· Our company is specialized in walking circuits in the Pyrenees, Corsica, Provence and Sardinia. We are used to welcoming English walkers and are currently operating with many major English and American tour operator. Our circuits are only available in French on our website so you can practise your French as much as you want!
Our website: http://www.tour-aventure.com
Otherwise, if you have any question, do not hesitate to write me at: anthony@tour-aventure.com. I will be glad to help you!
Anthony
· I can't recommend a French holiday walking company but I can make a few suggestions. My wife and I walked for six weeks across the French Alps from Nice to Lake Geneva along Grande Randonn¿e 5. We found that when we camped or stayed in hotels we ended up talking to ourselves or to other English-speaking walkers.
When we stayed in mountain huts (refuges) or their town/village equivalents (g¿tes d'étapes) by their very communal nature (refectory tables rather than individual tables for instance) conversation became much easier and more natural. And since everyone there shared a common purpose (walking) there was something to talk about. This extended into the day as well because we might share half a day's journey with dinner companions of the previous evening or meet them days later - as we did on several occasions.
This did wonders for our French and all those we met were keen to help us improve. We often learnt simply by asking the French word for, say, a dish mop, whilst sharing the washing up. You don't learn that kind of French in hotels.
The main linguistic challenge is using the telephone to book ahead but even that is simplified once you get into the system as often the guardiens prefer to do it for you. An invaluable book, which we only discovered a month in but which would have saved a lot of earlier heartache is G¿tes d'étape - Refuges - France et fronti¿res by Annick et Serge Mouraret and published by Guides La Cadole. This provides all the necessary details - phone numbers etc - area by area. Almost certainly you would be able to get this from Stanfords in London.
Bernard Jarvis, Nottingham
· Chamina Sylva is a small French company offering guided walking holidays in different regions of France and elsewhere with overnight stays in delightful, small hotels. Our guide last September prepared excellent picnic lunches, such as quiches, cous cous or ratatouille cooked by himself the previous evening and topped up with cheeses, patés and breads of the local area. Our evening meals were either in the hotel or in a nearby restaurant and visits to sights of historic or artistic interest were included in the price of the holiday. They can be contacted on Tel 04 66 69 00 44, Fax 04 66 69 06 09 email contact@chamina-sylva.com, or visit www.chamina-sylva.com.
One warning - we were in a private party of mainly Americans and our guide told us that French walkers took their walking far more seriously and were far more prone to complaining than we were!
Vicky and George Woodcraft, Herts
· We did two walking holidays in France with "Sylva", 3 Avenue Joffre, 48300 Langogne, France, tel: 66 69 00 44. These were in 1988 & 1990 but they were still sending brochures until a year or two ago. We also went with Headwater to the Cathar Castles operating with a local French company when there were four from UK and about eight French speakers. Highly recommended in each case. The first was in the Cevennes following the R.L.Stevenson route, the second was based in Meyrueis & consisted of walks radiating out from one centre in the high Causses.
In one Sylva walk our French was less tested than we might have expected as three of our fellow walkers were teachers of English happy to try out our language, but equally happy to correct our errors in theirs. Now in our mid-70s we have decided that a week's walking of up to 20 km per day is a thing of the very delightful past. We carried lunch distributed among the party, including the bottle of wine: lunch break of two hours - very civilised!
David & Celia Matthews
· Do what I did last summer: book with Waymark Holidays for Les Fourgs, in the Jura (or alternatively, Le Bonnet in the Massif Central). You'll be able to choose between two grades of walking groups, around two-thirds of whom are French, so you can choose to communicate either in French or English -- and both the food and the atmosphere are fantastic!
Ray Thorpe, Derby
· Last year, frustrated by foot and mouth restrictions on our walking in the UK, we booked on a guided 'randonnée' in the Pyrennees with a French company, La Balaguere. We were the only English people in the group; the days were organised excellently, with long picnic lunches, evening meals at peasant farms and plenty of challenging walking in between. We found them at www.balaguere.com; telephone +33 562 972021, or email balguere@wanadoo.fr
Sheila Russell, Cornwall
· There is a French multi-activity holiday company called 'ucpa' which offers all sorts of holidays in France and abroad for the 18-40 age group. I have been on holiday several times with the company to the South of France in order to practise my French - you will need to have a pretty reasonable standard. I have always found the people to be very friendly and welcoming.
They offer walking holidays all over France for all levels (from gentle treks through to hiking in the Alps) and you can find them at www.ucpa.com The average price of a holiday costs about £250 (exc. travel but including full board, normally) and accommodation is usually in gites/refuges.
I hope this will be of help.
Regards
Victoria Trott, Cardiff
