BeijingJune 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Reported by Travel Link.
Recently, Atout France (the French Tourism Development Agency), in collaboration with French outdoor brand Lafuma, released the “Joyful Walking in Southern France” Hiking Guide in Beijing, recommending 10 representative hiking routes in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of southern France.
Becker- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Tourisme
France boasts one of the densest marked hiking networks globally. The French Hiking Federation (FFRP) has planned and marked over 100,000 kilometers of national GR® and regional GR® de Pays trails, as well as over 85,000 kilometers of PR short-distance routes (with over 30,000 kilometers certified). From the Grande Traversée des Pyrénées GR®10 and the coastal GR®34 around Brittany, to the cultural Châteaux of the Loire Valley GR®3, the literary GR®70 (Stevenson Trail), and even the urban Paris GR®75 — these routes form an integral part of daily French life. The “universal accessibility” of France’s hiking network lies in its ultimate inclusivity: from a one-hour PR short walk to multi-month GR long-distance treks, from the Bassin d’Arcachon at under 100 meters above sea level to the Alpine peaks above 4,000 meters, from family-friendly routes to technical climbing trails — in France, every walker can find their own rhythm and scenery.
Sam Fint Voyager
Hiking in France is a deep feast of diverse landscapes.
The GR®5 starts from the shores of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman), stretches southeast along the Alpine ridges to the Côte d’Azur, transitioning from glacial winds at 2,000 meters altitude to the Mediterranean sea breeze.
In Europe’s largest canyon, the Verdon Gorge (Gorges du Verdon), the GR®4 winds alongside turquoise waters and limestone cliffs. Starting from Castellane, hikers can switch to paddleboarding on reaching Lake Sainte-Croix (Lac de Sainte-Croix), or continue to Lake Serre-Ponçon (Lac de Serre-Ponçon), where the Saint-Michel chapel on an islet serves as a visual anchor for this high-altitude lake.
On the French overseas island of Réunion (Île de la Réunion), the GR®R2 traverses the entire island for about 130 kilometers: starting from the active Piton de la Fournaise volcano in the south, with equatorial sun scorching black lava flows, heading north through the Mafate Cirque (Cirque de Mafate), and finally ending near Saint-Denis in the north, where on clear days, the outline of Mauritius is even visible.
In France, hiking often leads to an “immersive” artistic and cultural experience.
Following the Normandy GR®21 from Le Havre, the roughly 200-kilometer route hugs the white cliffs of the Alabaster Coast (Côte d’Albâtre), passing by the iconic Étretat arches, repeatedly painted by Monet, and Le Havre, the birthplace of his “Impression, Sunrise” — the waves and cliffs traversed by hikers are the same scene captured on canvas 150 years ago.
Along the GR®3, delve into the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage site “Loire Valley” (Val de la Loire). Starting from Blois, the route passes the Château d’Amboise, a testament to the bond between Francis I and Leonardo da Vinci — a meeting of king and genius; and the Château de Chenonceau, once the stage for Queen Catherine de’ Medici’s political intrigues and romances. The arcades and spiral staircases walked today are the same designs from Renaissance masters 500 years ago.
In France, hiking is flavorful.
The “Grandes Traversées du Jura” (Great Crossings of the Jura) connects forests and pastures over 400 kilometers of mountain paths. After crossing numerous ridges, a glass of yellow wine and a piece of Comté cheese from a winery in the heart of the Jura mountains is the most rewarding treat for hikers.
In the Bay of Morlaix (Baie de Morlaix) in Brittany, the GR®34 customs officers’ path runs along the “golden coastal belt,” with oyster beds and scallop fishing areas just below the trail. Wild scallops appear and disappear with the tides on the mudflats of the Bay of Saint-Brieuc (Baie de Saint-Brieuc); oysters known for their “crispness and rich iodine flavor” await the low tide in Paimpol; and crêpes with mackerel pâté and cider at a portside restaurant in Roscoff are the most authentic finish to a Breton hike.
Southern France: A Hiking Landscape Between Sea and Mountains
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, the focus of this guide, enjoys over 300 days of sunshine per year, with the sea level and Alpine snowline just a few hours’ drive apart.
In Marseille, the GR®98 leads directly from the city’s edge into the Calanques National Park (Parc national des Calanques). As France’s first “urban national park,” its limestone cliffs plunge into the Mediterranean, passing hidden coves like Sormiou, Morgiou, and En-Vau, where the water displays layers of peacock blue to emerald green. In the morning, you can select ingredients for bouillabaisse at the Old Port fish market, and by noon, enjoy a picnic on the silent rocks of a calanque.
The Nice section of the Côte d’Azur offers a hiking experience that switches between sea and mountains. Following the GR®51 “Balcony of the Mediterranean” route from Menton southwest, it traverses the red rock ridges of the Estérel, the perfume gardens of Grasse, and the olive groves of Provence, always offering a “balcony” perspective overlooking the Mediterranean from the heights. The “Customs Officers’ Path” (Sentier du littoral) from Nice unfolds along the Riviera coastline, listed as a World Heritage site in 2021: eastwards via the Promenade des Anglais to Cap Ferrat, circling the pine-forested peninsula of the Villa Rothschild; westwards to the Cap d’Antibes, stepping onto the rocky shores where Picasso once stood.
Ms. Anne-Laure Tuncer, General Manager of Atout France China Office, being interviewed at the launch event
Ms. Anne-Laure Tuncer, General Manager of Atout France China Office, said in an interview at the launch event: “Collaborating with Lafuma to create this ‘Joyful Walking in Southern France’ Hiking Guide is, for me, more than just a co-branding effort; it’s a meeting of two travel philosophies and lifestyles. Nowadays, young people on Chinese social media are using terms like ‘slow-charging travel’ and ‘Color Walk’ to escape the ‘workplace vibe’ and seek a sense of ‘relaxation.’ These interesting concepts align perfectly with the French motivation for integrating hiking into daily life — allowing oneself to pause and achieve a ‘mental recharge’ through walking. I believe the French outdoor lifestyle advocated by Lafuma is also our ideal way of traveling — making travel not a pause from life, but life itself.”