|
There is an abundance of remarkable hiking trails and long distance trekking trails in The South of France. Click on your preferred hiking area for further details: Hiking the Camargue and its emblematic White Horse
1. Hiking in Camargue Hiking in France in Camargue is a special experience, perfect for those who like coastal hiking but do not wish to hike too many ascents and descents. The Camargue does not lend itself to straight-line trekking from inn to inn, so we focus on hiking vacations that are hike-drive in format: circular day or morning hikes backed up by touring by car - hire car or your own car. Here are our two France walking tours that take place in Camargue, available all year round, although recommended times are spring and autumn:2. Hiking in Cevennes When you stand on the top of Mont Lozere, and look south beyond Mont Aigoule towards the Mediterranean Sea, the series of mountain ridges that you behold are more redolent of the waves of a stormy ocean than a heavily dissected limestone plateau belonging to terra firma. Walking in France's Cevennes region, from north to south, is thus an exercise in ascents and descents that would challenge anyone, especially in the heat; whilst access from the east or west is like following the spokes of a bi-cycle wheel along deeply incised valleys in search of a non-existant hub. There is really something for everyone in Cevennes, which is why we have developed a range of hiking tours to suit a multitude of aptitudes and interests.See our Cevennes hiking programmes:  Hiking in Cevennes near Vialas
3. Hiking in Languedoc The Languedoc, the land of the Occitan language, is blessed with some of the most diverse walking in France, with trails to match its celebrated climate and much-underrated wines.Let's start with the Robert Louis Stevenson Trail, 130 years old this year and a trail that many hikers believe is the progenitor of the whole modern-day hiking movement. It's a 120-mile hiking trail through the sparsely populated and impoverished 'high plains' of central southern France. You will learn about Protestant heritage, and particularly The Cevennes Uprising of 1702 as you hike the barren, rocky, and heather-filled hillsides of the Cevennes, territory of refuge.  Hiking the Cevennes along the mountain crests of the Stevenson Trail
Then there is The Via Domitia, the most important of Roman roads in France, that joined Rome with Spain and traversed the south coastal strip of France along what is now called ‘La Languedocienne.’ All along the route, The Romans placed monolithic stones of 2 metres height called ‘borne Millitaires’ at a distance of one mile from each other, engraved with the names of Roman Emperors. The Regordane Way is arguably the most celebrated non-Romanesque Gaulist route, that tells the history of France along its length, from the Middle Ages to the late 18th Century and from Paris to Lower Languedoc. It's a masterclass of walking in France through the last millennium.  Hiking Languedoc and the Medieval Regordane Way
Some of the old route follows the Chemin de Fer and, whilst a good deal has been paved over, the preservation of this ancient jewel of French heritage remains a battle for the future. Add to the melting pot Le chemin de Saint Jacques or The French 'Ways of St James' (Spanish: Camino Francés), the most popular routes of the the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, and you begin to understand why trekking and walking in France forms part and parcel of the history of Languedoc. Visit our Languedoc walking tours or read on below:
4. Walking in Provence The amenable climate and varied terrain make walking tours in Provence a hiker’s haven. From the Maritime Alps with peaks in excess of 3135 ms ( over 10286 ft), to Mont Ventoux (1909 ms or 6263 feet) and The Alpilles rising abruptly from the surrounding Rhône valley to 387 m (1,270 ft) at their highest point, it offer an abundance of longer trek and shorter, day-walking options.  Hiking Provence and the table-top mountain of Mont Ventoux
The Coast of Provence, The Calanques, are a dramatic feature of the Provence coast, stretching for 20 kilometres along a series of narrow inlets in the cliffs of the coastline between Marseille and Cassis. There are some fine hiking trails to explore along the coastal strip. The Calanques complement perfectly The Garrigue, the typical landscape of Provence - low-lying scrubland on limestone soils around the Mediterranean Basin, where the climate is moderate, with annual summer drought. The terrain is dry and rocky and, whilst undulating in nature, poses its own challenges for hikers due to the lack of tree cover and immense heat in summer. Visit our walking tours in Provence:Return to our Articles page. 
|