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Cevennes - Part One

Thu, 9 Sep 2010 13:45:22 +01

Cévennes: a Labyrinth of Hills

Cevennes is located in south-central France. Whilst in an administrative sense it does not constitute a region, to all intents and purposes it possesses a singular identity. Thus the ‘La Cevenne’ reference in the works of its most famed writer, Jean-Pierre Chabrol. (see Quand la Cévenne se soulevait/When the Cevennes rose up).

The Cevennes is a fine location for Hiking in France and few areas offer the beauty or variety of The Cevennes, ranging from granite tors to deeply incised river valleys and some of Europe's most dramatic limestone gorges and caves. The latent geologist inside us all will delight in walking the granites of the Mont Lozere massif, the limestones of the Causse Mejan and Sauveterre, and the metamorphic schists and slatestone around Mont Aigoual and in the Cevenol valleys.

This is a range of hills, not mountains, making them much easier to climb than The Alpes or The Pyrennees. The ascents and descents are frequent rather than long. However, the area is far less trodden and much more remote than either The Alpes or The Pyrennees, which makes Cevennes the perfect walking get-away.

Cevennes’ highest peak, Mont Lozère (1702 metres), lies on the France hiking trail affectionately referred to as The Stevenson Trail - AKA the GR 70, a long-distance path perfect for those who enjoy hiking in France along a 'straight-line route. It stretches from Le Puy en Velay in Haute-Loire to St Jean du Gard in Le Gard. In his book, “Travels with a donkey in the Cevennes,” a much-lauded and ground-breaking work of the travelogue genre, Robert Louis Stevenson likens hiking in Cevennes to “that undecipherable labyrinth of hills.” On Mont Lozere he noted that, “in clear weather [it]commands a view over all lower Languedoc to the Mediterranean Sea.”

Another peak of repute is Mont Aigoual (elevation 1567 metres or 5141 feet), lying to the north of Le Vigan and reachable from Vallerauge by the “trek of 4000 steps”. It boasts a relative height vis-à-vis the surrounding uplands of 730 metres, making it particularly prominent as a continual point of reference to hikers as they climb and descend the myriad hills en route to its eagle-nest-of-an-observatory, the last remaining inhabited weather station in France. Mont Aigoual forms part of the watershed between the Mediterranean and Atlantic, where rainfall can measure up to 2250 mm (over 7 feet), making it the wettest place in France. For those who brave the wind and the rain, as many who enjoy walking in Cevennes do, the views are spectacular. As walking holidays in France go, perhaps some of the finest views around.

A number of our walking holidays in France focus on hiking in Cevennes. Either click on the following links or continue reading below.

Southern France on Foot and by Rail
Hike France's Huguenots Trails
Trekking with the Huguenots
Trekking the Robert Louis Stevenson Trail - Part Two: Mont Lozere and Cevennes
Walking the Cevennes Railway
Walking in Cevennes
Walking Cevennes Heaven

Click here to continue onto Part Two of Cevennes.

See our background information on Hiking in France

© The Enlightened Traveller 2007

France hiking vacations - some suggestions

Thu, 9 Sep 2010 13:45:22 +01

Walking in the Maquis, with the Cevennes in the distance - photo taken Xmas 2007.

When it comes to France hiking vacations, “Vous avez l’embarras du choix.”

You are spoilt for choice. The French take their walking holidays in France. This is not a case of the traditional “chauvinisme economique” - quite simply, France has everything a hiker needs within its own borders, so why go hiking elsewhere? The Hexagon, with its superb portfolio of mountain ranges, central plateau and volcanic interior, Mediterranean Garrigue and coastal trails, is quite simply a hiker’s sweetshop.

So the main difficulty when considering France hiking vacations is deciding precisely whereabouts to go hiking in France. The aim of this section is to assist you in your decision-making process via a series of articles on themes to explore when walking in France. We hope they serve as a starting point for further research as well as provide you with backpacks of inspiration.

This page is being continually updated and populated, so please return again for new themes to enthuse your hiking and trekking in France.

Please click on the article title below to access the relevent piece.

1. The Protestant uprising in The Cévennes
The Cevennes hills were the context for a bloody uprising in 1702 that changed the face of the world as we know it. Those Protestants who stayed were harassed and butchered, whilst those that fled thrived economically in Northern Europe and the New World. Learn about the plight of the Huguenots whilst hiking in their home territory.

2. La Grande Motte
If it’s centre-based walking in France you seek, and you have a penchant for coastal walking, this thriving, all-year-round coastal town is the ideal base, ideally located to the west of The Camargue.

3. The Regordane Way

4. Walking French history along the Régordane
This national treasure trail is being resuscitated after lying dormant for 300 years. These two articles serve to bring it to life, and whet your appetite for some fine inn-to-inn trekking in France and an essential French history lesson.

Hiking with the Camisards - December 28th 2006

5. The Cevennes Railway

6. Sustainable hiking in France endangered
The Cevennes railroad is France’s last real working mountain railway. It needs your support if it is to stay in business in the 21st century and continue to act as the main eco-friendly artery for hiking in France’s remote interior.

7. Hiking in France by Train - a hiker's account of this most eco-friendly of hiking tours in France.

8. Reflections on the 130th anniversary of France’s Stevenson Trail - Part One
9. Reflections on the 130th anniversary of France’s Stevenson Trail - Part Two

It’s official, not only is this celebrated hike, forerunner of the whole hiking movement as we know it today, one of the top-ten rated French hikes, but now considered by Forbes Traveller as one of the World’s most famous travel adventures - click for details. Here’s some vital background reading before you book your place and enjoy some fine trekking in France.

See also:
Part 1: Responsible Travel – just another business bandwagon?
Part 2: Responsible Travel – just another business bandwagon?
Some insights into the world of responsible travel from the perspective of an eco-friendly business that is simply not prepared to compromise for the sake of profit.

Further suggestions for hiking in France can be gained from consulting our France Walking Guide.

Hike-Drive France & Tours for Four

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This section is under re-construction. Please check back later.

However, to consult our current range of drive-hike tours, simply click on tours whose titles commence with the words 'hike' or 'hiking'.

Hiking in France

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Walking Provence-West: fine accommodations along a unique hiking tour

Hiking in France is exciting, whether you are an incurable Francophile or simply consider hiking to be the best way to get to know France. Our comprehensive guide to 'hiking in The Hexagon’ is a far-reaching discussion designed to both inspire and prepare you for walking and trekking some of France's most exhilarating trails.

Whilst some like hiking in France along long-distance paths, others prefer shorter hiking trips as part of a longer French vacation experience. These pages aim to provide much-needed advice and background information to assist you in your search. It is a resource that undergoes continual improvement and we hope it reads like a ‘Hiker’s view of walking in France.’

Despite hiking tours in France being plentiful, selecting the right one for you is not easy. “Vous avez l’embarras du choix,” but often don’t know where to start. You expect your vacation to go well, whoever you book with; yet as is the case with most of life’s commercial encounters, it’s often not until something goes wrong, however small, that you find out the professionals from the dilettantes. So our first piece of advice to you is to book with direct providers of tours and not wholesaler intermediaries based in a different country or continent. The Enlightened Traveller prides itself on being here to help 24/24, 7/7.

In this section you will find:

Background information on France
Help with choosing your hiking tour
Good advice on hiking in France, including legal aspects, and
Reasons why you can rely on us to look after you.

You can either click the points in the text above, access the information via the red and white tabs across the top of the page, or simply read on below.

The Gorgeous Gardon

There are twenty-million self-confessed hikers in France, that’s one-third of the population. Where do they go hiking? In France, bien sûr! Okay, the French invented ‘chauvinism,’ but when it comes to hiking, France can rightfully claim to have it all: 120,000 miles (180,000 kms) of trail at your disposal, much of it maintained by volunteers, spanning the whole of the country and designed to satisfy all hiking-types. Your biggest problem is deciding which slice of the action is right for you. So not, “Shall I consider walking tours in France?” but, “Where in France shall I go"? and "Which walking breaks in France shall I consider?”

The first section is dedicated to providing both essential and useful background information on walking in France. Topics covered are French customs & habits, Communication & language, Food, Travel & Getting around and Weather.

Section Two is entitled ‘Choosing your tour'. When you have an embarrassment of choice, selection can be frustrating. We hope this information simplifies your task as it allows you to consider your aims & objectives, the desired level of difficulty or challenge, options for getting around between hikes and the question of trail remoteness.

The third section is designed to proffer good advice: Dos and Don’ts and the law; what to do in emergencies; insurance matters and medical issues.

Last but not least, Section Four tells you a little about our philosophy and why you can rely on us when booking your walking tour in France. Issues covered are: our policy of tour personalization; our 24/7 availability; our inclusion of briefings and de-briefings; our expertise; the importance of local knowledge; ongoing support and the fact that your money is safe with us.

The West End of Provence

Other sections of our site that you may wish to consult are our:

Tour Database
Full tour listing
Regional introductions to hiking the Camargue, Cevennes, Languedoc and Provence
France walking guide
France hiking vacations based on themes
Hiking, Health & Best Practice.

You may contact us seven days a week or ask us to call you back at a time to suite you* All feedback is responded to and please let us have your ideas on what else we should include in this section.

* Free call-back is only available in North America and Europe at present, why not Skype us on theenlightenedtraveller?

Home: walking in France

Thu, 9 Sep 2010 13:45:22 +01

Walking in France is our specialty and our walking tours in France are some of the best in The Hexagon. We focus on hiking in France, which allows for greater personalization of your tour. You purchase direct from us, not overseas intermediaries, and local support is there when you need it, including evenings and weekends. Walks in France are self-guided and perfect for independent travelers hiking alone, with family or friends.

If walking in France on long distance trails is your passion, or shorter trips of four nights your preference, you will find plenty here to whet your appetite; and whether seasoned hiker or cautious beginner, you are empowered by our comprehensive walking notes and enlightened by the insightful tour dossier.

Click for walking Provence's sun-drenched gorges, valleys and villages

When it comes to walking tours France has it all: 120,000 miles of varied and regularly-maintained trails covering the whole of The Hexagon. Your biggest problem is likely to be deciding where to go. That’s where we can help. We have chosen to concentrate on the south of France: better weather and all-year-round walking opportunities. So the most propitious hiking conditions are in place, although the weather is the one thing we cannot manage on your behalf.

Our range of walking tours in France are designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of objectives and tastes. Each is an adventure in its own right and all enable you to discover parts of France that the locals often miss and most French never get to see. Your hiking dossier sets the scene and your inquisitiveness is handsomely rewarded. The learning curve continues upon your return home.

Trekking France's Regordane - click to walk a thousand years of French history

As an enlightened traveler, you enjoy the journey as much as the arrival, and you understand that making an effort results in higher levels of appreciation. All that remains now is for you to start to narrow down the options and make your selection - so allow us to provide you with some site gateways through which your mind can travel:

Inn-to-inn Trekking in France
Multi-centre walks in France, for those who enjoy full-day walking without changing hotel every night
Rambling in France, for some light walking and cultural exploration, and
Walking breaks in France, for hikers looking for short hiking tours.

Walking in Cantal - click for fine cheeses and refined walking.

Our walking tours in France are classified on a scale from 1 to 4, with 4 being the most physically challenging. Tour ratings are highlighted in parenthesis [] after each tour name. See FAQs for further details as well as to iscover the benefits of hiking with us.

The following ideas and links may also help:
1. Advice on choosing hiking tours in France.
2. Find out what Forbes Traveler says about The Enlightened Traveller – top right-hand column.

3. Get inspired via the France Walking Guide or our

themed France hiking vacations.

4. Peruse this France walks listing, or

5. Search our Site database.

The Enlightened Traveller – delighting mind, body and sole!

The Valley that Time Forgot - click photo to view

Site last updated 9 September 2010

Rambling in France

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Urban and Suburban hiking at its best on a Rambling holiday in France

Please browse our rambling holidays in France or scroll down.

Our Rambling tours in France comprise light, half-day circular walks in urban environments and their hinterlands, with afternoon options. B & B, transport and luggage transfers are all included. No car is required. France Rambling holidays are all themed and feature ‘looped’ rambling paths rather than straight-line trails. The advantages are that…

Rambles start and finish from your own hotel for extra convenience and comfort;
Rambling trails are devised and selected with your enjoyment in mind, not the imperative to ramble from hotel A to accommodation B;
A particular day’s rambling can often be shortened or lengthened, which takes the slog out of rambling, facilitates greater rambling trail fun and empowers you in the process; and
rambling tours generally last half the day, leaving you free to tailor the afternoon and evening to your own interests based on the available options we provide you with.

Our rambling holidays in France do not require a car, and have been meticulously planned to ensure you maximize your time and enjoyment whilst the issues surrounding ‘in situ’ transportation have been resolved for you. Whether a day’s transport involves a taxi transfer, luggage transfer or a short train ride, everything has been booked and paid for by ourselves.

For quickest access to all our walking holidays in France, the following airports are recommended: Avignon, Marseille, Montpellier and Nimes. For more travel information click here, where you can also find details of travel by rail and car.

If you go hiking in France, there are thousands of looped or circular trails

and all of them will give you a physical work-out. The skill lies in...

selecting the best ones – achieving the optimal balance between the physical and the aesthetic,
arranging them under an interesting theme and in a manageable way, and
ensuring you are empowered to execute your France hiking tours independently, without getting lost.

That comes down to painstaking effort and local knowledge, as British hikers living in the area, with a vast experience of hiking in France.

Please browse our rambling holidays in France.

Alternative walking holidays in France that you may like to consider are...

Trekking tours involve full-day hiking from hotel-to-hotel or inn-to-inn, along long distance trails and straight-line pathways, with food and luggage transfers included.

See our list of tours for Trekking in France.

Walking tours feature all-day hiking with a mix of inn-to-inn and circular walks. Relevant food, transport and luggage transfers are included.

Visit our list of Walking holidays in France.

Hiking tours are for those who enjoy driving and walking in France. They come bundled with a hire car, or you can use your own car. They also include character and comfortable accommodations with breakfast only included in order to maximise your independence. Your car enables you to eat where you want to, both lunchtimes and in the evenings.

Visit our range of vacations featuring hiking in France.

If you are visiting France and wish to hike for just a few days, why not consider a short hiking tour? Here's a list of our walking breaks in France.

Trekking in France

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Trekking in France, Trekking France, Trek France

Trekking in France with The Enlightened Traveller engages you in full-day trekking from hotel-to-hotel or inn-to-inn. You trek along a mix of long distance trails, as well as pathways that are significant at either the regional or local level. Essential meals are included for your convenience, where no alternatives exist, as too are luggage transfers, unless you would prefer to omit these and backpack.

Inn-to-inn trekking in France ranges from short three-day treks to longer, endurance experiences of varying lengths, where you may wish to include the odd rest or recuperation day.

Visit our range of trekking France tours, or
If trekking France is not for you, and you do not wish to change hotels every night, please click here for alternative France hiking tours.

Trekking France from Inn-to-Inn

Trekking in France with The Enlightened Traveller is both empowering and educational. Choose from our fascinating range of themed France trekking tours. You gain added value and interest in the form of a contextualized learning experience that takes place en route with the assistance of our France Trekking Insight Notes™.

Whilst we standardise all our walking holidays in France for presentational purposes, our France trekking tours are all tailorable to your needs and personal capacity. So do not hesitate to ask us about options for reducing or increasing the duration of treks to suit your own requirements.

France trekking tours feature…

Daily treks that start and finish from your own hotel for your convenience and comfort.
France trekking trails that can often be shortened or lengthened, according to the availability of accommodation along the trail. This takes the slog out of trekking France, allows you to customize the trail to your needs and thus empowers you and raises enjoyment levels.
Trekking that lasts the best part of the day, leaving you free to relax in the evening upon arrival in your next, welcoming overnight stop.

Trekking The Regordane

With The Enlightened Traveller, your trekking in France has been meticulously planned to ensure you maximize your time and enjoyment whilst the surrounding logistical issues are catered for. Your France trekking tour includes all meals, although we may have decided not to include evening meals for the first and last night if we feel there are options available for you to make your own personal and informed choice - all of which will feature in your personalised France Trekking Dossier. Such information is based on our local knowledge as British trekkers living in the area, with vast trekking expertise and an extensive network of French contacts, including family, that have lived in Le MIdi since the 1930s. We make painstaking efforts to ensure you get the best possible trekking France experience!

Backpacking tours in France

A discounted rate is available for those wishing to backpack France on a reduced budget. We are happy to let you carry your own luggage with you if that's what you prefer. Furthermore, you are welcome to camp and cater for yourself en route. This is particularly appropriate if you are a vegetarian, vegan or have certain food allergies.

Browse our range of Backpacking France tours.

Trekking the Stevenson Trail

You may like to consider the following alternative France hiking tours:

Our Walking holidays in France feature all-day hiking, but comprise a mix of inn-to-inn and circular walks. This means that you do not move on from hotel to hotel every night and so can get to know certain areas better than you would on a straight line, long distance trek. Relevant food, transport and luggage transfers are included.

Visit our list of Walking holidays in France.

If you only wish to walk for part of the day...

Our Rambling tours in France comprise light, half-day circular walks in urban environments and their hinterlands, with afternoon options. B & B, and with transport and transfers included.

Visit our range of Rambling holidays in France.

If you like to walk and tour around in a car...

Our France Hiking tours involve light, half-day circular hiking trails, with afternoon options. You get around by car – either hire car, which you collect upon arrival in France, or your own car. These are themed, day hikes in a certain geographical location.

Our hiking France tours come with character and comfortable accommodation, and breakfast only is included in order to maximise your independence. Your car enables you to eat where you want to, both lunchtimes and in the evenings.

Visit our list of hiking in France holidays.

If you wish to hike France for only a few days, why not consider a short walking tour? Here's a list of our short hiking tours in France.

Walking breaks France

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Short hiking tours in France

Walking in the Garrigue- photo taken Xmas 2007.

Walking breaks France have just got better, and are within easy reach of most with the advent of low-cost flights or as part of a longer vacation in France. When it comes to walking breaks France is hard to beat. Our range of walking breaks are four-night walking tours.

What would you like to do now?

1. See our range of walking breaks in France or
2. Click these links if you want a 7-night rambling tour, inn-to-inn trek or perhaps a drive-hike programme, or
3. Continue reading below for further details on our walking breaks.

Ceze Valley Walking

Our walking breaks in France are designed to offer you:

All-year-round availability – walk when you want to in our amenable climate.
Convenience - access from Avignon, Marseille, Montpellier and Nimes airports via many UK and Continental European airports, or via the corresponding SNCF railway stations.
Flexibility – breaks start from as short as 4 nights, but may be lengthened on demand.
Great value for Money – B & B with hire car starts from as little as £195.00 or €295.00 (sharing), £295.00 (single person); whilst all-inclusive options with full board and all transport commence from £370.00 or €555.00 (sharing) and £465.00 or €695.00 (single).
Speed of Access – we’ll collect from and return you to your airport, or you collect your hire car on arrival.
Walking for all – choose from hiking, rambling, trekking and walking options that are suitable for most needs and capabilities.

An example of each of these walking holidays in France will serve to whet the appetite.

Ceze Valley Walking is a short, moderately-challenging hiking tour in the valley that time forgot. The walking is superb as you escape to a simpler past or an eco-future with our all-inclusive transfers.

Trails of the Garrigue immerses you in the aromas and flavours of the Mediterranean Garrigue on this light inn-to-inn mini-trek. A walking break France style par excellence!

Hikes in Provence is a light hiking break and drive-hike tour, walking and motoring around the hilltop villages of western Provence. The accommodations are first class and the grande finalé none other than a hike to the Pont du Gard.

Languedoc Rambling is a short introduction to three of western Provence’s most adorable and important historic cultural centres – Montpellier, Nimes and Uzes. We look after the logistics whilst you walk and learn more about these cities in 3 days than some of its denizens learn in a lifetime.

To join us for your hiking in France, the following airports are recommended: Avignon, Marseille, Montpellier and Nimes. For more travel information click here.

Walking in France Guide

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Admiring the view of the lower Ceze Valley - photo taken October 2006.

Our walking in France guide hopefully achieves its objective: to enlighten our hiking-hungry readership as to just some of the opportunities available to those hiking in France with The Enlightened Traveller.

The walking in France guide delights in bringing you an abundance of information to help you make the right choices when you are planning your walking in France. The articles below are designed to whet the appetite and provide the all-important cultural and geographical context for some fine walking.

We offer a variety of hiking tours in France’s following regions: Auvergne, Camargue, Cevennes, Languedoc, Provence and Rhone-Alps. The articles provide excellent background reading for those wishing to explore The Hexagon on foot.

The France walking guide is not exhaustive. It is still being populated and is regularly updated, so please return again in the future for further ideas on where to walk during your annual hiking holidays as well as those all-year-round long weekends, when you long for a short walking break in France.

Please click on the titles below to access your chosen article.

I. Walking in Languedoc-Roussillon
Ideas for hiking vacations are in abundance in this region, with its amenable climate and varied terrain. The Regordane Way, The Robert Louis Stevenson Trail, The Via Domitia and the French Compostella trail are just four inn-to-inn trekking trails that you can place on your wish list. Add to that the abundance of fine circular walks, many available all-year-round, and you see why Languedoc is in a class of its own in respect of options for hiking tours in France.

II. Hiking in The Gard
France’s quarry for the ‘vrai Pierre,’ you will delight in your Cevenol hikes or your rambles in western Provence.

III. Walking Camargue & Coast
For lovers of wildlife, especially of the winged variety, the Camargue is your nesting ground. Not to forget the ubiquitous black bulls and white horses...

The perched village of Cornillon from a garrigue vantage point - photo taken January 2007.

IV. Hill-walking in Cevennes
In the renowned 'blue waves' of rolling hills, nature has created a walkers’ paradise. You simply need some advice as to the best way in according to your hiking experience.

V. Walking Nimes and its Garrigue
Walking breaks are available throughout the year in the Mediterranean Garrigue. It’s light hiking of variable lengths to suit and the chance to enjoy some fine views as you immerse yourself in the magical aromas of the Garrigue.

VI. Hiking the Piedmont Cévénol
Under construction – please look back in the future!

VII. Trekking the Rhône Valley
Under construction – please look back in the future!

VII. Walking in Uzege
Uzes and the surrounding villages offer some of the finest opportunities for light rambling in France, and some excellent hotels, to boot. Relax in fine surroundings and enjoy fine cuisine at the end of your forays.

VIII. Hiking in Valcèzard

The lesser-known trails of the triangular area between the Ardeche, Rhone and Ceze valleys have some of the garrigue’s prettiest villages and hiking trails.

IX. Walking in Provence

From the Alps in the north east, to the Calanques and Camargue in the south via the Arpilles in the centre, opportunities abound for some fine walking.

The tallest menhir in the south of France - photo taken early Feb., 2009

Other suggestions for hiking tours by theme can be found under France hiking vacations.

Walking in Provence - Part One

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Provençal canals are part of our Walking Provence-West tour

Walking Provence is understandably a widespread activity due to the region’s rich cultural heritage, and mélange of favourable climate, fine cuisine, and diverse walking trails. The Provence of Classical Antiquity stretches as far east as Ales in the Cevennes foothills, creating the Garrigues area to Nimes and the Pont du Gard that is propitious for all-year-round walking.

This walking in Provence section is intended for those who enjoy gentle walks, fine cuisine and plenty of local insight into the area through which you hike. If you plan to go hiking in France only once, Provence is likely to be your destination. Scroll down to read some essential facts and features on our Provence walking tours, or click here to discover more general information about walking Provence in general.

Walking Provence-West

The perfect mix of light, exhilarating hiking complemented by fine accommodation. Walk lengths can be increased to make the tour a moderate challenge. It’s the best of unspoiled Provence compressed into seven glorious days of Mediterranean discovery.

Highlights:
• Walk the best of three Gorges: the Aiguillon, Ardeche & Ceze
• Discover megalithic man’s footprint and the Sautadet Falls
• Enjoy superior accommodation and savour the unique ambiance of a 12th century Carthusian monastery
• Visit in Provence’s finest unspoiled villages.

Prices:

• Shared room rate per person:
£620.00 or €695.00
Single rate:
• £980.00 or €1085.00

Key Details:
• 8-nights, start any day, from April to end-September
• Light ascents & descents, with options for longer days.
• Hiking for gourmands.

Hiking in Provence

A mix of fine and gentle walking across undulating Mediterranean lowland, with superior accommodation.

Highlights:
• Walk the best of the Ardeche Gorge, the Valbonne forest and the Sautadet Falls
• Enjoy superior accommodation
• Experience the unique ambiance of a 12th century Carthusian monastery
• Stay in two of Provence’s finest villages.

Prices:

• Shared room rate per person:
£325.00 or €360.00

Single rate:
• On Demand

Key Details:
• 4-nights, start any day, from April to end-September
• Gentle walking over short distances

• Hiking for gourmands.

Walks in Provence

A sacred melange of moderate walking in the sun-drenched Ceze valley and Gorge, complemented by superior accommodation.

Highlights:
• Discover Megalithic Man's footprint: dolmen and south-eastern France's tallest menhir.
• Enjoy fine scenery and geological formations, incl. the Aiguillon and Cèze Valley gorges,
and The Sautadet Falls.
• Experience some of Western Provence's best trails and most fascinating hill-top villages.
• Stay in some of the region's superior countryside accommodation.

Prices:

• Shared room rate per person:
£370.00 or €415.00

Single rate:
• On Demand

Key Details:
• 4-nights, start any day, all year round
• Moderate walking, with the option to cover shorter distances

• Hiking for geographers, geologists and historians.

• Hiking Gard-Provence • Hikes in Provence • Hiking the Camargue
• Hiking Petite Camargue • Mediterranean Family Hiking • Provence Rambling
• Rambling in Provence • Walking Provence-West

Now click on these links below to discover more about hiking Provence itself.

The Mountains of Provence, The Calanques and The Camargue.

The Mountains of Provence

If the Maritime Alps are considered part of Provence, and for the purposes of our hiking tours they are, then they form the highest peaks in the Region. Cime du Gélas is 3135 ms or 10286 ft and Mont Pelat measures 3053 ms, 10017 ft. Both offer excellent opportunities for walking in Provence.

Mont Ventoux from Mirabel-aux-Baronnies

Outside of the Maritime Alps, Mont Ventoux (1909 ms or 6263 feet), is the highest peak in Provence and great hiking territory. Whilst geologically part of the Alps, it is considered to be separate from them due to the lack of any intervening mountains of similar height. Located 20 km north-east of Carpentras, it is nicknamed "The Bald Mountain" as its ‘table-top’ is bare, white limestone bereft of flora. This gives it an all-year-round snow-capped look, whereas snow cover actually lasts from December to April only.

The Alpilles is a mountain-chain about 20 kms south of Avignon in Provence. Although not particularly high, measuring only 387 m (1,270 ft) at their highest point, they rise abruptly from the surrounding Rhône valley. The Alpilles landscape is one of arid limestone peaks separated by dry valleys and offers an abundance of shorter, day-walking options for those keen on shorter hikes in Provence.

Montagne Sainte-Victoire is probably the best-known mountain in Provence, thanks to Paul Cezanne, who painted it frequently. It is a limestone ridge extending over 18 kilometres, with its highest point, Pic des Mouches, lying at 1011 metres (3316 ft).

The Coast of Provence - The Calanques

Les Calanques are a dramatic feature of the Provence coast, a 20-kilometre-long series of narrow inlets in the cliffs of the coastline between Marseille, to the east, and Cassis to the west. The highest peak in the massif is Mont Puget at 565 metres.

There are some fine hiking trails to explore along the coastal strip, on either short hiking tours or as part of a longer walking holiday in France.

Calanques are remains of ancient river mouths formed mostly during the Tertiary Period. They were further deepened by glaciation and then flooded by the sea to become ‘calanques’.

The Calanques Coastline

The Camargue

With an area of over 930 km² (360 sq. miles), the Camargue is western Europe's largest river delta and a fine territory for walking tours in Provence. It is a vast plain comprising large salt lagoons or étangs, cut off from the sea by sandbars and encircled by reed-covered marshes. These are in turn surrounded by a large cultivated area. France produces forty per cent of its own rice and all of it is grown in The Camargue.

The Camargue is home to more than 400 species of birds, including the greater flamingo. The marshes are also a prime habitat for the famous black bulls and their equally-famous Camargue horses.

If you like walking holidays in France that feature light hiking plus bags of sea air and sunshine, the Camargue is hard to beat. Read our article on The Camargue and then see our recommended hiking tour in Camargue.

The Camargue and its emblematic White Horse

Click to continue onto Part Two of Walking Provence or why not start planning your hiking in France straight away?

Walking trails in France - a comprehensive listing

Thu, 9 Sep 2010 13:45:22 +01

One of the finest hiking trails France has: The Regordane Way

These walking trails in France are a broad and comprehensive selection of walking opportunities that will delight the needs of most hikers, except for those seeking extreme challenges.

Walking trails in France are listed alphabetically, but to further simplify your search:

Walks are grouped together according to the level of challenge that awaits you. The numbers in brackets range from [1] for light hiking, to [4] for challenging treks. However, there are no absolutes in play here, and one man’s challenge is another woman’s stroll. Moreover, all walks can be personalized and most allow for the option to push the tour grading up or down a notch.

‘Rambling’ indicates strolls around urban milieu and their hinterlands; ‘trekking’ are inn-to-inn tours and ‘walking’ are multi-centre programmes - viz., you don’t change accommodation every night.

You can also search the three location-types or milieu: city, coast and countryside, by placing your cursor over the three photos at the bottom of the page.

Finally, for a more detailed search according to your own specific criteria, please use our Tours Database search facility.

Happy browsing, Happy Hiking!

Walks in France

Thu, 9 Sep 2010 13:45:22 +01

Walks from several bases - you don't change hotels every night

Walks in France provides lots of useful information on day walks that we have linked together from two or three bases. You thus walk for the best part of the day and enjoy an optimum mix of inn-to-inn and circular walks.

Walks in France are thus multi-centre, and you benefit from not having to change hotels every night. Some hikers love the challenge and routine of getting up early, meticulously organizing that backpack and then moving on to pastures new. Others don’t, and these pages are for you others…

What would you like to do now? Either click on the walking tour titles below or simply read on…

Walking in Cantal
Walking the Cèze Valley
Walking in Cévennes
Walks in France's Garrigues

Walks in France are arranged in such a way that you will find yourself spending a couple of nights in a few places en route. These are generally villages of particular interest where we feel you will simply enjoy being in the evenings after the hiking day. The circular walking options are so good that to leave one out would fail to do justice to the location in question.

These circular or looped walks are of course linked together in an imaginative way, very often by a route de Grande Randonnee or GR. However, we have learnt from living and walking in France most days that these long distance trails that comprise the French trail system are historically the quickest ways to get from A to B, and not often the most scenic. They have also evolved through time, constrained by the exigencies of home and road building as well as property ownership changes. As time has progressed, many of them have lost their original interest. Our knowledge of the GPRs and PRs, more recently developed and with the aesthetics foremost in mind, means that you get the absolute best from your hiking tour in France.

The main benefits of our multi-centre France walks can thus be summarized as…

• start and finish from your own hotel, or after a short morning transfer, for extra convenience and comfort.
• Stay a couple of nights in one cosy location – no need to move on to a new base every night.
• Walking has been designed with your enjoyment in mind, or maybe a theme, and not just the imperative of walking from hotel A to accommodation B.
• Many walks can be shortened or lengthened to suit - take the slog out of hiking in France or facilitate a greater sense of physical challenge.

There are of course thousands of circular walking opportunities and GRs, and all of them will give you a physical work-out. But you seek more than that, don’t you? The skill lies in selecting the best walks – achieving the optimal balance between the physical and the aesthetic, arranging them under an interesting theme, and doing so in a manageable way that ensures you do not loose your bearings. This is the hallmark of all our walking tours in France.

Please click either the tour title or the relevant photo [below] to access the full details of the respective tour.

Walking in Cantal
Walk Europe's largest dormant volcano & its surrounding area.

Highlights:
• Five peaks over 5000', including Puy Mary (5848') & Plomb du Cantal (6084')
• Brèche de Rolland
• Scenic Compostella Variant
• Ancient Roman trail
• Fine Cantal villages & The Cère & Jordan valleys

Prices sharing:
£585.00 or €650.00 or $995.00

Key Details:
• 6-nights, start any day, from mid-May to mid-October
• Challenging ascents & descents.

Walking the Cèze Valley
An enchanting valley that Time Forgot, amidst alternative & eco-lifestyles.

Highlights:
• Ancient drovers trails & hill-crests on GRs & GRPs
• Cheylard castle & Senechas dam

• Eco-homesteads, hippy lifestyles & organic farming
• Villages untouched by time

Prices sharing:
£530.00 or €590.00 or $915.00

Key Details:

• 6-nights, start any day, from mid-March to late-October
• Moderately challenging ascents & descents

Walking in Cévennes
A multi-thematic walking extravaganza in the Cevennes hills.

Highlights:

• Fine countryside hotels with swimming pools
• Hill-top trails & the upper Gardon river valleys
• Huguenots Museum & Camisard country
• Taste the RL Stevenson trail

Prices sharing:
£545.00 or €595.00 or $940.00

Key Details:

• 6-nights, start any day, from mid-March to late-October
• Moderately challenging ascents & descents

Walks in France's Garrigue
The best of Mediterranean France, walking light, undulating bucolic trails.

Highlights:
• Discover the rich geography, geology and history of the lower Gardon Valley
• Enjoy the best of authentique, family-run accommodation
• Hike an ancient Roman trail linking fascinating, historic hilltop villages from Ales to Nimes
• Savour the ambiance, local foods and wines of the unmistakable French Garrigue

Prices sharing:
£595.00 or €670.00 or $1040.00

Key Details:
• 7-nights, start any day, all year round
• Gentle ascents & descents

Click for more help in selecting from our hiking tours in France.

Best of St-Giles [2]

Thu, 9 Sep 2010 13:45:22 +01

Long distance walks in France: Christendom's fourth-most-important pilgrimage route

Le Puy en Velay

Key Facts

Self-guided, moderate, inn-to-inn trekking.
Start in le Puy en Velay and finish in Alès, near Nimes.
Eight-night tour, with seven days of hiking and arrivals any day from April to end October.
Please contact us if you'd like to complete the full pilgrimage route.

Please click through the following points or scroll down the page...

a) Theme

b) Photos & Location

c) Model hiking tour: Best of St-Giles

d) Access
e) Accommodation

f) What's included

g) Prices

Near medieval Garde-Guerin

a) Theme

Our long distance walks in France are proud to contain this fine trail in its portfolio: Best of St-Giles brings you the highlights of the Hexagon's most notable historic trail, recently rescucitated after fifty years of research by one Frenchman, Marcel Girault. The trail is a distance of around 95 miles or 152 kms, and offers seven days of excellent hiking. You commence in Le Puy en Velay and finish in Ales, with an optional four-day extention to St Gilles du Gard, or five or six-day extention to the Mediterranean coast, on demand.

The best long distance walks in France comprise a mix of countryside walking and historical discovery. Best of St-Giles is a well-balanced trek comprising four days of isolated volcanic upland trekking, fused with three days of descent into the heart of the Cevennes. It's the ultimate French history lesson, and features the best accommodation available en route, to boot.

You experience the delights of the Auvergne, Lozere and the eastern Cevennes, whilst enjoying a master-class in French history, from the Middle Ages to The Industrial Revolution.

b) Further Information

Our long distance walks in France can be customised to your needs. The walking-day lengths, number of stages and the tour duration can thus be personalised to suit you. Furthermore, a discounted rate is available on demand for backpackers preferring to carry their own luggage.

Read our article on hiking in France along the Chemin de Saint-Gilles.

For other inn-to-inn walking holidays in France, see:

Trek France’s Regordane

Trekking French Huguenots Trails

Trekking the Stevenson Trail

The Volcanic Uplands of Velay

c) Model Programme: Best of St-Giles

Day 1. Le Puy.

Arrival and hotel check-in. A visit to Le Puy merits a day's stay itself, so much history is there here to enjoy.

Night in Le Puy.

Day 2. Le Puy to Costaros. 13 miles-19 kms.

You climb up to over 1100 metres, cross the volcanic plateau through a series of hamlets and nine centuries of history to Chadernac castle, before descending to Costeros.

Night near Costaros.

Day 3. Costaros to Pradelles. 12 miles-18 kms

The black ash volcanic trails are replaced by terra roxa, as you climb gently from Auverge into Lozere before descending through Knights of the Templar country and over the 'Pont des Anglais' en route to the granite charm of medieval Pradelles.

Night in Pradelles.

Day 4. Pradelles to La Bastide.16.5 miles-25 kms.

Two historically-sound routes exist for today's trek, according to the weather and your preferences. This is the longest and most demanding of the days walking.

Night in La Bastide.

Day 5. La Bastide to Villefort. 10.5 miles-16 kms.

You walk the volcanic plateau to a medieval village on the Chaussezac gorge and then onto Lake Villefort. This day will remain in your hiking memory for the rest of your life.

Night in Villefort.

Day 6. Villefort to Genolhac. 11 miles-15 kms.

There's the chance to visit a clifftop chapel, subject of its own pilgrimage, before you enter the Gard via the villages at the foot of Mont Lozere, see the source of the River Ceze and visit typical linear settlements en route with their unique Roman churches.

Night in Genolhac.

Day 7. Genholac to Portes. 11.75 miles-17 kms.

March from the Huguenot stronghold through the countryside of the Cevennes' most famous writer, J-P Chabrol. The Chamborigaud viaduct is impressive and the site of Portes Castle a reminder of its strategic position as the northern gateway to The Cevennes.

Night near Portes.

Day 8. Portes to Alès. 14.5 miles-22 kms.

You descend over 400 metres along the watershed between the Ceze and the Gardon valleys, through villages and hamlets to the industrial heartland of The Cevennes, Alès.

Night in Alès.

Day 9. End of your France trekking.

Train back to Le Puy or to Nimes, or collect your car from our Alès base. Bonne retour.

Note: The above is a guide only. As part of our policy of continual review and improvement, we reserve the right to make alterations for the sake of tour quality and customer safety.

d) Access

To join this walking holiday in France, the nearest airport or TGV railway station is St Etienne/Lyon, with onward train to Puy-en-Velay. You can drive to Puy and collect your car at the end of your trip. If you prefer to access via Nimes, there is a train option available- please contact us for further details - or you can leave your car with us in Ales and collect it upon your return.

e) Accommodation

• Six 2-star character hotels, a 3-star Auberge and a welcoming chambres d'hotes.

• En-suite facilities.

Note: we reserve the right to slighty alter the above, depending on availability, whilst maintaining the same general level of accommodation quality.

f) What's included in Best of St-Giles

Included

8 nights B & B
6 picnic lunches and 6 evening meals - your packed lunch for your first day's walking can be bought in Le Puy before departure; and you are free to choose where to eat dinner in Le Puy and Ales - there are many options.
Luggage transfers¹ integral to the programme.
Cell-phone loan for non-Europeans if required, subject to availability.
Car parking in Ales for the duration of your trek where required*
Hiking Insight Notes™ that empower & make orientation easy
Themed vacation dossier & 1:25,000 scale maps
End-of-tour debriefing
Emergency telephone help-line service with local British backup.

Not included

Remaining meals
Personal expenses
Entrances into optional cultural visits and venues
Travel, walking and personal insurance
Single rooms – unless booking at single person rate

* Parking is at customer's risk.

Prices 2010 - Best of the Saint-Gilles


Price per person based on 2 persons sharing double room	£695.00 or €790.00
Single person	£870.00 or €970.00

Extra nights	On Request

Back to product list
See our full range of trekking in France tours

Best of Walking Auvergne [4]

Thu, 9 Sep 2010 13:45:22 +01

A walking tour in France, hiking the best of Europe’s largest volcano

Key Facts

•    Self-guided, challenging, walking tour.
•    All-inclusive transport, from and to Murat.
•    Four nights, with arrivals any day from mid-May to mid-October.

Please click through the following points or alternatively scroll down the page.
a) Theme
b) Photos & Location
c) Model tour: Best of walking Auvergne
d) Access
e) Accommodation
f) What's Included
g) Prices

a) Theme

This is a walking tour in France that you simply have to put in your ‘must list’ - Best of walking Auvergne. Quite simply, a superb opportunity to enjoy the best of hiking the Cantal volcano with some complementary and convivial accommodation.

Best of walking Auvergne takes you to the Cantal volcano, Europe’s largest, measuring more than 40 miles across. At its height, it would have reached about 9000 feet. Subsequent glacial erosion has created a panoramic upland area, with its peaks (or puys as they are known locally) ranging from 4000 to 6000 feet. If you like hiking trips in France, then this is a hikers’ paradise of enchanting summits, upland moors and U-shaped valleys.

This is a walking tour in France which takes you across unspoiled countryside – no pylons or overhead power cables are to be seen. You hike the essential heights, whilst our meticulous planning enables you personalise two of the three days hiking to suit your requirements.

b) Further Information

•    See our 6-night tour, Walking in Cantal

•    Click here for alternative short hiking tours to consider.

c) Model Tour: Best of walking Auvergne

Day 1. Murat
You are collected from Murat and taken to your walkers’ inn or chambre d’hote.

Day 2. Lioran to Thiézac.
15 miles / 22.5 kms - 750 m altitude gain & very gradual 1000 m descent; shorter option, is 10.5 miles /16 kms with no ascent.

You either take the cable car to the top of Plomb du Cantal or scale it yourself. Once there you walk an ancient Roman trail with some mouthwatering vistas on both sides en route to the charming village of Thiézac and your welcoming hotel - enjoy!

Day 3. Thiézac to Mandailles.
8 miles/12 kms - 750 ms altitude gain & 600 ms descent.

Enjoy a fine day’s hiking as you climb out of the Cère valley and walk some fine ridges en route to Mandailles nestled in the Jordan valley.

Day 4. Mandailles - Circular walk
12 miles-18 kms, with shorter option. Full option: 980 m altitude gain & 1190 m descent. Shorter option, 9.5 miles/14 kms avoids 250 ms of ascent.

This is what you’ve been waiting for: the Puy Mary experience. You gain access via the Bréche de Rolland and pay homage via Puy Chavaroche. Une sacré balade!

Day 5. Transfer to Murat…
..and the end of a memorable tour. Au revoir et bon retour.

d) Access

Your tour commences from the delightful Cantalian town of Murat. Best access is via train from Beziers, Claremont-Ferrand, St Etienne or Toulouse and relevant airports are Paris CDG, Lyon, Toulouse and a number of smaller airports in the Languedoc area.

e) Accommodation

Welcoming, comfortable, family-run accommodations await you, incl. auberge/walkers’ inn, chambre d’hote and hotel.

•    One night in 2-star hotel
•    One night in either a comfortable chambre d’hote, auberge or walkers’ inn
•    Two nights in a convivial walkers’ inn.

f) What's included

Included

•    4 nights B & B
•    3 picnic lunches and 4 evening meals
•    Collection from and return to Murat
•    Luggage transfers¹ and transport integral to the programmme.
•    Cell-phone loan for non-Europeans if required, subject to availability.
•    Hiking Notes, map & themed vacation dossier
•    Emergency telephone help-line service with British backup.

Not included

•    Remaining meals, drinks & any extras.
•    Personal expenses
•    Entrances into optional cultural visits and venues
•    Travel, walking and personal insurance
•    Single rooms

g) Prices 2010: Best of walking Auvergne

Price per person based on 2 persons sharing       £450.00 or €495.00
double room

Extra night’s (accommodation only) per person

Mandailles: £35.00 or €40.00
Thiezac: £40.00 or €45.00

Ceze Valley Walking [3]

Thu, 9 Sep 2010 13:45:22 +01

Explore the valley that time forgot

Life in the Cèze Valley has continued as if caught in a time warp. Sandwiched between the Ardeche to the north and the Gardon to the south, Cezarenque has a unique charm and status as the valley that time forgot.

Cèze Valley Walking is, in our opinion, one of the best short walking tours France has to offer. It sees you getting close to the source of the river Cèze and well acquainted with some beautiful countryside on the eastern flank of the Cevennes and Mont Lozere. Late sixties hippies have built alternative lifestyles here, and wooden solar-powered eco-homes inhabit the same valley as the typical stone 'mas', many of which are still bereft of running water.

Fact File:

Four-night, moderately challenging, short walking holiday;
Available March to October;
All-inclusive transport, starting and finishing in Alès - optional Nimes collection & return.

Please click through the following points or scroll down the page. Alternatively, click the flyer image below to download and read the tour in pdf format.

a) Theme
b) Photos & Location
c) Model walking tour: Cèze Valley Walking
d) Access
e) Accommodation
f) What's included
g) Prices

a) Theme

When it comes to walking tours France's Cèze Valley is special: one of our Operations Manager’s favourite spots for walking holidays. It is the chance to immerse yourself in a charming rural world of isolated homesteads and ‘alternative’ farming. Don’t bring your laptop, this is a ‘Broadband-free zone’ and hillwalking paradise. There is, however, at least emergency mobile network coverage for that extra peace of mind - although you are likely to have the phone turned off to maximise your enjoyment and keep 'normal life'at bay!

As if untouched by time, you have the opportunity to visit the only surviving chestnut-drying house still functioning in France; an organic farm and an organic wine grower of ‘illegal’ Clinton grapes, whose wine still cannot be sold commercially; a water mill being meticulously restored, and search some of France’s purest river waters for cray fish. The imposing Cheylard castle is never far away, keeping a watchful eye from its hilltop vantage point.

Some sixties hippies settled in the area and established alternative lifestyles amidst a movement to re-populate rural villages. Their products are on sale in many of the Valley's markets. Optional activities on Cèze Valley Walking include the chance to visit Le Chateau Cheylard (restricted opening), visit an organic farm or an organic wine grower of ‘illegal' Clinton grapes (by arrangement) or visit La Clede - a chestnut- drying house.

b) Further Information

For a 7-night hiking tour of the same theme, see Walking the Ceze Valley.
Other walking tours France has to offer nearby are:

Trekking with the Camisards

Walking the Cevennes Railway

Walking the Cevennes
Walking in Cevennes Heaven

c) Model Programme: Cèze Valley Walking

Day 1. Alès

Arrive in Nimes by air or by rail¹. Take The Cevenol from Nimes to Ales. Check in to centrally-located hotel and a short walk around the town.

Night in Alès.

Day 2. Aujaguet - [9.5 miles-14 kms, approx. 5 hrs, +425 ms -435 ms]

Transfer to Aujac, check in followed by a memorable walk that takes you across a dam, various bridges, past a water mill, into the water itself (optional swim), through two very different villages, to an organic farm, a recently-restored church and all under the watchful gaze of the imposing castle of Cheylard.

Night in Aujac.

Day 3. La Cham Bonnevaux. [9 miles-13 kms, approx. 5 hrs, +570 ms -315 ms]

You are higher up today walking some ancient drovers’ trails and enjoying some fabulous views. You will start by climbing a steep marble-coated path, level off to enjoy the view before plunging into a pine forest, descending into a forgotten hamlet and then, rather unexpectedly, extending yourself once again – but its well worth it - in order to reach the village of Bonnevaux. Is this the smallest 'Marie' in France?

Second night in Aujac.

Day 4. The Crest of the Waves. [10 miles-15 kms, approx. 5½ hrs, +380 ms -710 ms]

This route follows the watershed as you descend 700 metres to Bordezac and back to Besseges along the Cevenol and Upper Ceze Valley GRPs.

Night in Besseges

Day 5. End of your hiking tour

Transfer to Ales after breakfast.

¹ Option by car, leaving vehicle in enclosed parking near Ales at owner’s risk.

d) Access

This Ceze Valley tour starts and finishes in Ales. Joining this walking break is easy and convenient from either Nimes airport or railway station, with onward train to Ales (40 mins). Access via Avignon, Marseille or Montpellier airports or SNCF are the next best alternatives.

For those wishing to bring their own car, you can leave your car in Ales in an enclosed private parking space at owner's risk. Please ask us for details.

Note: we can collect you from either Nimes airport or SNCF station for even quicker access.

e) Accommodation

4-night's hiking in France: CèzeValley Walking

You stay:

One night in Ales
Two nights in Aujac
One night in Besseges

Your accommodation is:

a '3-star standard' character hotel,
a 2-star hotel,
a walkers' inn with restaurant.

or upgrade to

a 3-star gite for family or mini-group stays - not available in July or August. Please ask for details.

Note: accommodation options may vary according to the season.

f) What's included in Cèze Valley Walking

Included

4 nights B & B
2 dinners and 3 picnic lunches - leaving you free to choose your evening meals in Ales & Besseges
All travel/transport and luggage transfers that are integral to the programme, commencing and terminating in Ales
Pre-tour briefing
For those bringing their own car, enclosed private parking is available in Ales*
Hiking Insight Notes™ that empower & make orientation easy
Themed vacation dossier
Emergency telephone help-line service with local British backup
Loan of mobile phone where required - subject to availability.

* parking is at owner's risk.

Not included

Any other meals - Ales & Besseges offer options for evening meals according to your preferences
Any entrances to optional cultural visits and sightseeing programme
Travel, walking and personal insurance
Personal expenses

g) Prices: 2010 walking holidays in France: Cèze Valley Walking

Price per person based on 2 persons £395.00 or €460.00
sharing double room

Single person rate POA

See our range of walking breaks in France

France on Foot & by Rail [1/2]

Thu, 9 Sep 2010 13:45:22 +01

Hike southern France by train along a fascinating Mountain Railway

France on Foot and by Rail is one of our eco-friendly walking holidays. A journey that sees you hiking near and riding on the Cevennes railway line, the Cévenol. This is your chance to enjoy stimulating hikes laced together by short train-rides. It is a fascinating criss-cross journey across valleys and over viaducts on the Cevennes train known as the "line of 100 tunnels."

When it comes to walking holidays France on foot and by rail is a special experience indeed. So climb aboard and enjoy a varied array of trails in three separate French departments. The experience will exceed your expectations and have you discussing it with your friends for years to come. The SNCF wanted to close this 'unprofitable' mountain railway, but we like to think our efforts were instrumental in winning a reprieve and keeping it open as a viable concern - so get cracking just in case they have a change of heart!

Fact File:

• Four-night walking holiday by rail, with arrivals any day from April to October inclusive.
• A flexible hiking tour, adaptable to those seeking either a light or moderate walking break.
• All-inclusive transport, starting and finishing in Ales.

Please click through the following points or scroll down the page. Alternatively, click the flyer image below to download and read the tour in pdf format.

a) Theme
b) Photos & Location
c) Model hiking tour: France on Foot and by Rail
d) Access
e) Accommodation
f) What's included
g) Prices

a) Theme

This is arguably one of our most eco-friendly walking holidays France has to offer, featuring the one and only 'Cévenol': a diesel train linking Nîmes to Clermont-Ferrand. For those of you that enjoy walking but want to get away from the car, there isn’t a better way to do it than take your walking holidays by rail. It’s a walking holiday of a lifetime, featuring tailored walks complemented by short train rides. Enjoy the picturesque scenery from your modern and comfortable SNCF seat, delight in the changing landscapes of Ardeche, Cevennes and Lozere, and get a sense of what you are about to experience upon arrival at your next destination.

Built over a century-and-a-half ago to facilitate the transport of wine and coal to Paris, the line bears testimony to man's engineering ingenuity as it wends its way up its course from Alès to Villefort to La Bastide, through innumerable tunnels and across some breathtaking viaducts.

France on Foot and by Rail is a unique opportunity to walk France by train. It brings you comfortable accommodation at each programmed stop, and memorable hikes that help you gain insight into the history and culture of the territory traversed by the Cévenol.

b) Further Information

• Read our articles entitled
The Cevennes: a Labyrinth of Hills and
The Cevenol Railway.

• For a seven-night eco-friendly opportunity to walk France by train, see Walking the Cevennes Railway.

• For other France hiking tours in Cevennes with different themes, see:

      Ceze Valley walking and
      Walking in Cevennes Heaven

c) Model Programme: France on Foot and by Rail

Day 1. Arrival in Ales, Gateway to

the Cevennes

Check in to centrally-located hotel with gourmet restaurant. Pre-hiking tour briefing.
Night in Ales.

Day 2. The Road to Pradelles.

15 kms- 10 miles.
You take the morning Cevenol to Langogne. Check in and enjoy an historic hike to the fascinating medieval fortified town of Pradelles.
Night in Langogne.

Day 3. Tour de l'Ardèche. Walk options from 6 kms-4 miles to

14 kms-9 miles.
Short morning train ride to La Bastide and hike to Notre Dame de Neige Abbey, celebrated for its liquor, or a section of the RL Stevenson trail.
Night in La Bastide.

Day 4. Lake Villefort. Walk options from 6 kms-4 miles to

14 kms-9 miles.
Short morning train ride to Villefort and enjoy a hike round the lake with optional extensions to Castanet castle or via the Mont Lozere trail.
Night in Villefort.

Day 5. End of your France walking holiday in France
Train to Ales train station after breakfast and post-hiking tour briefing before departure.

d) Access

You join this hiking break in Ales, with easy and convenient access by road, airport or railway station via Nimes.

From Montpellier airport, you take a taxi to the rail station for connections to Nimes and onward to Ales.Your train to Nimes takes 30 minutes. Please ask us for details.

Alternatively, for those wishing to bring their own car, there is also the option of leaving your car in Ales in an enclosed private parking space at owner's risk. Ask us for details.

e) Accommodation

You stay:

• One night in Ales
• One night in Villefort
• One night in Langogne
• One night in La Bastide

Your accommodation is:

• One 1-star hotel
• Three 2-star hotels
• All with en-suite facilities
• All family-run businesses

f) What's included in France on Foot and by Rail

Included
• 4 nights B & B in four different hotels
• 3 dinners and 2 picnic lunches
• All tickets on Le Cevenol train from Ales and back
• Collection from and return to stations en route where over 5 minutes walk away from hotel
• Pre- and Post-tour briefing and de-briefing in Ales
• Hiking Insight Notes™ that empower & make orientation easy
• Themed vacation dossier
• Comprehensive travel notes & logistical information
• Emergency telephone help-line service with local British backup
• Loan of mobile phone where required - subject to availability
• Option of leaving your car in Ales in an enclosed private parking space*.

* at owner's risk.

Not included
• Remaining meals - i.e., you are free to purchase dinner in Ales from a multitude of options to suit your taste and budget. There are also several options available on Day Two for lunch.
• Single rooms - unless booking at single traveller rate
• Travel and entrances to optional cultural visits and sightseeing programme
• Travel, Walking and personal insurance
• Personal expenses

g) Prices 2010: France on Foot and by Rail

Price per person based on 2 sharing: £435.00 or €470.00

Single person rate: £570.00 or €630.00

For more fine photos of Le Cevenol Railway, please visit Edouard Paris' site

See our range of walking breaks in France

Mont Blanc Trails [TMB] [4]

Thu, 9 Sep 2010 13:45:22 +01

Sample the delights of the Tour du Mont Blanc [TMB]

Fact File:

Four-night, moderately-challenging hiking tour.
Arrivals any day from July to mid-September.
Start in Trient, Switzerland and finish in Chamonix, France.

Please click through the following points or scroll down the page.
a) Theme
b) Photos & Location
c) Model hiking tour: Mont Blanc Trails
d) Access
e) Accommodation
f) What's included
g) Prices

a) Theme

Mont Blanc Trails [TMB] gives the guardedly audacious the chance to fulfill a relative goal. You do not want to walk the whole of the Tour du Mont Blanc [TMB], or at least not at this particular moment in time, but you are keen to hike a bit of it, and see what all the fuss is about – aren’t you?

This walking tour in Mont Blanc brings Europe’s best walks within easy reach of the healthy and relatively-fit hiker. The section we have selected is arguably unrivalled around Mont Blanc, so you see the best sights available: the Col de Balme, as you cross the Franco-Swiss frontier; the 'Grand Balcon du Sud', surely the finest stretch of trail in Europe, with the most magnificent of views over the Mont Blanc Massif; and dinner on the shores of Lac Blanc. Your five hours of walking on Day One get you totally-immersed and fully up to speed; whilst Day Two and Three see you averaging three-and-a-half hours a day. So you can go unhurried and marvel in the ambiance, alpine flora and fauna. Furthermore, if the weather forecast is adverse (and late afternoons can see some variable weather in the Alps) you can get most of the walking done in the morning, and enjoy your destinations to the full.

Mont Blanc Trails [TMB] comprises luggage transfers, three comfortable accommodations as well as what might just be your first opportunity to experience a mountain chalet-refuge. You’ve always secretly admired those who use them, haven’t you? But don’t worry – it’s only for one night, there are hot showers available, a restaurant and the bunk beds are conveniently arranged in alcoves of six to allow for greater privacy. But why do it? There are substantive gains to be reaped from a stop-over in this middle-mountain chalet: firstly, you don’t have to climb down from the alpine circuit at the end of the day and walk up the next morning. Secondly, and more importantly, you get to appreciate one of the finest hiking locations anywhere in Europe with just a few other shrewd overnighters once the day hikers have descended. You’ll value the peace and tranquility here just as you do the nights when nanny and granddad have the children. The location is supplied by helicopter and not reachable by car, mountain bike or quad – so there’s another reason to come, but just on this occasion, pack light, with only your overnight essentials and savor the relative isolation. You main luggage awaits you in the valley below.

Our walking tour in Mont Blanc is designed to be enjoyable and without the ‘slog factor’ and vertigo-inducing ladders. You also get to finish in the cradle of popular alpinism, Chamonix, so you can say you’ve been there, and either visit the fine mineral museum or buy that t-shirt.

b) Further details

Please ask us about the option for shortening the descent on Day 2 (below) if required.

c) Model hiking tour: Mont Blanc Trails [TMB]

Day 1: Arrival at Trient (Franco-Swiss border).

Probably by taxi or bus from nearby Martigny [Switzerland].
Night in Trient, Switzerland.

Day 2: Trient to Argentière

Approx. 5 hours. 9 miles -13 kms, with 1030 m altitude gain and 1080 m descent.
Night in Argentière, France.

Day 3: Argentière to Lac Blanc

Approx. 3.5 hours, via the 'Grand Balcon du Sud' that avoids the tall metallic ladders. 6 miles-9 kms, with 1100 m altitude gain.
Night on the banks of Lac Blanc.

Day 4: Lac Blanc to Chamonix

Approx. 3 hours. 6.5 miles-10 kms, with 1300 m descent; or 3 miles-4.5 kms, with 470 m descent plus cable car (not included).
Afternoon & night in Chamonix.

d) Access

Best access is via Geneva airport or TGV Paris-Geneva. Then fast train from Geneva to Martigny plus short taxi-ride to first hotel near Trient.

e) Accommodation

One welcoming, family-run mountain hotel
Two comfortable 2-star hotels located in the Chamonix valley
One comfortable mountain chalet-refuge, with electricity, hot food, showers and a view to treasure.

f) What's included

Included

3 nights B&B
1 night half-board in mountain chalet
Luggage transfers*
Hiking Insight Notes™ that empower & make orientation easy
1:25,000 map
Themed vacation dossier
Emergency telephone help-line service with British backup

* Note that your luggage cannot be delivered to the chalet-refuge, but will be awaiting you on your arrival in Chamonix.

Not included

Lunches and any other meals
Travel and entrances to any optional sites or cable cars
Travel, hiking and personal insurance
Personal expenses

g) 2010 Prices

Based on two people sharing: €460.00 or £415.00

Single person: €595.00 or £540.00

Pont du Gard walking [2]

Thu, 9 Sep 2010 13:45:22 +01

Hiking in Uzège for Gourmands

Fact File:

A self-guided, moderate, 3-day walking break.
Tour starts in Uzes and finishes near the Pont du Gard.
Four nights in superior accommodation, with arrivals any day all year round.

Please click through the following points or scroll down the page. Alternatively, click the flyer image below to download and read the tour in pdf format.

a) Theme
b) Photos and Location
c) Model hiking tour: Pont du Gard
d) Access
e) Accommodation
f) What's Included
g) Prices

a) Theme

Pont du Gard walking is a tale of two gorges, taking you from the Gorge d'Alzon to the Gardon Gorge, and culminating in a hike around arguably France’s greatest ancient monument -the Pont du Gard.

Pont du Gard walking starts in Uzès, the First Duchy of France and capital of the enigmatic region of Uzège. You hike Gard Provençal, home of The Gardon River, the best weather in France, varied countryside, a rich historical heritage and fine, understated regional wines. You stay in superior accommodation with gourmet restaurants either on site or a short stroll away.

The 'gourmand' within you will enjoy oscillating between the fascinating uplands of the Mediterranean Garrigues and the feature-filled banks of the Alzon and Gardon rivers. It’s light but invigorating hiking, with an abundance of avifauna, Mediterranean flora and local history and culture to get your teeth into. The Gardon has carved out a host of interesting features for you to savour en route, as it plays its game of ‘now-you-see-me, now-you-don’t’ along its ‘water’ course; disappearing underground only to appear further downstream as if to signal its supremacy.

You will witness limestone topography that is the stuff of classic geography field trips, as you are constantly reminded just how wild this river has been throughout its history – and why The State chose not to call the department ‘Gardon.’ The first day’s walking is designed to whet the appetite; the second is an adventure and the third encapsulates that creative tension between man and nature that gives birth to classic architecture. You approach The Pont du Gard from an angle that most never see, and various vantage points will deliver views that remain as lasting memories.

The precise route you walk along the Gardon will vary according to the season and the corresponding water levels in the Gorge. Nevertheless, whatever time of year you hike the tour, you will see all the highlights including, of course, the Pont du Gard itself. Moreover, if you time your arrival for a Friday, you can take in the Uzès Saturday market, arguably Province's best, before your first walk on Sunday - an extra night in Uzès may be required?

b) Further Information

Read our article on The Garrigue
For a short walking tour in Garrigues, see Trails of the Garrigues
For other short breaks but with different themes, see:

    i)  France on Foot and by Rail - riding and light hiking the Cevenol railroad;
    ii) Ceze Valley Walking - moderately challenging hikes in the Upper Ceze;
    iii) Walking Cevennes Heaven - moderately challenging hill-walking in Cevennes.

c) Model Tour: Pont du Gard walking

Day 1: Arrival in Uzès.

Check in and get to know your fine location for the next two nights.

Day 2: Gorge d'Alzon. 5.5 miles - 8.5 kms.

Enjoy a bucolic hike around the Uzès hinterland in search of the source of the waters that fed the Pont du Gard and supplied Roman Nimes with water.

Second night in Uzès.

Day 3: Russan To Collias. 13 miles-20 kms.

Collection from Uzès and transfer to the start of the Gorge. Wend your way above the gorge towards the magnificent Pont St Nicolas. Then discover a lost chapel and explore a memorable grotto with that head-lamp that you never thought you'd get to use. If the water-level is kind, you then sample a section of the valley bottom itself. Sacré balade!

Night in Collias.

Day 4: Collias to Pont du Gard & beyond. 7.5 miles-11 kms.
Grande finalés don't come much grander than this - 49 ms in height and 275 m (300 yards) long. You have earned the right to walk its sacred stones and then follow a fascinating trail that unravels a few more of the mysteries that surround this marvel of architecture, human ingenuity and science. Night near Pont du Gard.

Day 5: End of your Pont du Gard walking tour.
Breakfast and onward journey. Bon voyage et a Bientôt!

d) Access

Your hiking tour starts in Uzès and finishes near Pont du Gard.

Best access is via Avignon or Nimes.

e) Accommodation - Pont du Gard walking.

The accommodation for this tour is of superior standard, with 3-star hotels or equivalent chambres-d'hotes du charme.

You stay:
• Two nights in Uzès
• One night in Collias
• One night near Pont du Gard

Uzès boasts an abundance of fine restaurants and the hotels used in Collias and near Pont du Gard have gourmet restaurants.

Note: this walking holiday is available all year round. Precise accommodation may vary according to season, but will be of the same high standard.

f) What's included in Pont du Gard walking

Included

4 nights B & B in superior accommodation;
Luggage transfers and all transport integral to the programme;
Cell-phone loan for non-Europeans if required, subject to availability
Hiking Insight Notes™ that empower & make orientation easy
1:25,000 scale maps & themed vacation dossier
Emergency telephone help-line service with local British backup.

Not included

Remaining meals - packed lunches can be purchased en route and dinners bought according to budet and taste - information is provided in your dossier;
Personal expenses;
Travel, walking and personal insurance;
Single rooms – unless booking at single person rate.

Prices 2010: Pont du Gard

Price per person based on 2 persons sharing £485.00 or €535.00
room

Single person rate On Request

Extra nights On Request

See our full range of walking tours in France