Walking holidays are on the rise, and it’s easy to see why. Strolling in the countryside or along the coastline, through forests or along a river, taking a walk when on holiday is one of the best ways to experience the sights, smells and sounds around you.
But building a whole holiday around walking? There’s the clever thing. Whether a walking holiday is trekking through the mountains, or a simple meander through the country, the benefits to your health and wellbeing are numerous.
Walking is one of the best forms of exercise. It’s a low-impact activity, and it improves bone density, muscle tone, and also works out the heart to keep it fit and strong. So without having to sweat it out for hours on the treadmill, you can achieve the same effects to your body, and you get to enjoy the scenery at the same time.
Not only that, but walking (and all forms of exercise) releases natural endorphins in the brain, which helps to make you feel great, but it also helps to relieve the effects of any aches or pains and also lessens the effect of tiredness.
Everyone tends to overindulge slightly on holiday, enjoying rich food and perhaps a tipple or two, but a walking holiday will be able to lessen the effects of any extra calories you take on board. Walking an average of 10 miles a day could mean burning around 7000 calories in a week, plenty of leeway to enjoy a French patisserie!
If you fancy something a bit more strenuous, then walking with poles (typically over rougher terrain) can help to burn even more calories. Sometimes called Nordic walking, the poles not only help to steady and assist through rough terrain, but they also help increase oxygen levels, as well as training the muscles of the upper body – an added bonus!
So not only will a walking holiday be good for the soul, but also for the heart and the rest of the body too.
If this sounds like your ideal holiday, then we’ve got plenty more where that came from! We have crafted the best walking holidays across France, all with comfort and luxury in mind (with a bit of walking thrown in too), experiencing the most wonderful scenery that France has to offer.
If you’d like to get in touch with our team, we can put your perfect holiday together for you. Good luck with the exercise!
Then once you’ve come back, we’d love to see your pictures, post them on our Facebook page, send us a Tweet or tag us on Instagram and share your favourite walking spots!
3 Related Holidays
Volcanoes of the Auvergne
Wooded hills and lunar lakes
The dramatic landscape of the Auvergne is full of contrasts: barren yet lush, rolling yet rocky. You’ll be walking on a whole range of surfaces, from narrow woodland tracks to country lanes.
Valleys of the Rugged South
Dramatic landscapes and remote beauty
Recommended in the Telegraph's Top 10 Activity Holidays in France for 2015, this is a moderate walk through stunning and dramatic scenery: steep tree covered slopes, cascading streams and remote, granite strewn plains. Experience...
Green Valleys of Franche Comté
Valleys of the Doubs and the Jura and their rich cultural heritage
The little known region of Franche Comté is a beautiful rural area of eastern France and has a lot to offer in terms of natural environment, historic heritage, museums and sites. This holiday gives a choice of various walks and hikes to suit all...
