Article results for “france”
72 articles
Cycling classic Tour de France climbs
By Andy Hodges Every Tour de France supporter will know the mountains of the Maurienne. Many a champion has been made on these slopes. The mighty Galibier, the demure Madeleine,...
GR5 Vosges and Jura – walking the borderlands of France
By Les Smith and Elizabeth Smith When the time came to update their Cicerone guide, Les and Elizabeth Smith were happy to have an excuse to revisit the Vosges and...
Camino Invierno: Walking the Camino Francés in winter
By Madeline Williams There may be many things that make walking the Camino Francés in winter a very different experience to more popular times of the year, but the fundamentals...
Camino de Santiago – Camino Francés: a complete planning guide
The Camino Francés is the most legendary, most travelled, and most revered of the Camino de Santiago's many routes. The 'French Way' begins on the French slopes of the Pyrenees...
An introduction to The Way of St Francis (Via di Francesco)
The Way of St Francis (Via di Francesco) connects places and paths associated with the saint, allowing walkers to see why St Francis of Assisi loved the land. The route...
Discover the Via Francigena — everything you need to know
The Via Francigena is one of Europe’s great pilgrimage routes — a journey through landscapes rich in history, culture and natural beauty. From Canterbury Cathedral to Rome, then beyond to...
Everything you need to know about walking the Via Francigena in the South
Have you walked the Via Francigena to Rome? Or are you planning your first steps on this historic pilgrimage? The fourth and final section of Europe’s longest waymarked trail leads...
The River Loire Cycle Route: ultimate planning guide
Perfect for chateau spotters or history fans, the Loire Cycle Route passes through historic cities like Orléans and Tours, continuing past Angers and France's fourth largest city Nantes. In fact...
A trail of two cities: A cycle route from London to Paris
By Mike Wells There are two long-distance cycle routes between London and Paris: the 'classic route' and the Avenue Verte. Cicerone author Mike Wells tells us more. Both routes are...
The Cathar Way – essential facts & top tips
The Cathar Way, or Sentier Cathare, is a voyage into the past. A trail of some 260km through the foothills of the Pyrenees in Languedoc, southern France, it links a...
The Canal de la Garonne from Bordeaux to Toulouse – a cyclist’s dream
By Declan Lyons There are few places better than France to tour by bike. And the Canal de la Garonne offers one of the best routes on traffic-free asphalted cycle...
What pilgrim trail should I do? The best pilgrimages and caminos in the world
Pilgrimages are more popular than ever, with thousands of people walking the Camino every year. The Camino Frances is a wonderful route but it's far from the only camino! Here...
Walking in Provence - West: a complete planning guide
Drive south past Montélimar on the Autoroute du Soleil and, just after the sign announcing Vous êtes en Provence, the light itself seems to change: clearer, brighter, edged with the scent of pine and herbs. Walking in Provence: West guides walkers through 30 circular day walks across the Drôme Provençale, Vaucluse and Var, ranging from 4 to 16km (2 to 10 miles) through lavender fields, limestone gorges and hilltop villages. This guide covers when to go, how walks are graded, and how to get there. (Last updated: July 2026 · Guidebook edition: 1st edition, November 2014)
Ready to step up? Discover your next walking adventure
Many walkers begin with a classic like the Camino Francés, the Tour du Mont Blanc, the West Highland Way. But what happens after you’ve ticked one of these off? For...
The GR5 Trail – Benelux and Lorraine: a complete planning guide
The thought that you can step off a ferry on the North Sea coast and follow a single waymarked trail all the way to the Mediterranean is both thrilling and...
The GR5 Trail – Vosges and Jura: a complete planning guide
Imagine a landscape of rolling hills and deeply cut gorges, of ruined castles, villages with half-timbered houses, and a network of footpaths weaving through forests. That is how Les and...
An intro to...the River Rhone Cycle Route
Following the river Rhone from its source near the summit of the Furkapass to the Mediterranean Sea, the Rhone Cycle Route slips past some of Switzerland's highest mountains, skirts the...
From Ocean to Sea through the Pyrenees: The GR10, GR11 and HRP
By Brian Johnson Crossing the Pyrenees on foot is no mean feat but there are several trails that allow you to do this. Brian Johnson has hiked them all, and...
An intro to… The Via Podiensis or The Way of St James (the GR65)
The Via Podiensis, or The Way of St James, is another option for pilgrims seeking a new Camino pilgrimage. This major French variant of the Camino de Santiago travels through...
Cycling the Camino de Santiago: a complete planning guide
Every year thousands of cyclists set off from St Jean-Pied-de-Port in the French Pyrenees to follow the Camino Francés, the medieval pilgrim road that has drawn walkers and riders to...
Long-distance trails in the Pyrenees – everything you need to know
Would you like to hike across the breathtaking landscapes of the Pyrenees? Iconic routes include the renowned GR10 and GR11, the challenging HRP (Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne) and the lesser-known, but...
Cycling the Route des Grandes Alpes – what you need to know
Discover the awesome passes of the French Alps on this stunning 720km journey from Lac Léman to cosmopolitan Nice. Breathtaking views open up around every turn in the road as...
What is a GR route?
By Joe Williams Grande Randonnée (French), Grote Routepaden or Lange-afstand-wandelpaden (Dutch), Grande Rota (Portuguese) or Gran Recorrido (Spanish)... Put simply, the GR routes are an immense network of long distance...
Pilgrim Credentials – everything you need to know
Caminos have become popular for their unique blend of spiritual journey, cultural exploration, and physical challenge, drawing pilgrims from all walks of life. A pilgrim credential, or pilgrim passport, is...