Walking in France
Doctors recommend at least 30 minutes of energetic walking a day. A lot of commuters to Paris probably manage that every day between Métro and main and suburban line stations. Millions of other people don't have that sort of exercise on a daily basis but they do walk for hours over weekends, and perhaps have a long walk during the week if they're retired, by forming unofficial walking groups (groupes de randonneurs) or joining a walking association for a nominal fee.
Skiing country is superb for hiking (randonnées de montagne) in the summer and autumn and is dotted with mountain huts (refuges) designed more for shelter than overnight stops. Certainly, if you're following a mountain trail for the first time which is indicated by white and red stripes, and yellow and red stripes, on rocks and tree-trunks (sentiers de GR: grande randonnée) you should be in a group with a hike leader or guide who knows the area. If you're out in the country on a gentle ramble (petite randonnée: PR) walks are indicated by yellow stripes.
The French attitude to walking is as an end in itself, not a means to an end or to an intermediate pub for lunch. Countless illustrated guide books are published setting out the best walks in your area with grading symbols indicating difficulty levels and altitude progression over the number of kilometres walked. For example, and exaggerated for effect, 500m alt. over 1 km is almost rock climbing. Start gently and progress slowly if you're new to walking.
You should have at least a tough pair of walking shoes or boots with good ankle support and a light rain-proof windcheater (the weather is unpredictable in mountain areas). Some basic first-aid material is advisable - any official guide should have this with them - and, ideally, someone should have a mobile phone. In the autumn and winter hunting seasons in wooded and open countryside, avoid hunting parties and private hunting ground (chasse gardée) areas. There are fatal accidents every year. The precise hunting season dates can vary from département to département. Contact the Office National de la Chasse in your département for dates.
National parks (parcs nationaux) and regional nature parks (parcs naturels régionaux) are both protected areas where you are free to walk and enjoy the flora and varied bird and mammal wildlife, provided you don't disturb, damage or destroy them. The six national parks are the Cévennes (a UNESCO World Heritage natural site), the Ecrins, the Mercantour, the Port-Cros island, part of the Pyrénées, and the Vanoise. Details of the 42 parcs régionaux are found on www.parcs-naturelsregionaux.tm.fr.
