When you think of a walking holiday in France, you’ll probably be thinking straight away of the peaks of the Alps and the Tour du Mont Blanc. That iconic area sure is inspiring, but it is really just a fraction of the many places you can hike within this country. So for 2025, we invite you to forget about the popular trendy cities and find another France, the hidden and slow one that you can explore at an easy, rewarding pace of a hiker.
But first, it’s not a secret that planning a multi-day walking holiday can be a daunting task, but thankfully, there are specialized agencies out there that make the whole process easier, especially for beginners. Orbis Ways found the sweet spot in creating self-guided tours that have the right amount of structure and independence.
They take care of the most challenging logistics, including booking you into comfortable, well-located hotels and moving your luggage every day, so that you have the freedom to walk as fast as, or as slow as, you like. Their comprehensive route notes and maps have been carefully prepared to make the trip straightforward in terms of navigation, and here are some of the routes you can try in France:
The Lavender Trails and Villages of Provence
An eight-day walking tour in Provence, is a feast for the senses. Here on this trail, you will be able to spot stunning landscapes, from lavender fields and olive groves to the Roussillon ochre cliffs.
The trails link a chain of attractive perched villages, like Gordes and Bonnieux, which are built from warm, golden stone and offer amazing views over the valleys below.
Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for the weekly market in Apt or the restaurant in a hidden abbey; those small things make this walk the perfect combination of nature and culture.
Alsace’s Vineyards and Forests
There’s nothing quite like a walking holiday in Alsace, an area packed with French and German culture. The Alsace Wine Route, on a nine-day itinerary, lets you walk between some of the most famous vineyards in the world and through absurdly adorable villages like Riquewihr and Eguisheim, which are famous for the houses with boxes overflowing with flowers.
The route combines easy vineyard strolls with climbs to the forested highlands of the Vosges Mountains. From these elevated outlooks, you will be able to see dramatic views over the Rhine Valley to the Black Forest, a great contrast to the smaller village alleyways below.
Prehistoric History and River Valleys in the Dordogne
This area, the Dordogne, which is sometimes referred to as the cradle of humanity, is blessed with outstanding prehistoric sites, with the star attraction being the Lascaux IV International Centre for Cave Art, where you can marvel at impressive replicas of art drawn 17,000 years ago.
Now, when it comes to the trail, it continues down the Dordogne and Vézère rivers, under imposing giant castles on top of cliffs like the Beynac and Castelnaud.
Conclusion
Opting for a walking holiday in one of these incredible areas is more than a holiday; it is a way to experience a country on a more profound level. You change the typical sightseeing experience for a more active and deeper option, smelling the wild herbs and earthy forests, and more. This is the stuff memories are made of, not only photos.
