A charming walk off the beaten track in the Massif Central in France. Facing the Alps across the broad valley of the Rhone lies a walker’s paradise of hills where the Ardeche, Loire and Haute Loire regions meet. This is a watershed for some of France’s great rivers, a land of steeply terraced slopes, half-hidden valleys and tumbling streams, largely absent from the guidebooks. Massive ruined farmhouses seem to have grown from the landscape and the bleat of goats and call of a wild bird are often the only sounds you will hear.
From the first walk at Le Crestet take an ancient drove road, partly through orchards, to the market town of Lamastre, set amongst hills covered with ancient chestnut trees of enormous girth. Turn north now and climb to the old spa-town of Lalouvesc, perched at 1100m above the Rhone valley, with views East as far as the snow-covered Alps on a clear day. Skirting the Haut-Vivarais, looking down on tiny red-roofed hamlets clinging to steep grassy slopes, continue to the hill-village of St. Bonnet le Froid; then south through fields yellow with wild daffodils in late spring and orchids in early summer, skirting the Lac de Devesset (good for a possible dip on a warm day) to St Agreve. Set against the backdrop of Mt. Mezenc & Mt. Gerbier de Jonc, the source of the mighty Loire River, this small market town is a centre for cross-country skiing in winter. Its narrow main street is crammed with old-fashioned shops, selling Le Puy lentils and Rhone wine from the barrel. This 8-day circular walk then goes south past the mighty, ruined Chateau de Rochebonne overlooking the River Eyrieux. Continue to the narrow valley town of St. Martin de Valamas and then back to St. Agreve. On the way back to Lamastre, the circuit goes west along an ancient mule-road, the “Voie des Marchands”, with breathtaking views of the meticulously terraced slopes of the Haut Vivarais to the north.
Walking tours
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Lyon, Lamastre, Lalouvesc, St Bo
Lyon, Lamastre, Lalouvesc, St Bonnet Le Froid, St Agreve
Cross the rolling hills of the Tarn et Garonne region between the historic towns of Cahors and Lectoure. Traverse the centuries of time and the borders of Europe on the medieval pilgrim trail. In the 9th century, the tomb of the apostle St James was unearthed in Compostela. The site became the focus of a pilgrim trail beginning in France, and crossing northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela. This journey, along the Via Podensis, the French Way of St James, takes pilgrims from Le Puy en Velay to the Pyrenees at St Jean Pied de Port. The route passes a multitude of churches and monasteries, resembling a travelling museum of Romanesque art. Six stages of this historic trail are included in our self-guided walking program in France.
This part of the journey takes you across limestone plateaus cut by small valleys, then on to the plain of the Garonne. The trail is lined with ancient stone walls. After Moissac the landscape changes to rolling hills and lush valleys where fields of corn and sunflower are intermingled with plum orchards.
Walking tours
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Guest House
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Lectoure, The Way of St. James
Lectoure, The Way of St. James, Cahors, Lascabanes, Lauzerte, Moissac, Auvillar, Flamarens
We had a spectacular trip. We did a self-guided trip in Piemonte and Tuscany/Umbria. The hotels were much nicer than we expected. Very comfortable and the owners/proprietors were so helpful. The transfer of luggage each day was seamless!
The routes were generally well marked and the app was very good. We didn't need anything more than the app. Only got lost twice which I'd say is pretty good. The routes were a bit more challenging than we expected. We choose two hikes which were marked as 'Introductory - Moderate' which were tougher than we expected. So just pay attention to this. At home, we would consider ourselves quite capable of moderate+ trails, but the classification in Italy is a bit more demanding.
Glad we wore hiking pants as we went through a lot of grasses so never had a concern about tics. Also were very happy we had hiking sticks with us. Invaluable on many of the trails.
I would definitely recommend them to anyone considering a hiking trip. And absolutely no problem doing the self-guided version.
Thank you!!
Griffy and Marg
We walked the Camino Norte which was spectacular and challenging some days. Overall we were very satisfied with UTracks. Their accommodations were basically good, sometimes we were pleasantly surprised and sometimes they were less than we hoped. We would consider booking again with UTracks.
Walking tours
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
San Sebastian, Santiago De Compo
San Sebastian, Santiago De Compostela, Noja, Galizano, Santander, Santillana Del Mar, Comillas, San Vicente De La Barquera, Bustio, Picos De Europa NP, Ribadesella, Colunga, Getaria, Villaviciosa, Gijón, Aviles, Soto Del Barco, Soto De Luiña, Cadavedo, Luarca, Navia, Ribadeo, Deba, Mondonedo, Abadín, Vilalba, Reguela, Sobrado Dos Monxes, Arzúa, Rua, Markina-Xemein, Gernika, Lezama, Bilbao, Castro Urdiales, Liendo
We had a fabulous Camiño! They provided us with everything we needed. They answered all of our questions. The services that we received were spectacular!
Walking tours
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Santiago De Compostela, Tui, Arc
Santiago De Compostela, Tui, Arcade, Pontevedra, Caldas De Reis, Padrón
Well run, interesting stops, excellent cuisine, etc.
Food toursWalking tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Hut
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
The Way of St. James, Southern F
The Way of St. James, Southern France, Le Puy-en-Velay, Pau , Saugues, Laguiole, Conques, Figeac, Cahors, Moissac, Montréal-du-Gers, St Jean Pied De Port
Discover the legends of Morocco on the "Fable of Morocco" tour, a 9-day city sightseeing journey that begins and ends in Marrakech. With visits to Boumalne, Rabat, and other enchanting locations, this guided group trip is tailored for senior travelers seeking comfort and cultural immersion. Enjoy seamless logistics—accommodation, meals, and transport—so you can focus on the sights. The highlight is the rich variety of Moroccan cities and landscapes, offering a unique, easy-paced introduction to North Africa.
