On our walking holidays you'll experience up close the beauty of the real France - as you tramp along the quiet lanes and tracks.
Where can you walk?
Our notes and maps guide you safely through the walk, but you are free to follow any route you choose if you fancy taking a diversion.
Way marking In most areas open footpaths are more extensive than in the UK - in fact national French public rights of way are not codified in law at all, except on the roads. In theory only members of the commune (roughly translated as the parish) have rights on land around the villages. In practice, the attitude is relaxed and you can walk more or less whereever you wish provided you don't cross fences, growing crops or seeded fields. Generally you can't walk between vineyard rows or in orchards other than on clear access tracks. Most tractor tracks between fields are communal because they lead to scattered plots and each member of the commune has the right to walk on any of them. But this also means that hunters, cars, motorcycles and horses can also use them.
Signs to watch for: You will see signs saying Privé but this generally refers to the land next to the track rather than the track. The sign Chasse Gardée or Reserve de Chasse simply means that hunters from other communes cannot hunt in this one without permission. You may also come across village fountains either marked potable (drinkable) or non potable (don't drink).
IGN Maps IGN is the Institut Géographique National - the French equivalent of Ordance Survey. Your route is highlighted on the IGN maps that cover the area you are walking in - we use Carte de Randonnée 1:25,000, so 1cm = 250 metres (about 700 yards to the inch). You may encounter areas where the lie of the land does not accurately resemble the map, for example through forests and vineyards, where agricultural work has created wide new tracks and obliterated old paths.
Compasses A compass is essential. It's very useful when following the walking routes but it can be crucial if you become lost. You do not need to know how to calculate a compass bearing. The easiest method is just to point the compass guide arrow to north, turn and hold it to north, and then read off NNW or SSE etc directly from it.
What to carry A light day rucksack is really all you need to carry, with room for a camera, picnic, spare clothing etc. A 30 litre sack is generally ample. You might also want to take a small bum-bag which is very useful for summer walking when big pockets are not available.
