Top 25 and Serie Bleue

The French equivalent of Ordnance Survey Maps

 IGN Top 25 maps cover areas of particular tourist interest, mainly around the coast, and have a map number ending in T. The maps have an overprint highlighting local footpaths, long-distance GR routes and, where appropriate, ski routes. Other tourist information includes campsites, equestrian or canoeing centres, huts, mountain refuges, etc. Map legend is in French and English. Each TOP 25 map covers an area of approximately 28 x 21 km (17 x 13 miles).

The rest of France is covered by Serie Bleue maps, which have no overprint and map numbers ending in O or E. The legend is in French only but is fairly self-explanatory. Each Serie Bleue map covers an area of approximately 20 x 14 km (12 x 9 miles), with some maps slightly larger.

Both series have similar cartography, with contour interval of 5 metres, except for mountainous areas, where the maps have hill shading and contours at 10-metre intervals. Scale 1:25000

Generally, Top 25 Maps are £8.99 and Serie Bleue £7.99 but prices do vary and offers apply from time to time.

Hautes Pyrenees/Pyrenees Atlantique (Michelin Local Maps) - Detailing the Hautes Pyrenees / Pyrenees Atlantique region of France, this laminated fold-out map includes a complete index of place names and covers all regional specialities, heritage and traditions. It offers clear and concise mapping for stress-free travelling. Published March 08

Gers/Lot-et-Garonne (Michelin Local Maps) Published March 08

Gironde/Landes (Michelin Local Maps) Published March 08

Correze/Dordogne (Michelin Local Maps) Published March 08

Topo Guides with Day Walks - The extensive list of topo-guides to the long-distance footpaths in France published by the Federation Francaise de la Randonnee Pedestre has now been expanded to include guides to local walks, the PRs (Promenades et Randonnees). Each guide offers a selection of walks of various length and difficulty, overprinted on extracts from the 1:25,000 or 1:50,000 topographic survey. The text is in English or French. Some titles will have limited availability - in case of difficulty please email.

The Department of Dordogne on Foot - 40 walks, from one to five hours long, throughout the department of Dordogne. Several walks in the southern part of the department, near Sarlat, Les Eyzies and Bergerac. New edition June 08

The Valleys of the Lot and Garonne on Foot - 26 day walks, from three to eight hours long, in the valleys of the Lot downstream from Fumel and the Garonne around Marmande.

The High Garonne on Foot - 40 walks, from one to six hours long, in the Department of the High-Garonne.

The Pays du Haut-Agenais and Perigord on Foot - 18 day walks, from three to over eight hours long, in the area north of Villeneuve-sur-Lot and Fumel. Some of the routes can be done on horseback or on a mountain bike.

Landes on Foot

GR65 - The Way of St.James: Figeac to Moissac - The second of the three guides covering the French section of the Way of St.James from Le Puy, covering a 157-km route from Figeac to Moisac. The guide also includes a 205-km walk along the GR652 from Goudon to La Romieu.

IGN Tourism, Outdoor Activities and Regional Discovery Maps - An extensive series of maps published by the IGN in cooperation with local authorities, ramblers' associations, cycling clubs, etc. The maps are designed to provide information on places of interest, recreational facilities, various types of accommodation, local and long-distance footpaths, bridleways, cycling and mountain bike routes, etc. Various scales.

Dordogne - A tourist map of the administrative department of Dordogne, with an extensive overprint highlighting places of interest, recreational facilities and various types of accommodation in the area. The map also shows long-distance footpaths, bridleways and two sightseeing routes. Map legend includes English. 1;125,000

Pays de haute Saintonge - Tourist road map with hill shading to depict the relief. Roads and railways are clear, and other detail includes vineyards, woods & administrative boundaries. An overprint highlighting numerous hiking paths, sightseeing roads and cycling routes. Map legend and background notes are include English. 1:75,000

The Way of St. James: France, Alison Raju - This is a walker's guide to the 740km Pilgrim Road from Le Puy-en-Velay in central France to the Pyrenees. It is the only original guide to this route in English. A companion volume by the same author, "The Way of St James" (Pyrenees-Santiago-Finisterre), continues the route through Spain from the Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostella (or Finisterre). As well as giving directions for walking the route the book also provides information on places to visit along the way, the history of the pilgrimage and the availability of practical facilities such as shops, bars, restaurants and accommodation. This guide contains an outline of the route along the Cele valley (53km) as one appendix and, unlike existing guides (in any language), a comprehensive listing of St. James and other pilgrim references along the way as another. There is a list of suggestions for further reading and a glossary of geographical and other useful terms. It also contains a series of sketch maps covering the entire route to aid the user in planning his or her journey. Published Nov 03 New Edition March 10

Through the French Pyrenees, The GR10 Trail, Paul Lucia - The 900km of footpath, lane and trackway which link the Atlantic coast with the Mediterranean have created one of the finest long-distance routes in France. GR10, the so-called Sentier des Pyrenees, is a walk of epic proportions, routed as it is along the north flank of a majical range of mountains. Unlike it's counterpart the GR11 on the Spanish side, the GR10 actively seeks out a number of villages lying snugly at the foot of the mountains. Published Nov 04

Bordeaux and its Area, James Seely - A regional guide to France, covering Bordeaux and the area around it. It provides all the information one would need to know during a holiday there, be it for a weekend or for a lengthier stay. Restaurants, local produce and where to buy it for self-catering, the local wines, good hotels at varying prices, the sights to see and the chateaux to visit, the evening strolls and the daytime hikes in the hills, the best beaches, the right cafes and bars and the night clubs, are all covered. Published June 00. Limited availability.

The Dordogne and Perigord, Cassell Guide - A holiday guide devoted to the Dordogne and Perigord divided into two parts. the first part explores the region via typical themes with specialist maps pinpointing the best place to pursue an interest including the best chateaux, the best views and the best walks. The second is the visiting section, subdividing the region into smaller areas, recommending towns, villages, areas of natural beauty and monuments and attractions. The guide caters for all ages and is full of information for things to do and see for people who enjoy active and varied holidays. Published April 01. Limited availability.

The titles below are are sample of books on walking in the Pyrenees. For a full selection see Pyrenees Books

Rough Guide to the Pyrenees - The Rough Guide to the Pyrenees is the only guidebook available to the entire region, covering both the French and Spanish sides of this spectacular region, from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. A full-colour section introduces the author's pick of the attractions, from relaxing in the picturesque spa towns to watching the Tour de France wind up the mountains. There are detailed listings of the best places to eat, drink and stay, from boutique hotels in Biarritz to the most remote mountain refuges. For the outdoor enthusiast there are exhaustive accounts of the walking and climbing routes available and information on the host of other activities available, including skiing, paragliding, rafting, cycling and horse riding. There is also expansive coverage of all the cultural highlights including the prehistoric cave art at Ariege and an accessible history of the region from prehistory to the current day. Published Aug 07

Trekking in the Pyrenees, Douglas Streatfield-James -  Contains all the main trails along the France-Spain border from the famous GR10 coast to coast hike and most scenic sections of the GR11, to many shorter routes. 80 route maps include walking times and places to stay. Published Feb 05

Walks and Climbs in the Pyrenees, Kev Reynolds - This guide provides an introduction to the Pyrenees. It offers suggestions for 170 walks, multi-day tours and moderate ascents of some of the principal summits of the Central or High Pyrenees, and includes the Pyrenean High Route - one of the most challenging mountain treks of all. Published Feb 08

Backpacks, Boots and Baguettes, A Walk in the Pyrenees, Simon Calder & Mick Webb - The Pyrenees stretches 900 kilometres, from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean coasts, and provides some of the most breathtakingly beautiful landscape to be found in Europe. This rocky ridge rides the cusp between three cultures: French, Spanish and Basque - each having its own rich and passionately defended identity - and every year tens of thousands of visitors sample its unique delights. TV presenter Simon Calder is an enthusiastic fan of this spectacular mountain range and, being a keen walker, delights in the well-plotted hiking routes that traverse the region. Along with friend and colleague, BBC radio producer Mick Webb, he steps out to conquer the roof of the Pyrenees. They follow the time-honoured tradition of walking the G10, the preferred route of the fiercely independent -and, at times eccentric - French Ramblers' Federation. Testing a hiker's emotional resilience as keenly as his walking boots, the G10 is not for the faint-hearted. Weaving an occasionally treacherous, always exhilarating trajectory through a landscape of strong traditions and strange animals, Calder and Webb narrate an eventful and humorous travelogue that will delight keen hikers and armchair travellers alike. Published Dec 04

The Pyrenees: The High Pyrenees from the Cirque De Lescun to the Carlit Massif, Kev Reynolds - An extensive introduction gives all the practical advice and information needed for planning a trip. It offers a background to the mountains and their exploration, and provides a snapshot of the range with sections that help the reader focus on specific areas of activity, and suggests where best to exercise that activity. It also lists all the Pyrenean 3000m summits and their location. Published June 04

Pyrenean Haute Route: A High-level Trail, Ton Joosten - The Pyrenean High Level Route takes the highest possible route through the centre of the Pyrenees, crossing the French/Spanish border many times. It is probably the most beautiful, spectacular and challenging walk in the Pyrenees, and this new guide from Ton Joosten breaks the unwaymarked 800km route into 42 stages in five groups. Published April 09