Customer Reviews

France on Foot: Village to Village, Hotel to Hotel: How to Walk the French Trail System on Your Own

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book made it possible for me and my husband to walk inFrance on our own -- meaning not only did we avoid organized groups,we could walk wherever we wanted, on any of the thousands of trailsthat wind through France, at our own pace. Because LeFavour doesn'tattempt to give set walks for all his readers, but rather gives youthe information to set up your own walks, you're guaranteed not to beon over-run routes or to find yourself rushing to keep onschedule. Not only was the book a pleasure to read, and look at, itprepared us for all eventualities on the trail so we could enjoy thereal luxuries of the food, the wine and countryside. The best partabout walking in France is that you can really indulge -- you walk itoff and begin hungry and eager to go again each morning. A greatexperience.

(Update: what a shame it is out of print!)

I think the other reviewers have already covered most of the points. This book is written by a chef, and it is composed like a fine meal. The pace is wonderful: relaxing, but never boring-- the same way he advocates undertaking a long walk in France. Although a backpacker (I am one) would find this book useful, it is not intended for anyone who has ever spent a night without a roof, nor for anyone who intends to ever spend a night without a roof. What it will do is lead you to an experience that will leave you with a sense of accomplishment after enjoying a couple of weeks of beautiful scenery and fabulous food in the most relaxing and healthy manner possible. I am not exaggerating when I say that this is one of the best books I've ever read.

The other reviews have adequately described this wonderful book, so I will just tell you one or two things about putting it into practice. 1) Get in shape before you go. Prior to leaving, we did a lot of fast walking on flat ground without packs - this was NOT sufficient. Those packs get very heavy going up even a gentle hill. 2) Pack as light as you possibly can, then get rid of half of it. We ended up mailing home or throwing away city shoes, extra pants, makeup, etc.etc. Also, buy a smaller pack than you think you need. 3) Set realistic daily distance goals - the author is a bit too optimistic in our opinion. 4). Always carry water and at least a little food, like granola bars. Some places that look on the map like little towns perfect for lunch are just a group of houses and farm buildings. 5) Try to check "closed" days ahead of time. In France, it is generally not Saturday or Sunday, but some weekday. We walked into a tiny town dead-beat at the end of our first day (a Tuesday) to find it was closing day - not one restaurant, bistro, cafe, ANYTHING open, including the hotel's restaurant. However, all that being said, our walk through the Dordogne was THE single best vacation we've ever had (with the possible exception of Cuba). I love to browse through this book dreaming about our next one, maybe through Provence.

I was really excited to have found "France on Foot", since my husband and I wanted to explore the French countryside. We used it as a starting point to plan our week-long walk on the GR, and found Bruce's advice to be invaluable. His suggestions for what books and maps to buy, and, more importantly, how to plan a day-to-day itinerary were fantastic. Also, the recommended research that goes into organizing a walk really familiarizes you with the area that you're travelling and turns into part of the adventure. We're now planning on walking as much of France as we can, something that we probably wouldn't have attempted had we not stumbled across this book. This isn't a detailed regional travel guide, but rather a resource that will guide you through making your own personal travel plan.

After picking up a copy of LeFavour's book three months ago, Iam ready to embark on my first walking tour in France. LeFavourstarts with a logical first question: Why walk? After reading his answer, I ran home to call my girlfriend to suggest our walking trip through Provence. The book is organized well: it starts with a broad overview and the focus gradually narrows. This structure gives ample time for readers to form their own goals and itineraries before becoming burdened by details. When you are ready, you can read onward to find well-written answers to all a beginning traveler's questions. I found LeFavour's discussion on the three levels of maps especially helpful while navigating through bookstores and websites full of extraneous information. I thought his various budgets catered to both the wealthy and the scrimping. The index is cross-referenced nicely, the photographs are beautiful, and the walker-specific phrasebook is useful for beginning French students. Because LeFavour includes well-researched reading and contact lists, this book is a good place to start when planning your trip. The time and effort you will save following LeFavour's leads easily pays for the cost of the book...A great buy.

Having searched far and wide for a good book about walking tours of France, I expected to be very satisfied with this book. Unfortunately, it is a supreme disappointment. LeFavour fails to decide whether this book should be a travelouge or a walking guide; thus, we get a few italicized accounts of his travels and one cursory chapter summarizing the trails in the different regions. The rest of the book is mere filler: what maps to buy, what guides to search through, what clothes to wear. Lefavour fully acknowledges that he does not have a whole lot of experience on the France trails and so must replace true recommendations with meaningless discussions about the difference between pizzerias and bistros and complaining about Bed and Breakfasts. The practical information -- like what a gites d'etape is and that the Michelin Red Guide is a must for the tourist -- is helpful but can be found for free. Instead of wasting your money, spend a few hours on the internet and go buy the Red Guide and some good maps.

Bruce LeFavour has turned the practicalities of taking on a walking holiday into an adventure. The book is packed with common sense, down to earth ideas - all packaged with a great sense of humour. Being a francophile I have experienced some of the scenarios Bruce refers too e.g. eating in France is a time of communication, not a way of just adding calories, so don't get frustrated when waiting for a table in a cafe - have a drink and sip the atmosphere. This book makes the planning stage as much fun as the walk. A great read.

"Machez donc!"

There is no better way to discover the soul of a city than on foot. Whether the city is Helsinki or New Orleans, San Francisco or Paris, Chicago or Berlin, when you walk its streets and see its people face to face and sit next to them while you sip coffee or wine, you come to know the city. Although I have yet to try walking from hamlet to hamlet in France, I fully intend to. Bruce LeFacour and his photographer wife Faith Echtermeyer obviously have the same idea about knowing a land. I have read this book several times and would like nothing more than to spend next summer, in France, walking to all the lovely places.

I really enjoyed this book. It's filled with very useful information for travelers in France -- on foot or otherwise. It's beautifully produced, with some great photographs.

I'm making plans for my first long distance walk in France as a direct result of this book.

I have planned a walking trip to France 2 times in the previous 10 years and for reasons of sickness and health and family crisis have had to postpone. This book gave me the encouragement to try again even as a middle-aged woman. The author was entertaining, factual, and helpful. If you are unsure about taking on France's GR walks read this book and be convinced that anybody can do and will be glad they did.