France 2026
Brittany has over 1,650 miles of shoreline, and for our third trek in France we chose to roam along its Emerald Coast. Our trek on the GR34 would take us 50 miles over four stages, beginning from the city of Saint-Malo and ending at the island of Mont-Saint-Michel.
During our first five days of GR3 trekking we encountered numerous medieval chateaux. Even though we only had two days and 21.2 miles of hiking left, we had three more Loire Valley chateau visits planned. Each one would provide us with a unique glimpse into the culture and history of the region.
We chose to trek 88 miles of the GR3 through the heart of the Loire Valley, home to famous wineries and historic castles (chateaux). With hundreds of chateaux to visit in the area, it is no wonder that the valley and the river were registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.
As we rejoined the trail after a rest day, we would continue our trek along the Massif Central. During our final six stages and 73.5 miles we would hike through a nature park, make a long descent to the Lot River, and traverse through several more idyllic medieval villages before ending our trek in Conques.
The GR65 route originating in Le Puy-en-Valey is known as the Via Podiensis in Latin. We were intrigued by trekking through medieval French villages and the tranquil countryside while experiencing a part of France not normally on the tourist path. So we planned a 10-day trek taking us from Le Puy west to Conques.
Europe is one of our favorite places to trek in the world, with a rich variety of hiking options. But perhaps no country in Europe captures the diversity of trekking opportunities like France. During our new Trekking France adventure we plan to hike 340 miles on five long-distance GR trails in four different locations.
