We are scheduled to take this tour in April. We are wondering if the amount of walking and especially climbing in this tour is roughly the same as or more than the Best of Eastern France tour we took last time. The tour description says "2 to 8 miles of walking/climbing" on most days. We are wondering if that distance is dependent on personal choice or tour plan requirements and if this distance is broken up during the day. We are 70 and in better than average shape but do have some of the usual aches/pains that go with the age. Does anyone have any insights on this?
Posted by
SE Pennsylvania
2392 posts
I haven't done the Heart of France, but the activity bar for that is much higher than the Eastern France tour I have taken.
I don't recall any tours having huge "all at one time" walks.
You might recall that you are not required to join everything on the tour if it feels too much that day, as long as you inform the guide.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8398 posts
I took this tour several years ago. I have taken 3 other RS tours as well. I did not think it was more strenuous than the others. In addition, easy to sit out certain sections if necessary. You don’t need to climb up to the Abbey at Mt St Michael. You can enjoy the lower ramparts.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
13966 posts
I did this tour in 2015 but have not done the Eastern France tour.
To me the toughest location was Mont-Saint-Michel. It was raining when I went and I felt like the steps up to the Abbey were slick and worn and not as many railings as I would have liked. It was particularly wet the next morning when we all went to the early service - it was dark (I went in October) and continued to rain and the stairs were unlit.
The 2-8 miles would be broken up during the day and some would be dependent on your choices. I think the biggest walking days were in Paris. If you are in better than average shape this tour will be no problem. In comparing it to other tours, I'd say the Best of Italy is more strenuous (did not look to see what the website says for each tour) because there are way more stairs!
I hope you are going to arrive a day or 2 ahead of time? It sounds like you are an experienced tour member so probably have allowed for this.
This is an excellent tour!
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Thank you all for your replies! Very helpful and much appreciated.
Posted by
New Orleans
93 posts
Where does the tour go? Vosges mountains is in the East of France and is great for hiking. Around Paris there are some hills but nothing to worry about :)
Posted by
The Heartland USA
8458 posts
There's no hiking on this tour, just city walking. Just getting around adds up - walk to the metro from the hotel could be half a mile, then half a mile back. Metro to the Louvre and back, another mile. It all adds up.
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Thanks again everyone.
Posted by
11 posts
Hello Tony,
I did this tour in August/September of 2022. Had a wonderful time. Guide was Rebecca Berry, who is an American living in France for years and years. She speaks French very well and really knows many people there and how to get things done. I also speak French fairly well, so Rebecca and I got along very well. The distance is decided by tour plan requirements, with some optional personal choice. I am 70 and in pretty good physical shape. I walk a lot and made a point to walk uphill, downhill and up steps for months prior to the trip. Thank goodness I did. Pretty much everyone counted steps on our phones and sometimes we compared. 10,000 to 12,000 was normal daily. As expected, Mount St. Michel was the most demanding. There is an optional early morning song service to which several of us went. I chose not to. My "tour buddy" had gone. Then, after breakfast we were scheduled to hike to the top again for a tour of the place. My tour buddy wisely decided not to go for a second time in the same morning. It really was a haul. Pretty much the same at Chambord. You can decide how much or how little to walk vertically there. The distance is usually broken up during the day, but less so on the Mount. I do recommend Chenonceau; loved that place and Monet's home in Giverny. So much walking, which was manageable, that when I returned home and weighed myself after the trip, I had actually lost weight! Hope this helps and should you have further questions, just post again. All the best to you both.
Posted by
Los Angeles, CA
515 posts
Where does the tour go? Vosges mountains is in the East of France and is great for hiking.
Yes the run down the length of Alsace parallel to the Rhine river, and the main cities (Strasbourg, Obernai, Colmar, Mulhouse) lie between the river the mountains. The nice castle of Konigsberg is in the midst of those mountains. But clearly this not in the "heart of France" ... since its walking distance to Germany, and was part of Germany until WWI.
Around Paris there are some hills but nothing to worry about :)
Unless you go to Montmartre and Sacre Coeur. However, there is a funicular train of a few euros.