Walking groups

[Gardengirl]

We walk a lot in the countryside in England/Scotland/French Alps. when we move to France we would like to join a walking group, as the whole area will be fairly new to us. Does anyone know if there are rambling clubs we could join?

Thanks, Jo

[Chrissie]

Gosh, yes, every area will have groups who do "randonnées".  They're fairly organised though - the ones round here though expect you to sign up (and pay) as a member for a year - it's then up to you how many walks you actually turn up to.  The routes are decided in advance by the organisers.  Your Mairie will have details of walking groups.

Chrissie (81)

[Patf]

It depends where you live, but most large villages/small towns have rambling clubs. Ask at the tourist centres for information, or the Mairie of the place where you live. The french seem just as keen on walking as the british, if not moreso. There are also long distance walks such as those of St. Jacques de Compostelle, and the Grandes Randonee routes which are preserved in good condition by the various communes through which they pass. There's a network of communal chemins which gives endless opportunities for walking. And maps of different scales to study and plan. We have the series bleue for our area. We used to walk a lot in uk too, the last area being the Scottish Highlands, and this is the main reason we chose to live in the Gers which is near the Pyrenees. Pat.

[Gardengirl]

Thanks a lot for your replies. I found your info very useful.

Jo

[Val_2]

I used to walk twice a week with a village group here which originally started out for just a couple of hours gentle strolling to suit all the different ages etc, but it began to get longer and longer and sometimes over 17kms on a wed afternoon which is a bit too much if your are not a serious rambler so I would advise that you join a group to your own speed and distance as there are some here who walk all day without stopping for long and its head down and go, no looking at the countryside etc. It is taken very seriously in France and is the most frequented pastime too.

[bixy]

I thought I would add our own recent experience in trying to join a walking group. As a previous poster has said you are expected to join and pay a membership fee [not cheap]. The group we approached is highly organised with a committee and a president [I suspect they are all like this because under French law there is no such thing as an informal club - they all have to have liability insurance, for example]. The group only walks once a month and most of the walks were far too long for us - 25+ kilometers. The 70 year old president boasted that he often walked 40 kms. We told him about our creeping arthritis. How on earth could we have arthritis, he wanted to know, since we had both been teachers!

 No, not for us, I'm afraid.

Patrick

[jxedwards]

Try a post under your region at the bottom of the Forum. Maybe there are some like minded people who could point you in the right direction.