
Hikes in France
Ah, France! This beautiful European country is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, and it’s easy to see why. Visitors quickly fall in love with French gastronomy, culture, history, and of course, its marvelous landscapes. France is a remarkably diverse country, offering towering mountains, lush river valleys and gorges, and bucolic rolling hills covered in vineyards. Once you’ve had a taste of all that France has to offer, you won’t want to leave.
France is paradise for adventure travelers, with plenty of exciting opportunities to get out into the countryside and experience the best of its diverse landscape. The French Alps provide some of the highest mountains in Europe and offer countless possibilities for hiking and backpacking in the Vanoise and Mercantour National Parks, or skiing and climbing in Chamonix. But the Alps aren’t the only mountains in France. The French Pyrenees is fast becoming an adventure travel destination, with some beautiful hiking and backpacking trails and a burgeoning ski industry.
Away from the mountains, the French countryside is a delightful place to walk and cycle. You’ll be surrounded by dense forests, green, rolling hills, and sculptured vineyards, and these stunning landscapes are punctuated with romantic castles and picture-perfect villages. Life here moves at a slower pace – simply relax, soak up the atmosphere, and embrace that French joie de vivre!
To help you plan your next adventure holiday in France, we’ve put together activity guides and suggestions for all of our favorite regions. Happy traveling!
15 Greatest Hikes in France
Immerse yourself into French hiking culture, whether you’d prefer to traverse through vineyards, mountains, verdant hills or charming countryside villages. France offers the perfect blend between a refined vacation and a burgeoning adventure scene--so you can truly have it all. We recommend you take your time and truly soak up all that this spectacular country has to offer, while hiking through some of the most notable mountains in Europe.
- Col de Balme: This classic hike starts with a lift to the tip top of the Swiss border, wandering along an easy and gradual path, blooming with wildflowers for much of the summer months.
- Grand Balcon Sud: Prepare for a hiking highlight at the stunning Grand Balcon Sud--Europe’s highest mountain. With an ever changing terrain, from woodlands, to meadows, to rockface, this won’t be a hike you’ll forget anytime soon.
- Cagire Loop: Walk along the highest peaks of the Pyrenees on this challenging hike. Push higher and higher to conquer four distinct peaks or shorter the hike to avoid the hardest sections.
- Pic du Canigou: Tackle this difficult hike with extreme elevation gain, taking you to the top of the sacred mountain of Catalonia. Prepare for a full day adventure that is highly rewarding!
- The Col de Fenêtre: Discover the heart of Mercantour National Park. Walk the Fenêtre pass, which connects the Vésubie to the Italian Val Gesso and keep an eye out for roaming wildlife like ibex.
- Le Mont Mounier: Conquer the highest limestone massifs in the region on this hike. Discover a unique landscape, ranging from lunar limestone faces to rocky switchbacks on the Le Mont Mounier climb.
- Col d’Aussois & Pointe de l’Observatoire: Very popular among the locals, this hike weaves through a unique, rocky landscape where you’re guaranteed to spot a mountain goat or two on your way to the best viewpoint over the Alps.
- Glacier du Grand Méan: Experience a giant glacier up close and personal on this beautiful hike, where chunks of ice float by in the lake. Crowned as one of the best hikes in Vanoise National Park, you won’t want to miss this one.
- Le Chapeau via the Sources de L’Arveyron: Set out on this slightly difficult hike, with high elevation but a gradual ascent. It will all be worth it when you make it to the glacial overlook of Les Grands Morasses and Le Dent du Geant. At the top, there’s even a small restaurant for a meal.
- Mont Né: For families with older children, this mountain makes for a great first foray into hiking. While slightly steep, the path is well-graded and easy to follow for a fun full-day adventure.
- Lac de Gaube: Set out on a family adventure to Lac de Gaube, taking in the pretty, surrounding waterfalls. Touted as the prettiest lake in the French Pyrenees, this sight is set to dazzle.
- La Jonction: Tackle an incredible feat by hiking this once of a kind mountain in Chamonix. Follow the zig-zag path alongside river glaciers to reach the summit to observe a glacial-amphitheatre.
- Fontanalba: Tucked away in Mercantour National Park, hikers who set out on the Fontanalba trail will be rewarded with “the valley on wonders,” an open-air archaeological site open to the public.
- Vallon du Prariond: This hike is relatively short, but jam packed with incredible views. Pass by the rocks of the Gorge of Malpasset, walk through the verdant Vallon du Prariond, then grab a beer at the Refuge du Prariond.
- Sommets des Garrets: Considered the most beautiful hike within Mercantour National Park, this panoramic walk offers incredible views over Lac d’Allos.
When is the Best Time to Hike in France
France is an incredible country for adventurous hikers, but it can also be dangerous at times too. The best time of year for hiking in France is between June and September, as any earlier will leave you in avalanche season among the French Alps. Mountain huts and restaurants will also be open during this period if you’re looking for a longer trek. Overall, September is our favourite month as the crowds begin to disappear and the weather is beautiful.
Best Regions to Hike in France
Those looking for the best regions to hike will be spoilt for choice in France. With multiple stunning trains across the country, we can barely narrow it down! Chamonix and the Chamonix Valley is the original outdoor playground from the French and home of the first winter Olympics in 1924. But perhaps the most famed region is The French Pyrenees, with the tallest peaks for hiking in France, as well as the option to cross over into Spain. Home to more of the Alps and slightly quieter trails, Mercantour National Park, is a less frequented--but beautiful--destination offering fascinating paintings and petroglyphs. While Vanoise National Park is known not only for its outstanding hiking trails, but also great paths for skiing or biking.
Other Activities in France
While most people associate France with the glitz and the glam, it’s an all-round outdoor playground for those seeking adventure. From those looking to live the après ski life, to extreme mountain biking, to climbing some notable faces of the Alps, to cycling along the charming vineyards-- France offers a little bit of everything, regardless of skill level or budget.
France's Adventure Tours
If you’d rather skip the headache of planning your own trip, why not let 10Adventures help? With our wide-range of tours in France, all you have to do is pack your bag—the rest is taken care of! From learning the history of winemaking to completing the epic pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in its entirety, our 10Adventure tour options are guaranteed to be epic and worry-free.
How to Plan a Trip to France
Dreaming of planning your dream hiking vacation in the French Alps? We’ve got you covered with our complete guides on planning a trip to France, outlining the best spots across the country for food and a glass of wine, cozy hotels, and fun activities to fill your day. From Vanoise National Park, to Mercantour National Park, to Chamonix , to The French Pyrenees—we took out all the guesswork, leaving more time for daydreaming.
Hiking regions in France
Best Hikes in France
Col d’Aussois & Pointe de l’Observatoire
The Col D’Aussois hike is a wonderfully long hike, a true classic hike of the Vanoise. This hike takes you through green fields and ends in a very rocky, mineral landscape. You will find yourself hiking through the world of the ibex, with some of the best panoramic views in the Alps.
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
Cagire Loop
Hiking the Cagire Loop takes you on a beautiful ridge walk with views over the highest peaks of the Pyrenees. This fantastic hike is a bit challenging in places, taking in four peaks, and is best done anticlockwise. You can also shorten the walk to avoid the most challenging part if necessary.
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
Fontanalba
In the heart of the Mercantour National Park, “the valley of wonders” is an exceptional open archaeological site, where thousands of prehistoric engravings have been recorded. It is long, but it's also an easier hike, where you will walk past some mountain lakes and chamois and ibex goats!
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
Grand Balcon Sud
We love the Grand Balcon Sud hike. This is a spectacular hike thanks to the presence of Western Europe’s highest mountain: Mont Blanc. Hike along wooded ravines, high meadows, and wide rocky expanses, finishing up directly in front of Mont Blanc.
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
Lac du Mont Charvin
It would be easy to overlook this hike on face value: the lake is small and green; the starting point is a long drive away; and there are no public toilets in the car park. But don’t be fooled by appearances: this is a solid 2.5-hour walk up steep and picturesque terrain on a rudimentary trail with the ultimate reward — views of Mont Blanc, gleaming white on a sunny summer’s day.
User Ratings
Grand Balcon Nord
The Grand Balcon Nord hike is a classic Chamonix trail. This spectacular and panoramic Alpine hike is a must-do hike when in Chamonix. This variant of the Grand Balcon Nord trail takes in the high point of Forbes Signal for a truly high-mountain feel. Look down at the Mer de Glace glacier and into Italy’s Grands Jorasses while on this wonderful hike.
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
Glacier du Grand Méan
The Glacier du Grand Méan hike takes you to a glacial lake in a charming part of the Vanoise. This is a beautiful hike that gets you up close to a glacier where you may see chunks floating in the little lake. Located close to the lovely town of Bonneval-sur-Arc, this hike will take you through a variety of landscapes and give you the opportunity to admire the unique little piece of Greenland in Vanoise. It’s one of the best hikes in the Vanoise.
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
The Authion
This hike is an ideal walk for the history buff in your family. The Authion has been long considered the keystone of the defensive system for the Alpes–Maritimes: from 1388 all the way up to WW2. On your hike you can see an American tank from 1945 on display.
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
Cirque de Gavarnie
A hike to the Cirque de Gavarnie is the most popular hike in the French Pyrenees. But there’s a reason! You cannot come to the Pyrenees without a walk to the stunning Cirque de Gavarnie! It’s arguably one of the most beautiful sites in France and part of the UNESCO Global Heritage. Plus, we found a "secret" viewpoint.
User Ratings
- Technical Difficulty
- Physical Difficulty
Mont Baron
Mont Baron offers a sweeping 360° vista, with Lake Annecy to the west and the foot of the Alps to the east. It was once home to the Mont Veyrier cable car (télépherique du Mont Veyrier), which was removed in 2001, leaving a lovely open space for wild camping and admiring the views over a picnic lunch or a drink at sunset. It’s a popular walk for a good reason, with access starting at a number of different points.
User Ratings
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Suggested Tours
Summit Mount Olympus Trekking Tour
Months Tour Operates
This tour is your chance to trek one of the most mystical mountains on earth: Mount Olympus. This self-guided journey starts in Litochoro, an enchanting town at the foot of Greece’s highest peak. Then you’ll spend two days on the mountain, sleeping in a mountain hut on the second night. You should be comfortable hiking up some serious elevation on this tour to reach the summit, a worthy reward for your effort.
Avalanche Skills Training 1 in the Canadian Rockies
Months Tour Operates
Avalanche safety is a must-have tenet of backcountry adventure and a critical step in keeping yourself and your adventure partners safe in the wintertime and shoulder season. The Avalanche Skills Training 1 in the Canadian Rockies tour is a practical chance to learn the basics of avalanche safety in one of the most beautiful mountain environments in the world.
Self-Guided Mount Triglav Trek
Months Tour Operates
Take on a quintessential Slovenian trekking adventure to the summit of its highest mountain! The Self-Guided Mount Triglav Trek allows you to hike at your own pace and enjoy the incredible scenery of Triglav National Park.
2-Day Mt Olympus Hike
Months Tour Operates
Join an exhilarating 2-day hiking tour through the legendary Mount Olympus, revered as the abode of ancient Greek Gods!
Other Activities in France
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