From the Vosges to the Pyrenees
with a donkey

A preserved natural environment

The section crossing the eastern part of the National Forests Park offers, over about thirty kilometers from Pierrefontaines to Tarsul, an immersion in a pristine natural environment. Along the way, hikers discover authentic historical and rural heritage, including traditional farms, washhouses, Romanesque churches, and abbeys. The villages of Auberive and Grancey-le-Chateau provide an ideal setting for a cultural break, and the Chalmessin Nature Reserve invites contemplation, discovery, and reconnection with nature.

In the Massif Central, the route covers around 800 km, linking Mâcon to La Bastide-Puylaurent, then continuing to Castelnaudary. The trail crosses several emblematic natural parks: the Pilat Regional Natural Park, the Monts d’Ardèche Regional Natural Park, the Cévennes National Park, and the Haut-Languedoc Regional Natural Park.

A contemporary artistic journey
While crossing the Monts d’Ardèche Regional Natural Park, the GR®7 runs along the Ardèche mountain and offers the chance to discover the sources of the Loire River at the foot of a famous volcano: Mont Gerbier de Jonc. This section features a contemporary in-situ artistic route highlighting the watershed line with 8 major works created by international artists, standing on these vast and magnificent ridges.

Between vineyards, the Monts du Lyonnais, the Loire sources, Mont Aigoual, and the Navacelles cirque, each stage invites discovery.

Over 1,500 kilometers of trails
Hiking with a donkey on the GR®7 is an epic adventure, a journey across France from north to south, from the Vosges to the Pyrenees. Imagine: more than 1,500 kilometers of trails, ever-changing landscapes, and unforgettable encounters.