Ditch the tourist trail, hit the hiking trail and experience the REAL France! Ever felt the urge to shoulder a backpack and explore fairytale villages? Do your travel daydreams involve eating picnic lunches beside lavender fields? And feasting on freshly prepared classic French dinners? Have you dreamed of hiking in France among vineyards and stone villages, enjoying the leisurely pace of rural life at the languid pace of foot travel? You’ve come to the right place. Anyone can walk France’s long-distance hiking trails. Hiking takes all types. Hiking France covers the intricacies of walking from village to village, along lavender fields, farm pastures, riverside towpaths and mellow forest trails. Anyone in decent shape can hike France’s best trails. You don’t need to know French. Some French phrases help, but with modern translation apps and an adventurous spirit, English speakers get on fine in rural France. You don’t need a trust fund. Hiking rural France is one of Western Europe’s great bargains, and the most-affordable way to explore the French countryside. You needn’t have planned an overseas hiking trip before. Hiking France will arm you with all the tools, resources and inspiration to set you on the path of planning your dream hiking trip in France. In Hiking France, you’ll learn: How to find villages linked by well-signed footpaths. Where to buy and how to decipher French maps and hiking guides. Which websites, books and apps to use. How to book lodging and transportation. What to pack and wear. Eating tips and tricks for dining like a local (and a hiker!). After reading Hiking France, you’ll have the knowledge and wherewithal to go out and plan your self-sustained hiking trip to France. You won’t need expensive tour companies or private guides. Just this book, maps or GPS, and a sense of adventure. There’s never been a better time to ditch Europe’s tourist crowds and strike out on a village hiking vacation in France, Europe’s ultimate hiking playground.