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Best Mountain Hikes in France

We track 1,106 routes that match this search in France. They average 62.8 km and 1,452 m (4,764 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 588 km.

That is 7 percent of the 15,466 routes we map in France. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 62.8 km against 11.7 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 1,452 m (4,764 ft) on average versus 286 m (938 ft) across the wider area.

Mountain routes trade effort for scale. Expect sustained climbing, quick weather changes and views that make the numbers worth it. The mix is broad: 165 are rated easy and 729 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day.

Trails

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
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
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
  • Mountain
  • 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
  • Mountain
  • 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
  • Mountain
  • 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
  • Mountain
  • 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
  • Mountain
  • 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
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
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

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
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Les Sagnoles - Villefort

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
38.7 km
/ 24.1 mi
Elevation gain
852 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Expert

Pas des Ladres - Massif de l'Authion

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

Distance
37.3 km
/ 23.2 mi
Elevation gain
820 m
Typical duration
9 hr 40 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Sommet de Finiels

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
9.6 km
/ 6.0 mi
Elevation gain
292 m
Typical duration
2 hr 27 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Hard

Le Pont du Tarn

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
18.6 km
/ 11.6 mi
Elevation gain
716 m
Typical duration
5 hr 4 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
  • Forest
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
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Moderate

Col de la Planette

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
6.9 km
/ 4.3 mi
Elevation gain
323 m
Typical duration
1 hr 55 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Northern Route (Basque Country)

Nouvelle-Aquitaine · France

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

Camino Francés - 01

Nouvelle-Aquitaine · France

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

Le versant nord de l'Aigoual

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
35.9 km
/ 22.3 mi
Elevation gain
1,239 m
Typical duration
9 hr 58 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Easy

Sentier des Rocs de Galta

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
5.5 km
/ 3.4 mi
Elevation gain
223 m
Typical duration
1 hr 29 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Ventalon

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
7.3 km
/ 4.6 mi
Elevation gain
442 m
Typical duration
2 hr 12 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Expert

De Saint-Raphaël à Rougon

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur · France

Distance
105 km
/ 65.0 mi
Elevation gain
2,303 m
Typical duration
27 hr
  • Coastal
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Route Napoléon à pied

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur · France

Distance
165 km
/ 102 mi
Elevation gain
3,624 m
Typical duration
44 hr
  • Coastal
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Sentier des Huit Vallées

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur · France

Distance
242 km
/ 151 mi
Elevation gain
5,334 m
Typical duration
65 hr
  • Coastal
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Sentier du Littoral

Hauts-de-France · France

Distance
299 km
/ 186 mi
Elevation gain
1,523 m
Typical duration
73 hr
  • Coastal
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Tour de l'Ubaye

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur · France

Distance
156 km
/ 97.2 mi
Elevation gain
3,442 m
Typical duration
42 hr
  • Coastal
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Tour du Queyras

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur · France

Distance
111 km
/ 68.7 mi
Elevation gain
2,432 m
Typical duration
29 hr
  • Coastal
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Via Aurelia, Roquebrune - Mandelieu

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur · France

Distance
91.7 km
/ 57.0 mi
Elevation gain
2,018 m
Typical duration
24 hr
  • Coastal
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Baztan Way

Nouvelle-Aquitaine · France

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

Chemin de Trèves, Vendôme - Tours

Centre-Val de Loire · France

Distance
129 km
/ 80.3 mi
Elevation gain
2,842 m
Typical duration
34 hr
  • Mountain
  • 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
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Hordain - Saint-Quentin

Hauts-de-France · France

Distance
65.6 km
/ 40.8 mi
Elevation gain
1,443 m
Typical duration
17 hr
  • Mountain
  • 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
Sentier de Grande Randonnée 98Parc national des Calanques (cœur)62.4 km1,373 m16 hrExpertApril 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
Tour de l'Oisans et ÉcrinsParc national des Écrins (cœur)192 km4,224 m51 hrExpertApril to October
Tour du Mont AigoualParc national des Cévennes (cœur)83.0 km1,825 m22 hrExpertApril to October
Tour du Parc National des ÉcrinsParc national des Écrins (cœur)373 km8,211 m100 hrExpertApril to October
Les Sagnoles - VillefortParc national des Cévennes (cœur)38.7 km852 m10 hrExpertApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Sentier de Grande Randonnée 98, GR R2, Tour de l'Oisans et Écrins. 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

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