After choosing the Tour de la Suisse Normande GR in 2023, the French voted for their favorite long-distance hiking trail (GR, editor's note) this year, choosing their favorite from the eight candidates in the running. This is the 7th edition of the competition organized by the French Hiking Federation (FFR), to promote the most beautiful French long-distance hiking trails to the general public.
The GR 37 Cœur de la Bretagne (Heart of Britt any) topped the poll, with over 23% of routes, followed by the GR 4 in Charente-Maritime (16.77%) and the GR 367 Sentier Cathare (Cathar Trail) in Aude (16.75%). This year, the theme was "secret GRs", highlighting a specific portion of long-distance routes: on the GR 37, the FFR selected 82 kilometers of the route in the Ille-et-Vilaine département, between Mont-Saint-Michel and Fougères, for a picturesque hike in the heart of Brittany.
In fact, it's only a small part of this immense 780-kilometer itinerary, which passes through many of Brittany's points of interest. You start the GR 37 from Mont-Saint-Michel, crossing the famous Forêt de Brocéliande and four départements on the way -Ille-et-Vilaine, Morbihan, Côtes-d'Armor and Finistère. It's a unique way to explore Brittany, and can be divided into several sections for a weekend or a week!
