GR42 completion certificate

GR42 Rhône Balconies Trail Completion Certificate

GR42 follows uplands and balconies west of the Rhône from Saint-Étienne to the Mediterranean at Le Grau-du-Roi; it does not begin at the river's Swiss source.

Region
Pilat, Rhône Valley and Camargue
Country
France
Distance
452 km
Typical duration
18-27 days
Difficulty
Moderate to strenuous
Digital certificate
From €9.99
GR42 Rhône Balconies Trail landscape certificate route preview in France
Le Grau-du-Roi cf02Le Grau-du-Roi cf02 by Christian Ferrer, CC BY 4.0; cropped and colour-treated.
GR42Registry route
GR42 Rhône Balconies Trail place-specific certificate preview
Image source and licence
Le Grau-du-Roi cf02 by Christian Ferrer, CC BY 4.0; cropped and colour-treated.
Verification application

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Trail context

A certificate grounded in the journey.

A considered completion record for GR42 Rhône Balconies Trail, built around private evidence review and a permanent public verification layer.

Completed GR42 Rhône Balconies Trail? Submit route-appropriate GPS tracks, activity links, dated photos, stamps, permits, guide confirmation, club confirmation, or a clear completion narrative. Route variants are assessed from the evidence provided.

Structured trail record

Authority, season and access

Official route status

Official GR or established French long-distance route

Long-distance trail
Normal endpoints

Saint-Étienne to Le Grau-du-Roi

Catalogue references: 45.434, 4.390 to 43.538, 4.135
Elevation range

0 m to 1,430 m

Rounded catalogue elevations
Recommended months

May-October

Snow, wildfire, storms, refuge closures and local path works may affect stages; consult current GR and protected-area notices.
Access requirements

No trail-wide guide requirement unless stated. Refuge bookings, protected-area rules and seasonal transport may apply.

Permit/booking · Seasonal constraints
Collection and characteristics

Long-distance trail

FranceGr RouteWaymarkedMulti Day

Coordinates and elevations are rounded catalogue references for discovery only. They are not navigation-grade or emergency waypoints. Always use current official route information and an appropriate map.

Reviewed route data

Route, stages and elevation

Interactive map of GR42 Rhône Balconies Trail
Mapped route from GR-Infos, Used with permission. Planning reference only; verify closures and current official navigation before hiking.
Reviewed trail distance
452 km
Mapped line
453.59 km
Cumulative ascent
12,425 m on mapped route
Elevation range
1–1,298 m
Typical stages
18-27 walking days
StartSaint-ÉtienneFinishLe Grau-du-Roi
Elevation profileGR42 Rhône Balconies Trail mapped route
0 km454 km1,296 m1 m
  1. 1Saint-Étienne
  2. 2Pilat
  3. 3Rhône balconies
  4. 4Tournon-sur-Rhône
  5. 5Viviers
  6. 6Pont du Gard region
  7. 7Nîmes
  8. 8Aigues-Mortes
  9. 9Le Grau-du-Roi

Planning summary only. Check current closures, permits, weather, transport, and official navigation sources before travel.

Primary trail sourceSupporting route source 2Supporting route source 3Supporting route source 4Supporting route source 5Supporting route source 6

Why get this certificate?

GR42 follows uplands and balconies west of the Rhône from Saint-Étienne to the Mediterranean at Le Grau-du-Roi; it does not begin at the river's Swiss source.

Your certificate includes a premium PDF, a permanent QR verification page, registry-signed metadata, and privacy-aware public display settings.

Accepted evidence

Route-matched proof examples

  • Continuous dated GPX, FIT, TCX, or equivalent activity record covering the recognised route
  • Route checkpoints: Saint-Étienne; Pilat; Rhône balconies; Tournon-sur-Rhône; Pont du Gard region; Nîmes; Aigues-Mortes; Le Grau-du-Roi
  • Dated endpoint and checkpoint photographs plus stage history where track coverage has material gaps
  • Evidence of required permits, bookings, guide arrangements, or access compliance where applicable
Before payment

Prepare proof that tells the whole route story.

Best evidence: GPX, FIT, or TCX files, trusted activity links, dated trail photos, stamps, permits, or guide confirmation. Photos alone may need supporting context.

Expected review level: Evidence Reviewed. Most reviews target 2–3 working days after payment and private proof upload.

Trail proof checklist

  • Continuous dated GPX, FIT, TCX, or equivalent activity record covering the recognised route
  • Route checkpoints: Saint-Étienne; Pilat; Rhône balconies; Tournon-sur-Rhône; Pont du Gard region; Nîmes; Aigues-Mortes; Le Grau-du-Roi
  • Dated endpoint and checkpoint photographs plus stage history where track coverage has material gaps
  • Evidence of required permits, bookings, guide arrangements, or access compliance where applicable

Distance and route variants are reviewed conservatively. Public pages never publish raw GPS points or private proof files.

Private review layer

Your proof is not your public profile.

Reviewers may see

GPS and activity files, uploaded photos, permits, stamps, guide confirmations, completion narrative, and clarification replies.

The public may see

Certificate status, trail, privacy-controlled display name, dates, verification level, issue date, fingerprint, and registry signature state.

Privacy for hikers

Supported route variants

None documented for the canonical route; signed temporary diversions are accepted.

Key route sequence: Saint-Étienne - Pilat - Rhône balconies - Tournon-sur-Rhône - Viviers - Pont du Gard region - Nîmes - Aigues-Mortes - Le Grau-du-Roi.

Prepare your proof

Verification levels

Evidence ReviewedPrivate completion evidence was assessed by a Verified Hikes reviewer.

GPS Evidence ReviewedA GPS file or trusted activity record formed part of the evidence review.

Photo + GPS ReviewedPhotographic context and GPS or activity evidence both supported the review.

Partner ConfirmedAn approved partner confirmed completion through a defined workflow.

Authority ConfirmedA trail authority explicitly confirmed the record through an approved workflow.

How the process works

Start verification

Create a paid application for this trail.

Upload proof

Add GPS, activity links, photos, stamps, permits, or confirmation documents privately.

Registry review

A reviewer checks evidence, dates, privacy, and verification level.

Certificate issued

Receive your premium PDF and QR-verifiable public record.

FAQ

What does the QR code prove?

It opens a safe registry page showing certificate metadata, signature status, evidence summary, and PDF fingerprint.

Request correction

See outdated trail facts? Send a correction request so the registry team can review the route record before publication changes.

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