National Trust - Walking - France - The South West






			Home > Walking > France - The South West France - the Timeless South-West Dordogne, Lot, Gascony, Tarn, Corbières & Cévennes Meanders of the Lot Grade 1 • 6 nights • high-quality, charming hotels • rich gastronomy • timeless landscapes Picturesque scenery, plentiful sunshine and an intriguing history lend the Lot Valley to leisurely exploration. From its exquisite stone villages to its delicious cuisine, and from its beautiful, meandering river to its crumbling châteaux, the Lot Valley holds much in common with its northerly neighbour, the Dordogne. The one difference is that this is France off the tourist trail, and in the tranquillity you can truly appreciate the Lot’s timelessness and rich wildlife, including many raptors, butterflies and wild orchids. Available 1 April-19 October 2008. > Full itinerary & prices > Brochure page Villages of the Dordogne Grade 1-2 • 7 nights • delightful villages • wonderful views • rich regional cuisine With its timeless landscapes, fairy-tale châteaux and unspoiled medieval villages of turreted mansions and half-timbered houses with brown-tiled roofs, this corner of the Dordogne is a joy to discover on foot. This popular walk explores the area to the south of Beaulieu, which boasts several ancient villages, among them Autoire, Loubressac and Carennac, all of which you visit. Available 1 April-31 October 2008. > Full itinerary & prices > Brochure page Paths to Rocamadour Grade 1-2 • 7 or 10 nights • friendly hotels, many with a pool • delicious cuisine • visit Rocamadour The Dordogne is renowned for two reasons: the beauty of the landscapes and the distinctive, rich gastronomy based on duck and goose and flavoured with truffles. Both pleasures feature prominently in this walk, which takes you from the village of Creysse on the banks of the Dordogne, along the pretty Ouysse Valley to the pilgrims' village of Rocamadour. Available 1 April-31 October 2008. > Full 7-night itinerary & prices > Brochure page Full 10-night itinerary & prices Gascony - Sunflowers & Abbeys Grade 1-2 • 6 nights • timeless countryside • region rich in culture & history Alluring landscapes, gentle yet scenic walking routes, plenty of time for cultural visits, welcoming small hotels, a benevolent climate…here you have all the ingredients for a wonderful, and very relaxing, walking holiday. Indeed, given the leisurely nature of the walking, the easy access from Toulouse and the warm hospitality of the hoteliers, this makes an ideal first walk, rewarding you with a real sense of fulfilment at having explored one of France’s last remaining ‘secrets’. Discover a timeless landscape as well as cultural treasures such as the delightful towns of Condom and Lectoure. Available 1 April-31 October 2008. > Full itinerary & prices > Brochure page From the Tarn to the Aveyron Grade 1-2 • 7 nights • welcoming hotels & chambres d'hôtes • unspoiled landscapes Combine leisurely walking through landscapes reminiscent of Tuscany with a spot of history on this delightful holiday. The accommodation is a pleasant blend of charming chambres d'hôtes (guesthouses) and comfortable hotels offering flavoursome regional cuisine, and you stay in three of the medieval fortified villages (bastides), which crown the hill-tops of this lyrical region between the great Tarn and Aveyron rivers. Available 1 April-12 July & 1 September-31 October 2008. > Full itinerary & prices > Brochure page Along the Tarn Valley Grade 2 • 7 nights • rolling countryside • stay in pretty villages & beautiful Albi Starting and finishing at beautiful Albi, the so-called ville rose (‘pink city’), this walk takes you east along the Tarn Valley, through woodland, past small hamlets, and across gently rolling hills. You stay in some attractive villages, such as Brousse-le-Château, located below a medieval castle on the banks of the Tarn, and Ambialet, which is built on a narrow oxbow isthmus created by the curling river. Available 1 April-12 October 2008. > Full itinerary & prices > Brochure page Beneath Mont Lozère Grade 2-3 • 7 nights • wild, beautiful Cévennes National Park • welcoming hotels & chambres d'hôtes Unspoiled and largely undiscovered, the Cévennes National Park is a land of rugged mountains coated in heather, gorse and open grassland that turns golden in the sun, while the slopes of the deep valleys below are cloaked with majestic chestnut woods. By leading across the wild uplands as well as the lower valleys, our challenging but rewarding route promises very varied walking, with each season bringing its charms, be it vivid broom in spring, colourful expanses of heather in high summer or ripening chestnuts in autumn. Available 10 May-30 September 2008. > Full itinerary & prices > Brochure page Corbières, the Castles of the Cathars Grade 2-3 • 7 nights • rich history • visit the area's three best châteaux The Corbières is one of the last truly ‘secret’ regions of France, one little-known to the French themselves, despite it being the focal point of a very turbulent era of the country’s history. But the region’s tranquillity is only part of the allure – this is also superb walking country, where you can enjoy challenging, rewarding walks and at the same time learn about the mysterious Cathar sect so as to gain a real insight into this intriguing region. Our varied route affords inspirational views towards the ever-present Pyrenees, and gives you the opportunity to visit three of the most astonishing châteaux. Available 1 April-13 July & 1 September-17 October 2008. > Full itinerary & prices > Brochure page > Walking holidays in Provence > Walking holidays in the Loire, Brittany & Catalonia > Walking holidays in the Pyrenees, Alps & Massif Central > In the Mediterranean - Corsica < To the top of this page < Back to Walking Index