Valbonnais
By Enora & Candie
Rhone-Alpes, France 
Visual and editorial content creators, hiking guides and authors, Enora and Candie are the founders of Les Géonautrices. Passionate about hiking, they share their advice and experiences on their blog, YouTube channel and Instagram, encouraging women to embark on the adventures of their dreams.
Route
Departing from the village of Valbonnais, 1 hour from Grenoble and at the foot of the Écrins massif, this widely accessible route offers the chance to discover the Valbonnais lake, the undergrowth of Entraigues and then the lovely path running along the Valbonnais canal for several kilometers before reaching the picturesque hamlet of Péchal. You can take advantage of the calm setting to reconnect with yourself.
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The Look
We loved that the shoes are light and flexible.
Moab Speed 2
These are soles you can trust!
Moab Speed 2
Field Notes:
This hike is one of the very first trails accessible after winter. Some good friends brought us here a while back and we found the path along the Valbonnais Canal to be picturesque and not full of tourists. In the summer, don't forget your swimsuit so you can take a refreshing swim in the Valbonnais lake at the end of the hike.
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Good To Know
This area, even though close to the Ecrins National Park, is still not discvoered by too many tourists. Quieter than some of its neighboring valleys, this one is full of charm.
"You're capable of more than you think, and the hardest part is taking the first step."
When To Visit
Spring, summer and autumn.
Q&A:
How did you meet and get into running your platform?
We met in the mountains when Candie was working in a ski resort a few years back. Enora wanted to create a blog but wasn’t sure about the subject, so Candie talked her into doing a travel blog at first. After a few years of traveling and blogging, we came back home to France and focused our energy on hiking.
Why do you love hiking?
It’s a way to recharge, find some quiet time into nature and yet be physically active. The plus side are all the amazing places we get to discover in the mountains.
What words of encouragement do you have for someone looking to try hiking?
You're capable of more than you think, and the hardest part is taking the first step.
3 favourite places to hike in France:
The Ecrin National Park area, The southern Pre-Alps, The Belledonne mountain range
What has been your favourite project you have worked on so far?
Our digital summit “the itinerant hiking week” has been a great project to work on. It made us so happy to see people were responding very positively to all the conferences and speakers. They told us they learned a lot and were confident they could actually go on their own hiking adventures.
HIKING TIPS
- Be safe and plan your route ahead
- Be weather wise, check the forecast
- Take the correct clothing and provisions
- Check if dogs/ camping/ BBQs etc are allowed
- Take your litter with you
- Leave gates as you find them
- Have fun!
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