What is your favorite hiking or biking area in France? Maybe with mountains and a lake and small villages?
Dec 21st, 2002, 08:11 PM
#1
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What is your favorite hiking or biking area in France? Maybe with mountains and a lake and small villages?
We are looking for a good area in France for hiking. We would like beautiful views, small villages close enough to day hike to. Our idea is to maybe fly into Paris for several days and then spend a week hiking in the countryside.<BR><BR>Another possibility is going biking instead- possibly the Loire Valley. But what are other good biking areas?
Dec 22nd, 2002, 04:31 AM
#2
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Hi Sally:<BR><BR>Depending on when you are travelling one suggestion would be the area of the Pyrenees just an hours drive from Lourdes. It's a bit of a jaunt from Paris of course but well worth the trip. I know there are trains to the area. We drove this last year with 2 overnights en route. (Dordogne and Bourges but you could do it with one night if you pushed yourself )<BR>We based ourselves in Lourdes just because we wanted to see the spectacle that village provides. The next day we took the most glorious drive up to the little village of Gavarnie.(there are buses as well) From there you can hike in many directions with varying degrees of difficulty. This has you almost at the Spanish border and it is possible to hike/climb across the border. For tamer hikes most people walk up to the Cirque de Gavarnie which is a glorious circle of waterfalls crashing down hundreds of feet. The trails were excellent and in summer it's positively filled with families etc visiting the Cirque. It's one of the most beautiful spots. The glaciers are able to be walked to and on as well.<BR>The villages nearby are lovely with lots of B&B.s or small hotels to stay in.<BR>If you type in Gavarnie on a search engine you will get lots of hits with pictures from people who have taken the time to show what a glorious area this is.<BR>Enjoy!
Dec 22nd, 2002, 06:38 AM
#5
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The Loire Valley is wonderful for cycling. It is flat with a few gentle hills - nothing requiring a great deal of strength. I have based in Onzain (across the river from Chaumont). It is convenient for rides from Chambord to Chenonoceaux. Have also based in Azay-le-Rideau.
Dec 30th, 2002, 07:39 AM
#6
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For a real French experience why not go just south of the Loire Valley to an area called the Brenne- one of the most deserted areas of France, close by is the stunning medieval village of Angles sur L'Anglin ( Vienne), great cycling and walking along the river valleys of the rivers Anglin, Gartempe and Creuse.<BR><BR>Only one and half hours from Paris - Montparnasse by TGV, nearest station Chatelleraut.
Dec 30th, 2002, 07:55 PM
#9
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Around Briancon, in the Hautes Alpes region. Briancon is a charming town with hiking, biking,kayaking in the summer and skiing in winter. It has a fortified old town section with wonderful little restaurants, inexpensive hotels. It is largely unspoiled by tourists.
Dec 31st, 2002, 07:06 AM
#10
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Queyras. You will find some wonderful walking on http://bauer.gilbert.free.fr/balades...nd.htm#queyras if you can manage a bit of French.
Jan 1st, 2003, 07:36 AM
#11
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Instead of lakes,if magnificient coastal sceneries will do for you,Brittany offers many lovely walks,well-kept old towns/villages,megalithic sites,good food and only a little over two hours TGV from Pairs.I have done a 10 days walks base at St.Malo and Quimper.<BR><BR>The other time I based at Vaison-la-Romaine for one week walk around that part of Provence(far less touristy).There are Roman ruins,pretty tiny villages,easy mountain pathes, lovely vineywards and 2 hours TGV from Paris to Orange.
Jan 1st, 2003, 07:40 AM
#12
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Instead of lakes,if magnificient coastal sceneries will do for you,Brittany offers many lovely walks,well-kept old towns/villages,megalithic sites,good food and only a little over two hours TGV from Pairs.I have done a 10 days walks base at St.Malo and Quimper.<BR><BR>The other time I based at Vaison-la-Romaine for one week walk around that part of Provence(far less touristy).There are Roman ruins,pretty tiny villages,easy mountain pathes, lovely vineywards and 2 hours TGV from Paris to Orange.<BR><BR>"France on foot(Bruce lefavour)" and "The independent walkers guide to France(Frank Booth)" both have some good suggestions.
Jan 1st, 2003, 12:08 PM
#15
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The forest of Fontainebleau is a vast and beautiful area only 30 minutes south of Paris (by train). If you decide to hike there make sure to bring a forest map. The city of Fontainebleau is also somewhat famous for the Chateau (enormous castle). There are wonderful little cafes and restaurants in the "city" and the surrounding villages.
