Our walking holidays in France take in the best of the world's most-visited country. With such a vast variety of landscapes, including mountainous terrain, coastal spots, and serene countryside, it's a walking enthusiast's dream. Throw the sublime French cuisine into the mix and you have the perfect holiday.
Below you'll find a wide selection of walking holidays in France, covering its most scenic regions. From Brittany's Emerald Coast to the villages of the Luberon in Provence, as well as the Dordogne, the Loire Valley, the Alps, Burgundy, and Alsace, we offer tantalising trips to cater for every personal taste and level of ability.
Thanks to our varied walking tours, it means couples, families, and solo travellers can make the most of our walking holidays in France. Our group sizes are kept small too, to ensure you get the most out of the experience, while allowing you to get to know your guide and group. This also allows us to hand-pick guest houses that wouldn't be able to accommodate larger groups.
Using a combination of Headwater employees and local partners, our French walking holidays are designed to help you get the most out of your adventure. We craft detailed itineraries, hand-select characterful accommodation, and offer secure, yet flexible booking options. For more information ahead of your trip, check out our blog.
Whatever you're looking for in a walking holiday in France, find it with Headwater.
Here's a handful of our top French walking holiday locations.
If you're seeking out mountainous landscapes complete with mirrored lakes and huge glaciers, Mont Blanc is the place for you. Get ready for 360-degree views over the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps.
Burgundy is home to some of the finest vineyards France has to offer. As you'd expect, this historical region offers a relaxed, gentler French walking holiday option, with opportunity to learn about the country's unsurpassed wine culture, from vine to glass.
French Pyrenees walking holidays are a must for your hiking bucket list. The Pyrenees promise everything from dramatic peaks to plunging waterfalls and is home to the UNESCO site of the Cirque de Gavarnie.
This coastal area of France has a rich history, including the D-Day landing beaches, and it's dotted with delightful half-timbered houses. You'll pass through stunning rural landscapes and cultural destinations, such as art galleries, in equal measure.
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Facing the sea with feet in the sand, take a breath and experience the authentic Normandy with historical places including D-Day landing beaches, the generous cuisine, orchards and half-timbered houses.
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This gentle hotel-to-hotel walking holiday is a fabulous introduction to the Loire Valley. Your route will lead you from a chateau to another including the most famous ones such as Blois, Chambord, Cheverny, Chenonceau and Amboise. Warm, friendly hotels and great regional cuisine.
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From Bastia to Calvi, discover the north coast with stunning landscapes, paradise beaches, heritage and rich tradition.
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A walk on the Brittany coastline from St Malo to the World Wonder Mont St Michel. Walk the famous custom's path and enjoy bird watching and exceptional views. This path offers anyone who walks it a large breath of fresh ocean air and stunning sea views.
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Varied walking in the glorious Luberon National Park - inspiration for generations of poets, painters and writers. Wander through vineyards and olive groves to perched medieval villages and stay in delightful hotels, full of character along the way.
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This walking holiday explores the limestone cliffs, wooded valleys and beautiful medieval villages that are so unique to France's Dordogne region. World famous prehistoric sites and fine local wines add a further dimension to a stay here.
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This short break features the famous trails of Mont Blanc where we’ve selected some of the most beautiful sections around this iconic mountain. You’ll be based in the bustling adventure hub of Chamonix, surrounded by mountaineers with an exciting atmosphere.
DEPARTURE MONTHS
This short break features the famous trails of Mont Blanc where we’ve selected some of the most beautiful sections around this iconic mountain. You’ll be based in the bustling adventure hub of Chamonix, surrounded by mountaineers with an exciting atmosphere.
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A short break in Chablis vineyards in a gastronomic boutique hotel with spa. Ideal for wine and food lovers with easy walks.
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explore and taste every day what is hidden behind the bubbles that help us toast good news. Pop the cork and let the bubbles speak for themselves.
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In Burgundy, enjoying a good meal is more than a tradition this is the culture! Savour Burgundy's 'Art de Vivre' through its great vineyards and the numerous gourmet products that you will taste along your route. Get your taste buds ready to be delighted.
DEPARTURE MONTHS
This gentle hotel-to-hotel short break walking holiday is a fabulous introduction to the Loire Valley. Your route will lead you from a chateau to another including the most famous ones such as Blois, Chambord, Cheverny, Chenonceau and Amboise. Warm, friendly hotels and great regional cuisine.
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During a short break, discover some of the most beautiful villages in France; Colmar, Kaysersberg and Riquewihr, with their brightly-coloured, half-timbered buildings decked with window boxes spilling with geraniums and traditional ornamental features.
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An immersive adventure along the famous trails of Mont Blanc, we’ve selected the most outstanding sections around this iconic mountain. These historic paths offer dramatic panorama, deep mountain lakes, and spectacular snow-capped summits. You’ll stay in the bustling adventure hub of Chamonix before crossing the Italian border into the classic resort of Courmayeur.
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Facing the sea with feet in the sand, take a breath and experience the authentic Normandy with historical places including D-Day landing beaches, the generous cuisine, orchards and half-timbered houses.
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This activity holiday offers the treat of walking and cycling in Chablis vineyards. Set in a gastronomic boutique hotel with a spa, this tour allows you to choose a different adventure every day. Ideal for food and wine lovers who wish to explore the world-famous Burgundy vineyard.
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explore and taste every day what is hidden behind the bubbles that help us toast good news. Pop the cork and let the bubbles speak for themselves.
DEPARTURE MONTHS
In Burgundy, enjoying a good meal is more than a tradition this is the culture! Savour Burgundy's 'Art de Vivre' through its great vineyards and the numerous gourmet products that you will taste along your route. Get your taste buds ready to be delighted.
DEPARTURE MONTHS
Walk at your own pace and let your feet guide you on a journey that combines lush countryside views and delectable tastings.
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Discover some of the most beautiful villages in France; Colmar, Kaysersberg and Riquewihr, with their brightly-coloured, half-timbered buildings decked with window boxes spilling with geraniums and traditional ornamental features.
DEPARTURE MONTHS
An immersive adventure along the famous trails of Mont Blanc, we’ve selected the most outstanding sections around this iconic mountain. These historic paths offer dramatic panorama, deep mountain lakes, and spectacular snow-capped summits. You’ll stay in the bustling adventure hub of Chamonix before crossing the Italian border into the classic resort of Courmayeur.
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All the top highlights of the High Pyrenees - turquoise lakes, innumerable waterfalls, and the UNESCO Site of the Cirque du Gavarnie. Great walking on ancient footpaths, regional cuisine, and an unforgettable visit at the Summit Observatory of the Pic du Midi.
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From Dijon to Meursault passing through all the greatest wine villages of Burgundy Grands Crus, explore, taste and immerse yourself into the Burgundian Art de Vivre which of course includes a delightful cuisine.
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Combine three of our exciting holidays to experience the ultimate activity holiday in the Dordogne. Two days of safe, leisurely canoeing with a choice of easy walking or cycling on the other days.
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Discover the hidden secrets of the French Riviera, plus some of the familiar sights too, on this guided walking week based at a charming 3-star hotel just a stone's throw from the beach. Picturesque walks, beautiful views and visits to the Riviera's magnificent Caps.
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The circuit of Mont Blanc is one of the finest walking routes in the Alps. It is, in reality, a series of paths linking the seven valleys that surround the highest mountain in Western Europe, Mont Blanc. It normally takes a fortnight to complete the whole circuit, but for those with less time this one-week tour takes in the most outstanding sections from one accommodation base.
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A walking holiday in France is, at heart, an active adventure. This means you'll be up and about, clocking up your step count each day as you take in sensational surroundings. From the coastal area of Brittany to the riverside of The Dordogne, the mountainous terrain of Mont Blanc to the vineyards and olive groves of Provence, you're truly spoilt for choice when it comes to French walking holidays.
If you opt for a guided walking holiday, you'll have plenty of chance to socialise and meet new people, whereas, if you opt for a solo trip, you'll be able to take things at your own pace and truly be at one with nature.
We hand-pick hotels for you to stay at during your walking holiday in France. We purposely choose friendly, characterful places where your hosts will take a genuine interest in their guests.
Our chosen accommodation ranges from rustic spaces amongst chateaux in Brittany to hotels stowed away in the mountainous landscape of Mont Blanc.
For your own comfort and to avoid any unwanted injuries, it's important to come with the correct walking attire for your walking trip to France. This means bringing a solid pair of walking boots that have been worn-in prior to the trip, plus enough pairs of thick socks to avoid blisters.
Be sure to check the weather forecast ahead of your trip. You may need waterproofs with a hood and appropriate lightweight or waterproof trousers. Fleeces and breathable layers are also a good idea. If the weather is set to be hot, make sure you bring a cap and sunglasses.
As well as the correct clothing, you'll need to pack additional items like a water bottle and snacks. It's important to bring SPF sunscreen too as even cloudy days expose you to UV rays. A first aid kit is another handy thing to pack for your walking holiday in France, particularly if you are embarking on a solo walk. Don't forget your camera too!
Check the itinerary of your chosen walk to judge what you might need.
We give each walking holiday a level so that you can make an informed decision about which option best suits your experience.
This comes down to how much you plan to socialise with others while on holiday.
On a guided walking holiday, you will be walking with others in a small group led by a local guide throughout your trip, giving you plenty of chance to socialise.
On a self-guided walking tour, you'll follow a designated route with clear instructions on how to get to each point.
When you book an adventure with Headwater, you can be confident that you're in safe hands. Not only are we knowledgeable and passionate about crafting our walking holidays in France, but we also have additional booking perks in place to ensure flexibility and security.
We're reputable - We've been rated 'Excellent' by our customers on Feefo due to the high-quality of our walking tours and service throughout.
Breath-taking destinations - We consider the finest details when crafting our walking tours and our five-step approval process caters to this. It means you can enjoy the experience without having to lift a finger when it comes to planning your itinerary.
We can arrange your flights - We can arrange flights for your French walking holiday - simply provide us with a few details to get the process started.
ABTA- and ATOL-protected - Our French walking tours are ABTA- and ATOL-protected so you can be confident in booking with us risk-free. Find out more about what your key rights are when booking with us.
Award-winning walking holidays in France - A number of our walking tours, including those in France, have received awards from the British Travel Awards for their expertly crafted itineraries and personal service.
We're conscious about sustainability - We make sure our walking tours are Nature Net Positive, which means they follow the rhythm of nature rather than impacting it in a way that tourism has the potential to do.
We benefit communities - Our Exodus Travels Foundation means our holidays benefit additional social, conservation, and disaster relief causes.
