To discover a country, nothing beats walking. GR are marked long-distance hiking trails, managed in France by the French Hiking Federation. With 60,000 km of trails, they criss-cross France to allow walkers to discover all the beauty of the territory. Their levels vary according to the altitude difference and the duration of the hike, in any case the efforts made are always rewarded by a breathtaking natural spectacle! From Normandy to Reunion Island via Auvergne, let's go wear out our shoes on the French roads!
The GR 49, from Saint-Raphaël to Rougon
The 99 km long GR49 is reserved for the most experienced walkers because of its steep gradient. But what a joy to discover this landscape where the sound of cicadas resonates! The departure is from Saint-Raphaël, in the heart of Provence, to Rougon. The most impressive stopover is certainly the crossing of the Var by Lake Saint-Cassien and the Verdon Regional Nature Park. The panoramas are breathtaking!
The GR10, the crossing of the Pyrenees
Mountain enthusiasts, this GR is made for you! It crosses the Pyrenees chain from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. The departure is from Hendaye, on the Basque coast, and the arrival in Banyuls-sur-Mer, in the Pyrénées-Orientales. From valleys to peaks, this 1,100 km medium mountain itinerary takes about sixty days. On the way, we will admire the monumental massif of Canigou
The GR 21, from Le Havre to Le Tréport
This trail crosses the Seine-Maritime department in Normandy. It runs along the Albâtre Coast with its pebble beaches and splendid limestone cliffs. The GR 21 is affordable to all hikers, experienced or not, by modulating the number of kilometres at will. It crosses villages typical of the Normandy coast such as Varengeville-sur-Mer before reaching the land between Étretat and Le Havre
The GR65, on the way to Santiago de Compostela
With 5,500 km of marked trails, the GR65 offers four routes to Santiago de Compostela. The Via Podensis, or "Route du Puy", is the main road. 755 km of trails separate Le Puy-en-Velay from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, an average of 32 days of walking for the French part. The trail crosses the great Aubrac plateau, the Lot valley and the volcanic province of Velay
The GR R2, the crossing of Reunion Island
Over a distance of 139 km, this trail crosses Reunion Island from north to south, from Saint-Denis to Saint-Philippe. The steep territory of the department as well as its humid tropical climate make this hike quite difficult. But what a reward when, after so much effort, the Mafate circus comes to you! This natural enclosure formed by a volcanic depression of the Piton des Neiges is one of the wonders of the route, accessible only by foot or by air!
The GR98, from the calanques of Marseille to the Sainte-Baume massif
This GR starts from the Montredon trap in Marseille to reach the Sainte-Baume massif, at the Saint-Pilon pass. Since December 2017, Sainte-Baume has been a natural park. There is the cave of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine where the nun would have found refuge after evangelizing Provence. This beautiful 62 km long hiking trail runs along the Mediterranean Sea, in the heart of the creeks.
The Breton coasts by the GR34
Over 2,000 km long, the GR34 runs along the entire Breton coast. Its starting point is in Normandy, in the splendid bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, and its arrival in La Roche-Bernard, on the borders of the Pays-de-la-Loire. Better known as the "customs officers' trail", this GR largely follows the paths that customs officers used to follow to watch the coast. Among our favourite sites: Raz de Sein and Cap de la Chèvre, on the Crozon peninsula in Finistère
The GR30, the tour of the lakes of Auvergne
The GR30 connects a dozen lakes of glacial or volcanic origin in Auvergne. It forms a 194 km loop around the Puy de Sancy, the highest point of the Massif Central. This trail crosses the five main massifs and plateaus of the Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Natural Park: the Chaîne des Puys, the Monts Doré, the Cantal massif, the Artense and Cézallier. The departure usually takes place in La Bourboule and the difficulty is average
The GR70, Stevenson's path
From the south of the Massif Central to the deep Cévennes, the GR70 follows the path of Robert Louis Stevenson, a Scottish writer and frequent traveller. After reading Voyage avec un âne dans les Cévennes, you will only want one thing: to follow in the footsteps of the author accompanied, you too, by a touching donkey! The trail starts in Le Puy-en-Velay. It crosses the Velay, the Gévaudan, the Mont Lozère and the Cévennes to Alès
The mythical GR20
How can we not mention this trail, which is well known to all hikers? The GR20 crosses Corsica from north to south, from Calenzana to Conca, through the island's high mountain range. It is 167 km long and is often considered to be one of the most difficult trails in Europe. A good level hiker will be able to do this trek in about fifteen days. Today, the record is held by a French sportsman who has covered it in 31 hours and 6 minutes!
