Southern France Hiking Guide (Complete)
If your imagination of traveling in France still revolves around the Eiffel Tower in Paris and lavender fields, then this newly released "Happy Hiking in Southern France" guide, jointly published by the France Tourism Development Agency and outdoor brand Lafuma in Beijing, might just make you rethink your next trip.
France boasts one of the world's densest marked hiking networks—over 100,000 kilometers of national GR® long-distance trails and 85,000 kilometers of regional short routes. From PR short walks that can be completed in an hour to Alpine crossings that take months, from basins less than 100 meters above sea level to mountains over 4,000 meters high, the French have made hiking an activity everyone can participate in. This new guide focuses on the 10 most worthwhile routes in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southern France.
In Southern France, the mountains and sea are only a few hours apart by car.
This region enjoys over 300 days of sunshine annually. You can hike near the Alpine snowline in the morning and sunbathe by the Mediterranean in the afternoon. The GR®98 trail in Marseille starts from the city outskirts and leads directly into Calanques National Park—the first "urban national park" in France. Limestone cliffs plunge into the Mediterranean, passing hidden coves like Sormiou, Morgiou, and En-Vau, where the sea water shifts from peacock blue to emerald green. In the morning, pick two fresh fish at the Old Port fish market to make bouillabaisse, and by noon, you can picnic on the quiet rocky shores of a secluded cove.
The GR®51 section near Nice is known as the "Mediterranean Balcony," stretching southwest from Menton through the red rock ridges of Estérel, the perfume gardens of Grasse, and the olive groves of Provence, all while maintaining a panoramic view of the Mediterranean. The "Customs Path" starting from Nice was listed as a World Heritage site in 2021. It heads east along the Promenade des Anglais to Cap Ferrat, circling the pine-forested peninsula where the Rothschild Villa is located, and west to the Antibes cape—where Picasso once paused along this rocky coastline.
Hiking in France often feels like stepping into a painting.
French hiking trails frequently overlap with art history. The Normandy GR®21 follows the white cliffs of the Alabaster Coast for about 200 kilometers, passing the Étretat cliffs repeatedly painted by Monet and Le Havre, the birthplace of "Impression, Sunrise." The Loire Valley's GR®3 passes through Château d'Amboise—where François I met Leonardo da Vinci—and Château de Chenonceau, where the intrigues and romances of Queen Catherine once unfolded. The arches and spiral staircases you walk through are from the same sites depicted in Renaissance masters' designs from 500 years ago.
The rewards after a tiring hike are equally worth looking forward to.
At the end or along the way of French hikes, there is often a culinary reward. After crossing the Jura Mountains' 400-kilometer trail over multiple ridges, a glass of yellow wine paired with Comté cheese is the classic local combination. Brittany's GR®34 Customs Path runs along the "Golden Coast," with oyster beds and scallop fishing areas just below the trail. The oysters of Paimpol and the crepes with cider at Roscoff harbor restaurants give hiking a whole new kind of motivation.
Travel Tips
The best seasons for hiking in Southern France are spring and autumn. Summer temperatures along the Mediterranean coast can be high, so it is recommended to hike in the early morning or evening. Entry permits for Calanques National Park in summer must be booked online in advance. Most GR® trails have campsites or mountain lodges along the way, and long routes can be done in sections—you don’t have to complete them all at once. From China, you can fly to Paris or Nice first, then connect to Southern France cities via the French high-speed TGV train. Marseille, Nice, and Avignon are well connected by rail, making them ideal bases for day hikes.
Anne-Laure Tuncer, General Manager of the France Tourism Development Agency’s China office, said something very accurate at the launch: "The French have incorporated hiking into daily life—it allows you to stop and complete a 'mental recharge' while walking." No rushing to see sights or ticking off check-ins; when tired, just sit down, have a drink, and take a bite. This is probably what makes French-style hiking perfectly suited to Southern France.