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Hiking Trails Under 10 km in France

There are 7,410 hikes in France in our database that fit. They average 4.7 km and 132 m (433 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 10.0 km.

That is 64 percent of the 11,497 routes we map in France. They are shorter than the local average, 4.7 km against 13.2 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day. They also climb less than the area average, 132 m (433 ft) against 319 m (1,047 ft), so they suit a recovery day or a group with mixed fitness.

Half-day routes: long enough to feel like a proper walk, short enough to leave the afternoon free. The mix is broad: 4734 are rated easy and 35 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day. A good share of them are loops, so you can park once and finish where you started.

Trails

Moderate

Cassini

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
9.2 km
/ 5.7 mi
Elevation gain
323 m
Typical duration
2 hr 24 min
  • Coastal
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Easy

Via Alpina Red R145

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

Distance
5.8 km
/ 3.6 mi
Elevation gain
127 m
Typical duration
1 hr 23 min
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
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
Moderate

Les Cascades d'Orgon

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
9.3 km
/ 5.8 mi
Elevation gain
460 m
Typical duration
2 hr 38 min
  • Waterfall
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Aire-de-Côte

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
7.8 km
/ 4.8 mi
Elevation gain
223 m
Typical duration
1 hr 57 min
  • Coastal
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

CSG 09A : Déviation

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
3.2 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
70 m
Typical duration
46 min
Easy

HRP Variante 14.1

Parc national des Pyrénées (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
19 m
Typical duration
13 min
Easy

HRP Variante 17.2

Parc national des Pyrénées (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
5.1 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
112 m
Typical duration
1 hr 13 min
Easy

HRP Variante 17.3

Parc national des Pyrénées (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
3.7 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
81 m
Typical duration
53 min
Easy

Cascade de la Ravine Paradis

Guadeloupe National Park · Guadeloupe

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
52 m
Typical duration
34 min
  • Waterfall
  • Canyon and gorge
Moderate

La Flandonenque

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
9.2 km
/ 5.7 mi
Elevation gain
497 m
Typical duration
2 hr 39 min
  • Waterfall
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Moulin du Bougès

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
8.9 km
/ 5.6 mi
Elevation gain
561 m
Typical duration
2 hr 42 min
  • Forest
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Mont Gros

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

Distance
7.6 km
/ 4.7 mi
Elevation gain
167 m
Typical duration
1 hr 50 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Col d'Arsine - Lac de la Douche

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

Distance
3.8 km
/ 2.4 mi
Elevation gain
84 m
Typical duration
55 min
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Lac des Pises

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
65 m
Typical duration
43 min
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Malpertus

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
3.5 km
/ 2.2 mi
Elevation gain
136 m
Typical duration
57 min
  • Castle and ruins
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Col de la Caumette

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
7.2 km
/ 4.4 mi
Elevation gain
216 m
Typical duration
1 hr 49 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Fontmort

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
6.3 km
/ 3.9 mi
Elevation gain
425 m
Typical duration
1 hr 58 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

La forêt du Lingas

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
3.5 km
/ 2.2 mi
Elevation gain
77 m
Typical duration
50 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Les Auberts - Pré de la Chaumette

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

Distance
4.5 km
/ 2.8 mi
Elevation gain
98 m
Typical duration
1 hr 4 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Les Fermonds - ?

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

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
65 m
Typical duration
43 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Les corniches de l'Hospitalet

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
4.2 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
236 m
Typical duration
1 hr 13 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Les ruisseaux

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
5.2 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
337 m
Typical duration
1 hr 35 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Le Villaret

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
5.4 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
266 m
Typical duration
1 hr 31 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
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
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
Easy

Chute du Galion

Guadeloupe National Park · Guadeloupe

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
52 m
Typical duration
34 min
  • Waterfall
Easy

Deuxième Chute du Carbet

Guadeloupe National Park · Guadeloupe

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
17 m
Typical duration
11 min
  • Waterfall
Moderate

Boucle des Lacs

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

Distance
9.3 km
/ 5.8 mi
Elevation gain
577 m
Typical duration
2 hr 48 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Chemin de Malevrère

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
5.3 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
117 m
Typical duration
1 hr 17 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Chemin de l'Énergie - Étape 1

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

Distance
7.5 km
/ 4.7 mi
Elevation gain
870 m
Typical duration
2 hr 52 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Circuit de Fontanalbe

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

Distance
7.9 km
/ 4.9 mi
Elevation gain
670 m
Typical duration
2 hr 39 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Circuit des Lacs

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

Distance
8.8 km
/ 5.5 mi
Elevation gain
500 m
Typical duration
2 hr 36 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Col de Gouiran - Col de la Valette

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

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
38 m
Typical duration
25 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Col des Grangettes - ?

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

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
20 m
Typical duration
13 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Col des Terres Blanches - ?

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

Distance
3.2 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
71 m
Typical duration
47 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Col des Tourettes - ?

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

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
36 m
Typical duration
24 min
  • Waymarked route

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
CassiniParc national des Cévennes (cœur)9.2 km323 m2 hr 24 minModerateApril 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
Via Alpina Red R145Parc national du Mercantour (cœur)5.8 km127 m1 hr 23 minEasyApril to October
Via Alpina Stage 112 Refuge de Nice ou Victor de Cessole - Refuge MerveillesParc national du Mercantour (cœur)9.3 km205 m2 hr 15 minModerateApril to October
Col de la PlanetteParc national des Cévennes (cœur)6.9 km323 m1 hr 55 minModerateApril to October
GR 52 variante Gias CabretParc national du Mercantour (cœur)0.8 km18 m12 minEasyApril to October
Les Cascades d'OrgonParc national des Cévennes (cœur)9.3 km460 m2 hr 38 minModerateApril to October
Aire-de-CôteParc national des Cévennes (cœur)7.8 km223 m1 hr 57 minModerateApril to October
CSG 09A : DéviationParc national des Cévennes (cœur)3.2 km70 m46 minEasyApril to October
HRP Variante 14.1Parc national des Pyrénées (cœur)0.9 km19 m13 minEasyApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Cassini, Du Col du Bez à Barre-des-Cévennes (03), Via Alpina Stage 112 Refuge de Nice ou Victor de Cessole - Refuge Merveilles. 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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