How to join a hiking club in france

THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HIKERS AND THOUSANDS OF GROUPS AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT PROPOSE REGULAR EXCURSIONS If you see a group of people hiking together, it is highly likely that

they are part of a club affiliated with the Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre, known simply as FFRandonnée. Here is how to join in. Formed in 1947, FFRandonnée has around 243,000

members divided between 3,500 local clubs, which are organised in a departmental and regional committee hierarchy that feeds into a national governing body.  WHAT DO THE SIGNS ON FRENCH

HIKING PATHS MEAN? FFRandonnée is responsible for marking the 65,000km of long-distance Grande Randonnée (GR) footpaths and the 115,000km of Promenade et Randonnée (PR) footpaths which form

local loop walks. After a court battle, the federation won the copyright to use the red-and-white paint stripe footpath markings, meaning footpaths marked by local authorities and tourist

promotion groups have to use different colours or signs.  HOW TO JOIN A HIKING CLUB IN FRANCE You do not have to be a resident of France to join a hiking club, however you do need a medical

certificate. This is known as a Certificat médical d’Absence de Contre-Indications à la pratique (CACI). It is not required for under-18s. If you get it from your médecin traitant, the cost

is covered by the state for up to 70%, with most mutual insurance schemes paying the remainder. However, if you go to another doctor, you must pay the price of the consultation yourself,

which is €26.50 in 2024. A medical certificate is not needed for renewals, however members must fill in a health questionnaire. Once you have a CACI, it is simply a case of finding a club

and signing up. You can find a local club on the FFRandonnée website here. Most clubs are also listed with the mairie and many have their own websites and Facebook pages. Read more: I moved

to France and became a mountain guide Membership costs vary, ranging from €24 to over €50 a year depending on what is included, such as insurance or transport costs. Members are also advised

to take out individual insurance for outdoor activities.