Trip Help: Warmer and Shorter in France?

[Jed Augustine]

Moved from "Trip Reports" forum… my bad!

Hey y'all-

First I have to thank everyone who helped me out the first time I asked about backpacking in France. Now that I am actually here, I have some more specific questions!

I'm a student in Paris with 3-5 days to go backpacking, including transportation time. Due to luggage limitations, I could only bring gear for nighttime temperatures of around 25-30*F.

Does anyone have ideas for shortish treks near Paris with warmer temperatures?

I've been looking at le Massif de Vosges, but I don't know that it looks so interesting. The Pyrennes and Alps are wonderful of course, but too cold already? The GR 20 in Corsica looks perfect, but I just don't know if I can swing it.

Any advice would be very much welcomed.

I hope all is well with everyone!

Jed

[xavier dor]

Hi!

and welcome to France!

I do advice you to go the Vosges if you can… The area might not offer spectacular views and sceneries like it would in the Alps or in the Pyrénées, but it's a very nice place to hike.

Here is a link to a photo album of Ultra lighter meetings in the Vosges. http://picasaweb.google.fr/MUL.VOSGES

some others http://www.randonner-leger.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=6746
http://www.randonner-leger.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=6312
http://www.randonner-leger.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5915

You should probably speak french, so you won't have so much troubles to understand the threads..

What is great if you go to the Vosges is that there are numerous very good shelters and refuges that you can use for free. => http://www.cc-vallee-doller.fr/PhotosSousRub/Projets/d%E9pliant.pdf (in the South of the range of mountains) then you won't have any problem to hike there in winter even you're not so well equiped.

Otherwise, you can try Le Jura (http://www.randonner-leger.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5025)
nice views on the Alps with clear weather… but not as high. Unfortunately, no cabins there…

I don't know the area around Paris, but I've heard about some nice hiking spots at the forest of Fontainebleau…

Maybe Britanny? as a coastal area… it shouldn't get too cold in winter…

Feel free to visit our national hiking light forum at http://www.randonner-leger.org, it might give you some ideas ;)

To end this very long post, I really advice you to go to the vosges. It's a really nice place : http://www.randonner-leger.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3936 ;)
I know a few guys there really willing to meet some new partners (cf. picassa album), so you can contact without any problem… They might give you other ideas.

Have fun in France!

Sincerely,

Xavier

[Author]

Posts