Tour Guide Wanted Areas with Chair/gondola lifts and ridge walks in May (France?)

[ianto999]

Hello
Planning first van trip in 2026 in May for a month.
Keen to do some high(ish) level walks if possible for scenery and fitness purposes.
High resorts (ski etc) still likely to have snow?
Jura/Puy de Dome lifts not open (according to GPT…)
Anyone found anywhere in Europe in May with this type of walking please?

 

[Lenny HB]

Loads of nice ridge walks in the Massif Central and not too difficult to get up there.

Puy de Dome is the one place I would avoid in that area.

 

[jumar]

Many years ago I did a complete traverse of the Vercor range starting in Grenoble, I've returned since on a couple of occasions to do longish day walks..could be snow free in May..

 

[Mister Rob]

If you're going for a month you can do both the Pyrenees and the Alps. Both of which is recommend. The Alps are easier to access with more infrastructure, roads, chair lifts, cafes etc. The Pyrenees is more natural and wild and less touristy. You just have to spend more time with a map to work out where the car parks are so you can get up high to start your walks.

The Pyrenees are my favourite. The environment there took my breath away.

 

[jumar]

If you're going for a month you can do both the Pyrenees and the Alps. Both of which is recommend. The Alps are easier to access with more infrastructure, roads, chair lifts, cafes etc. The Pyrenees is more natural and wild and less touristy. You just have to spend more time with a map to work out where the car parks are so you can get up high to start your walks.

The Pyrenees are my favourite. The environment there took my breath away.

The advantage of choosing the Pyrenees is if it's bad weather on the French side, it's going to be different on the Spanish.

Although many chair lifts are off, out of the skiing season there are some fully operational ones that provide an uplift for mountain bikers and in the big all season resorts, access to the hill for tourists..

 

[ianto999]

Loads of nice ridge walks in the Massif Central and not too difficult to get up there.

Puy de Dome is the one place I would avoid in that area.

Thanks - why not Puy de Dome?

 

[Lenny HB]

Thanks - why not Puy de Dome?

Too commercialised with the train now.

 

[manners]

Chamonix ski lifts were open when we last went in early June it was in 2007 though, I'm to tight to use them so we walked up and did the petit and Grand Balcons there was a bit of snow but it wasn't a problem. As Lenny said Puy le Dome can be very busy it was a constant stream of people walking up and down, there's some good walks around Mont-Dore but I can't remember if the lifts were open.

The Grand Balcons in Chamonix

Two high altitude walks are amongst the most popular in the valley

www.seechamonix.com

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[CV20Bobby]

We had a ski holiday at Guzet Niege , near Ustou in the Pyrenees , fantastic little known resort , however the carpark is pretty high up the mountain and in summer there is an Aire at the top carpark , not sure if the lifts run off season but the walks from there would be lovely being so high up already .

 

[Garfields]

Check where you plan to go.
A lot of lifts close at the end of the ski season and don't reopen till some point in June