Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| randonnée | /ʁɑ̃.dɔ.ne/ | feminine |
| randonnée pédestre | feminine |
randonnée is a common term for hiking and can refer to the activity in general or to a single specific excursion or trip. To describe walking in the great outdoors, you can use marche en pleine nature, while balade en nature conveys the idea of taking a stroll or walking in nature. If you want to say "to go hiking", you can use the phrase faire une randonnée.
Which one should you use?
randonnée is the general term for a hike. randonnée pédestre is a more specific term used to specify that the hike is done on foot, which distinguishes it from activities like mountain biking or horse riding. Additionally, promenade en montagne can serve as a casual alternative to randonnée pédestre.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the French Alps, speakers may use the specific term randonnée en montagne to denote hiking specifically in the mountains.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing the activity of hiking using the verb faire, use the partitive article de la to say faire de la randonnée. To specifically mean setting out or departing on a hike, use the phrase partir en randonnée.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables: /ʁɑ̃.dɔ.ne/.
When do people say it?
When wishing someone a good time while they are hiking, you can say Bonne randonnée ! which means "Happy hiking!"
Did you know?
- In the context of a randonnée, French speakers may use the verb bourlinguer, which originally referred to the tossing of a ship at sea, to describe the hardships of a long trek.
- In France, the GR trails (sentiers de Grande Randonnée) are marked by a distinct red and white stripe system that tells hikers exactly where they are without needing a map.
- The word pédestre is a linguistic 'doublet' of the French word piètre, which means 'poor' or 'pitiful'.
Examples in context
- Ziri fait de la randonnée.Ziri is hiking.This sentence is useful for showing how to express the activity of hiking with randonnée.Tatoeba #10975910 by Amastan, translation #10210012 by Amastan
- Je n'aime pas la randonnée.I don't like hiking.This sentence shows how to express a dislike for the activity using randonnée.Tatoeba #7771164 by Aiji, translation #2271877 by CK
- Tom est parti en randonnée.Tom went hiking.This sentence demonstrates the phrase for setting out on a hike using randonnée.Tatoeba #10064438 by Micsmithel, translation #1140894 by CK
- Je vais faire une randonnée ce weekendI am going hiking this weekend
- J'adore la randonnée pédestre en montagneI love hiking in the mountains
- Je trouve la marche en pleine nature très apaisanteI find walking in the great outdoors very calming
- Allons faire une petite balade en natureLet's go for a short hike in nature
- J'adore faire des promenades en montagne pendant les vacancesI love taking walks in the mountains during vacations
- Est-ce que tu aimes la randonnée ?Do you like hiking?
- Je suis un passionné de randonnée depuis mon enfanceI have been passionate about hiking since my childhood
- On pourrait organiser une rando ce week-end, qu'en penses-tu ?We could plan a hiking trip this weekend, what do you think?
- La randonnée à travers les forêts françaises est une expérience inoubliableHiking through French forests is an unforgettable experience
- Pendant mes vacances, j'aime partir à la découverte de nouveaux sentiers de randonnéeDuring my vacations, I enjoy exploring new hiking trails
- 21 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are planning their weekend activities.
- LucasTu veux faire une randonnée demain ?Do you want to go hiking tomorrow?
- EmmaOui, une longue randonnée me tente bien.Yes, a long hike sounds good to me.
- LucasEmma, prépare tes chaussures de marche.Emma, prepare your walking shoes.
- EmmaD'accord, je suis prête pour la randonnée.Okay, I am ready for the hike.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hiking” translations and entries randonnée, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pédestre, randonnée, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
