valley of Wonders
Hikes in the Mercantour between the Valley of Wonders with 40,000 rock engravings, high-altitude lakes, and chamois.
Fontainebleau Forest: Marked Hiking Circuits
Hikes in Fontainebleau forest, between sandstone boulders for climbers, royal groves, and deserted plateaus.
GR36: Cross-France Trail, Aveyron Section
The Aveyron section of the GR36, through causses, the dolomitic chaos of Montpellier-le-Vieux, Dourbie gorges, and Templar villages.
Burgundy Canal Towpath Hike
Hiking along the Burgundy Canal towpath, from Tonnerre to Dijon via the Pouilly tunnel and flower-lined locks.
Southern Ecrins: Vallouise and Ailefroide Hikes
Hikes on the southern side of the Ecrins National Park, between glaciers, high-altitude lakes, and alpine pastures of Upper Dauphine.
Auvergne Lakes Tour: Pavin, Chambon, Aydat
Hiking from lake to lake in the Massif Central, between maars, crater lakes, and volcanic dam lakes with deep waters.
Vosges Ridge Trail: GR5 Vosges Section
Crossing the Vosges via the Cretes road and GR5, between high pastures, glacial lakes, and Haut-Rhin farm-inns.
Pink Granite Coast: Ploumanac'h Hiking Circuits
Hikes around Ploumanac'h and Perros-Guirec, through pink granite chaos sculpted by the sea, bird islands, and the customs officers' trail.