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Hard Hiking Trails in France

1,888 routes in France qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 47.7 km and 1,123 m (3,684 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 588 km.

That is 16 percent of the 11,497 routes we map in France. They run noticeably longer than average for the area, 47.7 km against 13.2 km, so budget more daylight than a typical outing here. The climbing is steeper too: 1,123 m (3,684 ft) on average versus 319 m (1,047 ft) across the wider area.

Hard routes mean sustained ascent, long descents and a real need to watch the clock and the forecast. These lean toward the demanding end, so plan for a full day and check the forecast before you commit.

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
Hard

SPHC, variante étape 05

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
29.3 km
/ 18.2 mi
Elevation gain
399 m
Typical duration
7 hr 8 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

SPHC, étape 05

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
20.2 km
/ 12.5 mi
Elevation gain
739 m
Typical duration
5 hr 28 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

SPHC, étape 06

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
15.4 km
/ 9.6 mi
Elevation gain
754 m
Typical duration
4 hr 21 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

SPHC, étape 07

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
17.8 km
/ 11.0 mi
Elevation gain
474 m
Typical duration
4 hr 30 min
  • Waymarked route
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

Les 4000 marches

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
23.6 km
/ 14.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,388 m
Typical duration
7 hr 16 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Forest
Hard

Via Alpina Red R128

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

Distance
19.8 km
/ 12.3 mi
Elevation gain
436 m
Typical duration
4 hr 55 min
  • Forest
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

Massevaques

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
15.7 km
/ 9.8 mi
Elevation gain
721 m
Typical duration
4 hr 23 min
  • Mountain
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
Hard

Via Alpina Blue D53

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

Distance
20.5 km
/ 12.7 mi
Elevation gain
450 m
Typical duration
5 hr 6 min
Hard

Via Alpina Blue D54

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

Distance
20.0 km
/ 12.4 mi
Elevation gain
440 m
Typical duration
4 hr 59 min
Hard

Via Alpina Blue D56

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

Distance
19.3 km
/ 12.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,261 m
Typical duration
6 hr 2 min
Hard

Via Alpina Red R123

Vanoise National Park · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Distance
20.5 km
/ 12.7 mi
Elevation gain
451 m
Typical duration
5 hr 7 min
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

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
  • Summit push
  • Forest
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
  • Forest
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
Hard

Les lacs de Crupillouse

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

Distance
16.4 km
/ 10.2 mi
Elevation gain
1,351 m
Typical duration
5 hr 28 min
  • Waterfall
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
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
Hard

CSG 07 : Mas de Val - Meyrueis

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
17.2 km
/ 10.7 mi
Elevation gain
378 m
Typical duration
4 hr 13 min
Hard

CSG 08 : Meyrueis - L'Espérou

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
21.9 km
/ 13.6 mi
Elevation gain
482 m
Typical duration
5 hr 30 min
Hard

HRP Variante 11.1

Parc national des Pyrénées (cœur) · Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Distance
17.3 km
/ 10.7 mi
Elevation gain
380 m
Typical duration
4 hr 14 min
Hard

HRP Étape 10

Parc national des Pyrénées (cœur) · Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Distance
16.1 km
/ 10.0 mi
Elevation gain
353 m
Typical duration
3 hr 54 min
Hard

HRP Étape 13

Parc national des Pyrénées (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
18.4 km
/ 11.4 mi
Elevation gain
405 m
Typical duration
4 hr 33 min
Hard

HRP Étape 15

Parc national des Pyrénées (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
17.3 km
/ 10.7 mi
Elevation gain
380 m
Typical duration
4 hr 14 min
Hard

HRP Étape 16

Parc national des Pyrénées (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
19.0 km
/ 11.8 mi
Elevation gain
419 m
Typical duration
4 hr 43 min
Hard

UV 04 : Barjac - Lanuéjols

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
31.5 km
/ 19.6 mi
Elevation gain
694 m
Typical duration
8 hr 6 min
Hard

Tour du Pic du Midi d'Ossau

Parc national des Pyrénées (cœur) · Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Distance
17.4 km
/ 10.8 mi
Elevation gain
382 m
Typical duration
4 hr 16 min
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Gourdouze

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
13.7 km
/ 8.5 mi
Elevation gain
904 m
Typical duration
4 hr 12 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Mont Gravières

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

Distance
14.4 km
/ 8.9 mi
Elevation gain
720 m
Typical duration
4 hr 4 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Mont Mounier

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

Distance
18.4 km
/ 11.4 mi
Elevation gain
1,100 m
Typical duration
5 hr 35 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Le Pont du Tarn

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
14.6 km
/ 9.1 mi
Elevation gain
510 m
Typical duration
3 hr 49 min
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
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

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
SPHC, variante étape 05Parc national des Cévennes (cœur)29.3 km399 m7 hr 8 minHardApril to October
SPHC, étape 05Parc national des Cévennes (cœur)20.2 km739 m5 hr 28 minHardApril to October
SPHC, étape 06Parc national des Cévennes (cœur)15.4 km754 m4 hr 21 minHardApril to October
SPHC, étape 07Parc national des Cévennes (cœur)17.8 km474 m4 hr 30 minHardApril to October
Sentier de Grande Randonnée 98Parc national des Calanques (cœur)62.4 km1,373 m16 hrExpertApril to October
Les 4000 marchesParc national des Cévennes (cœur)23.6 km1,388 m7 hr 16 minHardApril to October
Via Alpina Red R128Parc national des Écrins (cœur)19.8 km436 m4 hr 55 minHardApril 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

If you only have time for one, start with Tour du Mont Aigoual, SPHC, étape 06, SPHC, étape 07. 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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