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Our walking tour, France on Foot is designed for the mature active walker. It extends from the scenic island of Noirmoutier on the Atlantic coast all the way to Limousin and the Auvergne to the peaks of the Savoy Alps. Along the way we traverse France via the Massif Central. This walking tour includes a number of spectacular and beautiful walks, with plenty of culture, history and cuisine along the way.
Odyssey offers easy, convenient, and relaxed escorted across France and beyond. This exceptional collection of walks explore France’s fairy-tale natural beauty, its ancient Roman, and Imperial heritage, its World Heritage Sites, and world famous cities. Complete with some truly all waiting to be explored on one of Odyssey’s small group .
France on Foot small group tour begins and ends in Paris, the beautiful French capital, the trip will start off with a walking tour of Nantes. Nantes is a thriving student city on the banks of Loire river. Home to many beautiful cathedrals, it was once an industrial epicentre and birthplace of the world's first public transport service, the omnibus, which opened in 1826.
We will spend some time in Noirmoutier, an island in the Bay of Biscay, accessible from the mainland by a beautiful bridge. The island's history dates back to prehistoric times and it has over 50km worth of beaches to explore. We will take a sailing tour around the island and visit the salt marshes and learn about salt harvest as an artisan trade. From Noirmoutier, we will catch a boat to to Port Joinville on Ile d'Yeu for a guided tour of this picturesque, beach island and one of France's hidden gems.
Our next base after Noirmoutier is Correze, a department in south-western France, named after the river Corrèze . With beautiful scenery, perfect walking opportunities, and surrounded by quaint, unspoiled villages, it is a great spot to begin some of our walks. We will have a city tour of Limoges, an underrated French city known for its decorated porcelain. There are cobbled streets and medieval architecture to explore here, as well as a unique cathedral.
Our last base before heading back to Paris is Montchavin, a small alpine village in Savoie in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. Here you will get to experience the beautiful Notre Dame des Vernettes walk, a path through an amazing mountainous nature reserve.
This French walking tour also includes travel on the famous TGV rail.
For those who enjoy walking holidays, this is a walking holiday like no other. With a range of different walks on offer, you will see all kinds of landscapes, from beachy island walks to rugged alpine hikes, this has everything.
If you want to learn more about France, visit our country profile where all the other tour departures are listed as well. Odyssey Traveller also offers a range of walking tours each year paced for senior travellers. The collection of walks are for active mature and senior travellers, particularly those who seek a holiday off the main circuit.
If you’re keen to experience this tour, please call or send an email. Or, to book, simply fill in the form on the right hand side of this page.
To help you prepare for any walking program whether with Odyssey or another company this list of articles is intended to help you prepare for your holiday.
The following list of articles are either published by Odyssey Traveller or are carefully selected external source to maximise senior travellers' knowledge and enjoyment of France when visiting;
For the active mature and senior traveller be they a couple or solo traveller this article outlines preparation for walking tours even for the over 80's. It may on the Wainwright, the lake district or a pilgrims walk across Europe or St James Way, the Camino. This artices give advice on getting fit, shoes and socks including for particular advice for women on this topic.
How to Prepare for a Walking Holiday – 10 Tips It’s hard to beat the pleasure of a walking tour. While the comfort and speed of a coach or train has its place, exploring a…
Ancient Routes, Fresh Eyes: Nine European Pilgrimage Routes for the Modern Traveller The word ‘pilgrimage’ or ‘pilgrim’ comes from the Modern French word pèlerin, which means ‘foreigner, stranger’, highlighting the concept that the faithful is not of…
For mature and senior travellers on a small group guided walking tour or walking holiday selecting good socks and shoes for the journey will improve your experience on European walking tour considerably. This article discusses the range socks available and what to consider when choosing a pair of walking shoes to use on a Odyssey guided walking tour.
History & European Pilgrim Walks Walking pilgrimages provide solitude and tranquillity in an increasingly busy and fast-paced world. These walking tours follow ancient pilgrimage routes, giving the modern pilgrim the chance not only to meet new…
France Guide for Mature or Senior Travellers There are good reasons why France has been the world’s most popular tourist destination for over twenty years. This France guide should give […]
Historic Loire Valley The Loire Valley has been the site of both aristocratic grandeur and thousands of years of territorial conflict. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site with the 15th century Château de Chenonceau as…
The Loire Valley in France is renowned for its picturesque natural beauty, and the region also combines all the ingredients of what the French consider to be the good life. The Valley is the home…
Monet’s Giverny Garden Claude Monet French Impressionist Claude Monet (1840-1926) was a pioneer of a major art movement, but he created a thing of beauty that he believed eclipsed even his own celebrated works of art.…
In 966, a Benedictine abbey was built on the island and Mont St-Michel became a centre of religious learning, attracting the brightest minds and most talented artists from around Europe.
Escorted small group tours for mature and senior travellers to France. Designed for couples and solo travellers who like to explore and enjoy learning as they travel to Paris, Provence, the South or the Loire Valley and beyond.
South West France Travelling the Canal du Midi: this article will help mature and senior travellers understand the cultural and geographical links between the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea through Southwestern France as they prepare…
For centuries Malta, Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica held the key to the Mediterranean. We explore ’s the Mediterranean natural beauty, its ancient Roman, and Imperial heritage, its World Heritage Sites, and world famous cities, all with some truly spectacular scenery along the way. This and more is all waiting to be explored on one of Odyssey’s small group tours of the Islands of Mediterranean, designed for the senior traveller, and led by experienced, and enthusiastic like-minded people. This escorted tour of western Mediterranean explores the geography, history, culture and peoples of these 4 islands.
This small group escorted tour explores the magnificent landscapes of Carpathian mountains in Romania, and takes in the vibrant culture and rich heritage of Romanian village life. Travel with like minded people, mature couples or solo travellers.
Taken as a whole, Italian Civilization (which includes, of course, the splendid inheritance of Ancient Rome) is absolutely foundational to Western culture. Music, Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Literature, Philosophy, Law and Politics all derive from Italy or were adapted and transformed through the medium of Italy.
