11 France Hiking Tours to Build a Day Around

1.Calanques National Park Guided Hike with Picnic

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 516 reviews · 5 hours · from $41Our pick

Meet your English or French-speaking guide at Luminy for a five-hour hike through Marseille’s Calanques. Routes vary by season, with stops near Morgiou, Sugiton, Sormiou, or Saint Jean de Dieu. Expect steep paths, local stories, a shared picnic, and time for a sea swim.

“Adrien was a truly wonderful guide with fantastic knowledge not only of the area, but the wildlife. We very much enjoyed our hike, the swim and the picnic lunch. Couldn't recommend more highly!”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Calanques National Park Guided Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 489 reviews · 4 - 5 hours · from $41

Meet your English or French-speaking guide at Luminy for a 7.51-kilometer hike through pine woods and rosemary to a Calanque beach. Expect rocky paths, more than 250 meters of elevation, a picnic, swimming, and an optional 700-meter round-trip swim to the Blue Grotto.

“The place is amazing and our guide, Sébastien, it’s very kind with an amazing mood. The hiking was really nice, with a good pace. I recommend it.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Hiking Adventure in Van Gogh’s Footsteps with 6 miles walk

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 239 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $96Top rated

Join Victor from GO HIKING PARIS for a small-group, six-mile walk from Gare du Nord through the Oise countryside to Auvers-sur-Oise. Expect Van Gogh stories, painting sites, the church he painted, his lodging and grave, plus coffee, tea, and snacks. Bring lunch, water, and sturdy shoes.

“This was such a fun day! 7 mile hike (wear tennis shoes and pants per mud and shrubbery along the paths) and learned more about Van Gogh than I could've imagined. The countryside was beautiful and peaceful and the villages were quaint and charming. It was SO cool to see the places that Vincent had painted. Victor (the guide) was phenomenal! Truly a kind, endearing, and knowledgeable man who made the day glide by seamlessly. I will say he is quite the quick walker, so make sure you are up for the pace.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Hiking in the Calanques National park from Marseille

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 211 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $42

Join Planetazur for a roughly five-hour hike from Marseille into the Calanques National Park. Guides such as Adrien, Alex, David, Freddie, and Yana lead you over rocky trails to Sugiton and Morgiou, with a shared picnic and time for swimming.

“Great hike & stunning views! David was an awesome Guide, knows so much about the area and nature. The hike was not for the faint of heart-If you go down the way, using the chains to get down the side of a small cliff area. Good shoes are a must, but it was all worth it! David had a wonderful picnic snack/ lunch for all of us and this was the highlight of my visit to Marseilles!”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Cassis: 3 Calanques Half-Day Hiking Tour with Swimming

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 204 reviews · 4 hours · from $53

Join a French- or English-speaking local guide, including guide Vanilla on some outings, for a demanding 7 km hike from Cassis through Port-Miou, Port-Pin, and En-Vau. You’ll see a former limestone quarry, reach a 90-meter viewpoint, and pause for a possible swim in turquoise water.

“On s'est régalées, plein d'explications. Guide à l'écoute, super 🤩 !!”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Urban Hiking Tour with a Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 198 reviews · 3h 30m · from $46

Walk Marseille with Olivier, Oliver, or another local guide on a small-group route from the Old Port to Notre-Dame de la Garde. You’ll follow the coast past fishing ports and coves, cut through quiet parks and old neighborhoods, then climb steep alleys for wide city views. English and French tours are available.

“awesome! olivier knows A LOT about the city, the history, the people. speaks good and clear english, and he likes to share his knowledge and we loved to listen. thanks for the great walk! the tour was perfect!”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Guided Hiking Calanques National Park from Luminy

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 100 reviews · 4 hours · from $47

Join Bruno or Margaux for a four-hour hike from Luminy through Marseille’s Calanques National Park. Expect cliff views, a swim stop, local picnic foods, and practical help on rocky sections. The hike is easy to moderate, with small groups and guiding in English, French, Italian, or Spanish.

“Excellent experience! Bruno made sure everyone was doing ok. Had a great picnic for us with local food at the beach where he left us time to enjoy and relax. I don’t think I would have done it alone because if you don’t know the park it can be tricky to follow the signs. 100% recommend.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Cassis : Hiking Tour 2 Calanques with swimming

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 11 reviews · 3 hours · from $46

Walk 4 km from Cassis through Port-Miou and Port-Pin with a French- or English-speaking guide. You’ll see an old quarry, a marina, wild coastal paths, and a pebble cove for swimming. Guide Vanina has been praised for clear, lively explanations of local history, plants, and wildlife.

“La randonnée était à couper le souffle, entre paysages spectaculaires et chemins secrèts. Notre guide, passionnée et passionnante, a su transmettre son amour du lieu avec enthousiasme. La baignade dans les eaux turquoise était un pur bonheur, rafraîchissante et bien méritée après l’effort. Une super découverte que je recommande vivement à tous les amoureux de nature et d’aventure ! 🥾🌊”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Chamonix: Sunset Hike & Fondue in the Alpine Land with Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 3h 30m · from $294

Join Olivier for a private Chamonix sunset hike tailored from a 10-minute stroll to a two-hour mountain walk. Watch the Alps glow around Mont Blanc, enjoy local fondue and drinks outdoors, then descend by headlamp. The outing runs year-round in good weather.

“Our family (two adults, 2 teenagers) had such a good time on the sunset hike with Olivier. He is very generous with his extensive knowledge of the area- particularly with respect to Alpine ecosystems and wildlife- and he engaged perfectly with both kids and adults. We felt safe the entire time and the experience was truly unique- fondue under the night sky in the snowy woods is a special memory we will keep, thanks to Olivier!”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Étretat: hike the mythical cliffs of Étretat!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $23Best value

Join French-speaking guide Cyrielle for a four-hour hike from Le Tilleul along GR21. You’ll see Antifer lighthouse, the protected Valleuses d’Antifer, a discreet cove, and Étretat’s famous cliffs before returning through the lime-tree forest.

“Un moment inoubliable à Étretat ! Cette randonnée a été tout simplement magique. Les paysages sont à couper le souffle, entre les falaises majestueuses, l’air marin vivifiant et la vue imprenable sur la mer. Chaque pas offrait un nouveau point de vue plus beau que le précédent. Mais ce qui a vraiment rendu l’expérience exceptionnelle, c’est la présence de Cyrielle, notre guide. Sa bonne humeur, sa passion pour la région et ses explications captivantes ont donné une toute autre dimension à la balade. Elle a su créer une ambiance chaleureuse et conviviale, tout en partageant ses connaissances avec enthousiasme et simplicité. Un grand merci à elle. C’est une expérience que…”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Full Day in Côte Bleue: Scenic Nature Walk and Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 10 hours · from $129

Spend 10 hours exploring the Côte Bleue with guide Virginia from OntreaTours. Travel by train from Marseille to Carry-Le-Rouet, walk the coast, find fossils, swim and snorkel near Sausset-Les-Pins, then add a weather-dependent Calanques boat ride.

“The trip was amazing! Virginia is such a kind and lovely person. We had so much fun and learned lots of new things about Marseille, the Cote Bleue and so much more! There were four of us, including Virginia. The day started perfectly with breakfast and getting to know each other. Virginia offered us several options for how to spend the day, allowing us to customize the experience to our preferences. At lunchtime, we ate together, and she was incredibly helpful in guiding us through the menu choices. In the evening, she even accompanied us on the train back to Marseille! We were also lucky with sunny and warm weather!…”

Check availability →Read our full review