Whether in the Alps, the Pyrenees or Corsica, France has no shortage of trails where the technicality and the difference in altitude are a real challenge for those who venture out.
In France, an estimated 17 million people have gone hiking in the last 12 months. The country is full of trails on which to practice this activity and for those who want to run, trail running is also one of the most popular activities in the massifs. The middle mountains are the most popular with a reasonable difference in altitude and landscapes that are worth the detour, like those in the Massif Central, the Vosges or the Jura. For the more demanding, the high mountain trail also offers a number of technical trails with high altitude. We have listed five of them below among the most difficult in France and in mainland France.
1 : The Mont Blanc tour on the GR TMB
This trail is about 170 kilometers long and is part of the famous UTMB which takes place every year at the end of the summer. The course is completed in 10 days in hiking mode, but you can of course take it on some famous trail sections. It follows the trails of France, Italy and Switzerland, starting in the village of Les Houches, near Chamonix. On the French part of the trail, the climbs of the Bonhomme pass, the Croix-du-Bonhomme pass or a splendid view on the Brouillard, Peuterey and Dames Anglaises ridges. The mythical Col de la Forclaz is also to be done once via the Col de la Balme or via Vallorcine. Not to be missed, the view on the glaciers of Bossons and Taconna.
2 : Crossing the Pyrenees on the GR 10
From Hendaye to Banyuls, you will have the choice for your trail outing on the GR 10 which crosses the Pyrenees on 870 km. You might as well say that to complete it in its entirety is a piece of bravery that hikers take about two months to finish. In trail, the passage by the pass of La Pierre Saint-Martin is not to be missed. The one of the Pic du Midi de Bigorre is not to be missed either, where you can have a superb view on the section leading from Arrens to Melles. The cirque of Gavarnie and the massif of Canigou are also good playgrounds for trail running. In short, the hardest thing will be to choose...
3 : On top of Mount Tabor
Located in the Alps on the GR 57, the Mont Thabor culminates at 3178 meters of altitude. You can start from the Granges de la vallée Étroite before attacking the ascent. The round trip can also be done from Valmeinier. If the difficulty remains reasonable compared to the other paths mentioned here, reaching the summit by running remains a real challenge. At the top, the good weather will allow you to admire the Grandes Jorasses, the Grande Casse or the Mont Pourri.
4 : The crossing of the Reunion Island
Reunion Island has three GR. It is the GR R2 which crosses the island from north to south on 135 kilometers. It is obviously also the one that offers the highest difference in altitude. It stretches over about 130 kilometers from La Providence in the agglomeration of Saint-Denis to Basse-Vallée in the Volcano region. The entire race is reserved for the best runners. It is not a coincidence that one of the most famous trail races in the world takes place every year on a part of this route: the Grand Raid. Finally, the panoramas are worth the detour, around the Piton des Neiges and the Piton de la Fournaise.
5 : Mythical GR 20
It is impossible not to mention here the Grande Randonnée trail number 20 which crosses Corsica from Calenzana (North) to Conca (South). On the program, nearly 180 km and 11,000 meters of positive elevation gain on a legendary circuit, often ranked among the 10 most difficult in the world. For hikers, it takes between 15 and 20 days to complete the entire route. The most technical passages are in the north, while the south offers more trails on less rugged and hilly terrain. The record of the GR 20 is held by the local runner Lambert Santelli who covered the entire route in 2021 in 30 hours and 25 minutes.