The best outdoor activities in France (and the best places to try them)
-
Loading... - Brielle Durand
- 25 Oct 2022
- 90 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
Mighty mountains, wild rivers, green hills, Alpine valleys – the astonishing diversity of the French landscape is one of the country's biggest draws, but there’s more to a visit to France than just sitting back and admiring the view.
There are myriad ways to get outside and active in les grands espaces (the great outdoors), from ever-popular adventure activities such as hiking and cycling to more esoteric options such as paragliding, scuba diving and via ferrata (scrambling, clipped to a metal cable). All that’s required for the following French thrills is a sense of adventure.
Hike shepherds’ paths in the French Pyrenees – like the Alps, minus the crowds
There’s no end to the places where you can enjoy a hike in France, but few spots can offer the big vistas (and views) of the French Pyrenees. Less crowded than France’s other great mountain range – the mighty Alps – the Pyrenees region offers a wealth of incredible hikes, traversing pretty valleys, mountain meadows and lofty peaks. Many of these trails have been followed by Pyrenean shepherds for centuries, and you might well spot some of them herding flocks of sheep and goats, especially during the twice-yearly transhumance (when livestock is moved to and from the summer pastures).
For serious hikers, the long-distance GR10 and GR11 offer formidable challenges, as does the Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne, an epic long-haul trail that traverses almost the entire length of the Pyrenees from Spain to France. For shorter routes, try the hikes to the Cirque de Gavarnie, Lac de Gaube, Mont Né or Pic du Canigou. Read More...
