Discover the long-distance hiking trails in France
The Grandes Randonnées in France are fabulous walking and discovery routes of our natural and cultural heritage. Organize your hikes on the paths of France and rent your hiking and bivouac equipment at O'rentees. Discover everything you need to know about the French Hiking Federation.
Practicing Long-distance Hiking in France
What is a GR®?
GR® is the acronym for Grande Randonnée. These are official and marked hiking trails, offering a walking route that can last from two days to a week or more. These Grande Randonnée trails in France are designed, enhanced and maintained by the French Hiking Federation.
The GR® help to promote our remarkable heritage through its landscapes and historical sites. The Grande Randonnée trails are therefore walking routes, but also travel and discovery routes of our culture and nature.
Hike and respect
Hiking is a responsible practice: you move using your legs and evolve in nature. However, do not forget that each natural territory has its own fragile balance and that you are not alone on the Grande Randonnée trails in France. So there are a few simple golden rules that we must all respect:
● stay on the paths and protect the local flora and fauna
● Close fences after you in grazing areas
● never light a fire! For cooking we offer stoves for rent
● check that bivouacking is permitted or opt for an (un)guarded shelter
● Always take your waste with you! Your O'rentees rental equipment comes with a waste collection kit.
Finding your way around the long-distance hiking trails in France
To decide on your hiking route and its variations and for you orientate while hiking, you can opt for IGN Maps and a Topo Guide. The Topo provides a description of the route, its alternatives and difficulty levels. The Topo also indicates shops, accommodation and catering points on your route as well as information to help you understand the environment: fauna, flora, geology, history, etc.
On the ground, it is trail markings which will allow you to easily follow a defined route. This marking red and white, for the long-distance hiking trails in France, aims to simplify the reading of the terrain and to guide hikers in their progress.
Hiking in France, aims to simplify the reading of the terrain and to guide hikers in their progress.
Maintenance of long-distance hiking trails in France
Did you know? To maintain the Grandes Randonnées trails in France, there are more than 10,000 volunteer markers working. Their mission is to make life easier for users: marking out routes, maintaining natural paths and vegetation and, of course, opening new hiking trails. This can also involve rehabilitating unguarded cabins and shelters.
Every year, the GR® are maintained. To give you an idea:
● €30 to €60 is the cost for creating 1 km of a new trail
● €10 to €40 helps maintain the trail and refresh the markers for 1 km
Equipping yourself for a long hike
Once you have found your Grande Randonnée and determined the route, you need to make sure that you have the necessary equipment to hike in the right conditions.
To have good technical equipment, or to complete your own equipment, O'rentees offers the rental of hiking outfits, rental of walking poles, rental of baby carriers for family hikes, and the rental of bivouac tents of the best quality. Depending on your needs, it is possible to rent an item alone or in the form of Hiking Pack Or Bivouac Pack customizable with the elements of your choice.
You are now ready to discover the Grande Randonnée trails in France, have a good trip!
This article is illustrated with photographs of the GR®340, Tour de Belle-Île, ©Marelune Yvinec – New Moon agency
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