Skip to content

Loop Trails in France

There are 7,349 hikes in France in our database that fit. They average 10.6 km and 260 m (853 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 373 km.

That is 48 percent of the 15,466 routes we map in France.

Circular routes: park once, finish where you started, and never walk the same section twice. The mix is broad: 2330 are rated easy and 768 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

Expert

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

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

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

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

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
Moderate

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
9.3 km
/ 5.8 mi
Elevation gain
460 m
Typical duration
2 hr 38 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • Forest
Hard

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
  • Lake
  • Forest
Moderate

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
12.0 km
/ 7.4 mi
Elevation gain
521 m
Typical duration
3 hr 17 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

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

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

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

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

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

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

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

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

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
Moderate

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
12.7 km
/ 7.9 mi
Elevation gain
434 m
Typical duration
3 hr 17 min
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
23.6 km
/ 14.7 mi
Elevation gain
1,388 m
Typical duration
7 hr 16 min
  • Forest
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Expert

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

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
Moderate

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

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

Parc national de forêts (cœur) · Bourgogne – Franche-Comté

Distance
10.9 km
/ 6.7 mi
Elevation gain
239 m
Typical duration
2 hr 37 min
  • Coastal
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
9.2 km
/ 5.7 mi
Elevation gain
335 m
Typical duration
2 hr 26 min
  • River
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Hard

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

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

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

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
Moderate

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
Hard

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

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

Distance
14.4 km
/ 8.9 mi
Elevation gain
750 m
Typical duration
4 hr 7 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
9.2 km
/ 5.7 mi
Elevation gain
323 m
Typical duration
2 hr 24 min
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

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

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
Hard

Parc national des Pyrénées (cœur) · Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Distance
16.9 km
/ 10.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,060 m
Typical duration
5 hr 10 min
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Expert

Ile-de-France · France

Distance
52.2 km
/ 32.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,149 m
Typical duration
13 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

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

Guadeloupe National Park · Guadeloupe

Distance
7.6 km
/ 4.7 mi
Elevation gain
166 m
Typical duration
1 hr 49 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
Hard

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
16.4 km
/ 10.2 mi
Elevation gain
535 m
Typical duration
4 hr 15 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

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
Hard

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
12.4 km
/ 7.7 mi
Elevation gain
677 m
Typical duration
3 hr 35 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

Distance
11.7 km
/ 7.3 mi
Elevation gain
520 m
Typical duration
3 hr 14 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

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

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

Distance
18.6 km
/ 11.6 mi
Elevation gain
1,024 m
Typical duration
5 hr 31 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Hard

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

Distance
13.1 km
/ 8.1 mi
Elevation gain
1,221 m
Typical duration
4 hr 34 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

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

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

Parc national des Cévennes (cœur) · Occitania

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

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur · France

Distance
11.9 km
/ 7.4 mi
Elevation gain
883 m
Typical duration
3 hr 48 min
  • Coastal
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Expert

Occitania · France

Distance
92.4 km
/ 57.4 mi
Elevation gain
2,033 m
Typical duration
24 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
GR R1Parc national de La Réunion (cœur)58.0 km1,276 m15 hrExpertApril to October
GR R3Parc national de La Réunion (cœur)41.3 km909 m10 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 Cascades d'OrgonParc national des Cévennes (cœur)9.3 km460 m2 hr 38 minModerateApril to October
Les lacs de CrupillouseParc national des Écrins (cœur)16.4 km1,351 m5 hr 28 minHardApril to October
Le pas de l'aneParc national des Cévennes (cœur)12.0 km521 m3 hr 17 minModerateApril to October
Sommet de FinielsParc national des Cévennes (cœur)9.6 km292 m2 hr 27 minModerateApril to October
Le Pont du TarnParc national des Cévennes (cœur)18.6 km716 m5 hr 4 minHardApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Tour du Parc National des Écrins, GR R3, GR R1. 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