Frenchy, -I was just Reading one of your latest Posts, and the Thought came to me, -To Ask of what Outdoor Locales in France, that you've ever Been To, / andor Would Well Recommend. And so I Ask That!

Things Coming Immeadiately to Mind right now!, Include the Pyreenes, Mt. Blanc and the Entire French Alps, Corsica, and the Massif Central.

Could you Please Further Inform I / Us, About Them?

Being French, You also may Well Know More about our own Nearby Quebec, than the Average U.S. American Bear.

And Also if you've ever Been to your Nearby Swiss or Austrian Alps, -I would Find that Information to be Interesting and Enlightening as Well!

Even if you have Not Personally Been to some of these Places as I mention, -I'm Sure that you may Nevertheless have some Good Words or Opinions about Them.

If so, Please Do so at your Leisure, if you'd Wish. You may be Busy, and sometimes Questions of this sort require some Time to Think. Do Not Feel that there is Any sort of a Rush!

But if you can at some point Better "Fill me In" on some Great French Outdoors Locales, -I would Appreciate It.

BTW, -This Request also Applies to any Other French, or Non French Ones Out There!, -with such Experience or Knowledge. [color:"black"] [/color] [email]ScottRezaLogan[/email]

Hello !

I have no great experience in outdoor life. And I'm not a great traveller.

Most of my walking consists of one-day hikes, except some one week rambles (with comfortable lodging every night .... <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> )

As for Canada, I never set a foot in that country, except for a short visit to both sides of Niagara Falls, during my first stay in USA.
(when I was 18, I saw a advertizing by Air Canada, featuring a two weeks long horseback travel in the Laurentides, during indian summer .... I never learned to ride, but I still dream of it ...)


About France :
when a bit younger, I liked to wander in the nearest "mountains" (no money to go further at that time...), the Massif Vosgien ("les Vosges"), in east of France, near German border, in Alsace - Lorraine area.
Small mountains, indeed. Max height is about 1250m ("Ballon d'Alsace", in the southern part. Enough to ski in winter ...
Heavily forested, mostly firtrees (wood industry) but many areas still have their "original" (?) broad-leaved trees.
With well marked hiking pathes, it's difficult to get lost ... and you are never far away for civilization (or from its remains : you find coca-cola and beer cans everywhere ... <img src="images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> )
Caution : you must be in good physical shape, especially if you plan to stop at each farm/inn ("ferme auberge") and taste the local gastronomy......... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Don't forget some digestive pills if your stomac is a bit lazy ... pork meat products and local cheese are famous ...

Back to our feet ....
Another area I have walked about is in the middle of France, the Massif Central.
Same kind of mountains (very old extinct - let's hope ! - volcanos). I spend a great week there, a few years ago. Same caution about gastronomy : if you are not trained .... go easy on their delicious cheese ! St Nectaire, Murol, Ambert, Laguiole, Rocamadour, Salers : all these little towns are famous for their local cheeses.
I would say it's a bit less populated than the Vosges, but just a bit. And you can find higher summits (in Massif du Sancy , 3 summits are over 1800 m) and more steep rock faces.

Corsica : never been "inside" the island, where you have "good" mountains ; I would say more "wild" landscape, including inhabitants. Corsican people are supposed to be rough people (not including the ones that "express" themselves with bombs ... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> ) . Caution here too : some corsican cheeses are .... interesting ... <img src="images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Pyrennées : unkown territory, as far as I am concerned

Alpes : I can't say I know those mountains. These are "real" mountains !
Included in the lower Alps, is an area called the Vercors (famous for a battle between german troops and french partisans in WW II). Mostly high level plateaux, you find also hills, cliffs and caves. Much less inhabited ; here you can really get lost ! At least, you can walk a few days without encountering anyone.

Right north of the Alps is an area called Jura : true mountains, not as high..., bordering Switzerland. also spend a week, wandering on both sides of the border.
The coldest spot in France is the village of "Mouthe" (just say "moott"), in Jura mountains.

A bit lower is the Franche Comté province. I love it ... and I love Comté , which is one of the local cheese <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />, my favorite ...
In Franche Comté and Jura, there are many underground caves and resurgences, like the Loue and the Lizon rivers, immortalized by the french painter Gustave Courbet .
Very nice valley to visit.

I guess I will stop there... but there are many other nice countryside places to visit in France.
If you want to cros France from north-east to south-east, you can walk along the GR 5 (GR stands for "sentier de Grande Randonnée" = long distance hiking trail).
This web site presents some of the GR crossing France

Hope I give you some ideas....

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Reviewing this post, I am amazed by its lenght ! It must be the longest one I have written up to now ....
I fear it must be full of errors ... and I present my apologies in advance ....
As for its length, I guess I must have been contaminated by ScottRezaLogan-mania ..... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
(sorry, I could not resist <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> .... no offense, Scott .... but you admited it yourself : your posts ARE long ...)