Skip to content

Best Long-Distance Hikes in France

There are 572 hikes in France in our database that fit. They average 100 km and 2,265 m (7,431 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 588 km.

That is 5 percent of the 11,497 routes we map in France. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 100 km against 13.2 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 2,265 m (7,431 ft) on average versus 319 m (1,047 ft) across the wider area.

Multi-day paths, normally walked in stages, with the accommodation and waymarking to support them. The mix is broad: 27 are rated easy and 498 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day.

Trails

Expert

Tour du Mont Aigoual

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
83.0 km
/ 51.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,825 m
Typical duration
22 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Sentier de Grande Randonnée 98

Parc national des Calanques (cœur) · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Distance
62.4 km
/ 38.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,373 m
Typical duration
16 hr
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Chemin de Stevenson - Part 6

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
19.5 km
/ 12.1 mi
Elevation gain
430 m
Typical duration
4 hr 51 min
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

GR 55 La Vanoise

Vanoise National Park · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Distance
56.1 km
/ 34.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,233 m
Typical duration
14 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

GR R1

Parc national de La Réunion (cœur) · Réunion

Distance
58.0 km
/ 36.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,276 m
Typical duration
15 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

GR R2

Parc national de La Réunion (cœur) · Réunion

Distance
144 km
/ 89.3 mi
Elevation gain
3,163 m
Typical duration
38 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

GR R3

Parc national de La Réunion (cœur) · Réunion

Distance
41.3 km
/ 25.7 mi
Elevation gain
909 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

La Trace des Alizés

Guadeloupe National Park · Guadeloupe

Distance
83.8 km
/ 52.1 mi
Elevation gain
4,400 m
Typical duration
26 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Tour de l'Oisans et Écrins

Parc national des Écrins (cœur) · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Distance
192 km
/ 119 mi
Elevation gain
4,224 m
Typical duration
51 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Tour de l'Ubaye (variante)

Parc national du Mercantour (cœur) · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Distance
25.7 km
/ 16.0 mi
Elevation gain
566 m
Typical duration
6 hr 32 min
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Tour du Parc National des Écrins

Parc national des Écrins (cœur) · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Distance
373 km
/ 232 mi
Elevation gain
8,211 m
Typical duration
100 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Hard

Col de Salèse - Pas des Ladres

Parc national du Mercantour (cœur) · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Distance
15.9 km
/ 9.9 mi
Elevation gain
351 m
Typical duration
3 hr 53 min
  • Long-distance path
Easy

GR 52 variante Gias Cabret

Parc national du Mercantour (cœur) · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
18 m
Typical duration
12 min
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Tour du Chaillol

Parc national des Écrins (cœur) · Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Distance
97.0 km
/ 60.2 mi
Elevation gain
2,133 m
Typical duration
25 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

E5, Ballon d'Alsace - Montreux-Château

Bourgogne – Franche-Comté · France

Distance
41.4 km
/ 25.7 mi
Elevation gain
911 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Hard

E5, Montreux-Château - Réchésy

Bourgogne – Franche-Comté · France

Distance
21.0 km
/ 13.0 mi
Elevation gain
462 m
Typical duration
5 hr 15 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Northern Route (Basque Country)

Nouvelle-Aquitaine · France

Distance
230 km
/ 143 mi
Elevation gain
5,050 m
Typical duration
61 hr
  • Coastal
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Camino Francés - 01

Nouvelle-Aquitaine · France

Distance
163 km
/ 101 mi
Elevation gain
3,593 m
Typical duration
43 hr
  • Pilgrimage route
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Chemin d'Amiens

Normandy · France

Distance
168 km
/ 104 mi
Elevation gain
3,696 m
Typical duration
45 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Chemin de Barfleur

Normandy · France

Distance
161 km
/ 100.0 mi
Elevation gain
3,540 m
Typical duration
43 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Chemin de Caen

Normandy · France

Distance
165 km
/ 103 mi
Elevation gain
3,640 m
Typical duration
44 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Sentier Littoral Nord Atlantique

Martinique · France

Distance
47.6 km
/ 29.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,048 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Sentier du Littoral

Hauts-de-France · France

Distance
299 km
/ 186 mi
Elevation gain
1,523 m
Typical duration
73 hr
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

GR 20 Variante via Monte Incudine

Corsica · France

Distance
9.6 km
/ 6.0 mi
Elevation gain
212 m
Typical duration
2 hr 20 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Traversée des Mont du Beaujolais

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
183 km
/ 113 mi
Elevation gain
4,017 m
Typical duration
49 hr
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Baztan Way

Nouvelle-Aquitaine · France

Distance
104 km
/ 64.6 mi
Elevation gain
2,288 m
Typical duration
27 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Chemin d'Assise, La Chaise - Cluny

Bourgogne – Franche-Comté · France

Distance
142 km
/ 88.4 mi
Elevation gain
3,130 m
Typical duration
38 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

E2 West Sectie GR 5A

Hauts-de-France · France

Distance
324 km
/ 201 mi
Elevation gain
7,122 m
Typical duration
87 hr
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Hard

GR 5 - Variante Belfort

Bourgogne – Franche-Comté · France

Distance
28.4 km
/ 17.6 mi
Elevation gain
625 m
Typical duration
7 hr 15 min
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Easy

GR 5 Variante Modane Gare

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · France

Distance
6.4 km
/ 4.0 mi
Elevation gain
140 m
Typical duration
1 hr 32 min
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Tour du Mont AigoualParc national des Cévennes (cœur)83.0 km1,825 m22 hrExpertApril to October
Sentier de Grande Randonnée 98Parc national des Calanques (cœur)62.4 km1,373 m16 hrExpertApril to October
Chemin de Stevenson - Part 6Parc national des Cévennes (cœur)19.5 km430 m4 hr 51 minHardApril to October
Du Col du Bez à Barre-des-Cévennes (02)Parc national des Cévennes (cœur)20.0 km440 m4 hr 58 minHardApril to October
Du Col du Bez à Barre-des-Cévennes (03)Parc national des Cévennes (cœur)6.2 km136 m1 hr 29 minEasyApril to October
GR 55 La VanoiseVanoise National Park56.1 km1,233 m14 hrExpertApril to October
GR R1Parc national de La Réunion (cœur)58.0 km1,276 m15 hrExpertApril to October
GR R2Parc national de La Réunion (cœur)144 km3,163 m38 hrExpertApril to October
GR R3Parc national de La Réunion (cœur)41.3 km909 m10 hrExpertApril to October
La Trace des AlizésGuadeloupe National Park83.8 km4,400 m26 hrExpertApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Tour du Mont Aigoual, Sentier de Grande Randonnée 98, Du Col du Bez à Barre-des-Cévennes (03). Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

Other shortlists covering the same area or the same kind of terrain.

People also search for