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GR 12 (Amsterdam - Paris)

GR 12 sectie

GR 12 connects Amsterdam to Paris via Brussels, 3 European capitals on one hiking trail.

 

Actually, the name GR 12 is mainly used in Belgium.
In the Netherlands the trail is known as the Floris V path (LAW 1-3), linking Amsterdam to Bergen-op-Zoom.
In France the itinerary often follows other GR trails such as GR 654 and GR 1. However, the french topographic maps also mention GR 12 alongside those other trail numbers.
Also noteworthy is that the GR 12 trail is often used as one of the popular Compostella roads leading the pilgrims from the Netherlands and Belgium into France.

 

Whether we will ever hike this trail completely, that's unsure for the moment (we don't have a crystal ball to look in).
This trail is documented in a number of separate topoguides. Right now we concentrate upon the 2 topoguides that describe the Belgian part of the GR 12 trail.

  • Topo-guide GR 12 Flanders *

    GR 12 categorie1We used the most recent topoguide edition dating from 2002 (written in dutch).
    Since the publication there have been some changes, but they're perfectly implemented on the trail and on the website of the Flemish GR organisation.

     

    The map below shows an overview of the hikes we did on this trail.
    Under the map you'll find the links to the reports on each individual hike.

     

  • Topoguide GR 12 Wallonia

    GR 12 categorie2Up to hike number 3 in the overview below, we used an old edition of this topoguide (3rd edition, 1999, published by the Walloon GR organisation). By the end of 2008 the booklet couldn't be found anymore, but then we heard that a completely new edition had been planned.
    Meanwhile however we regretted that it was not possible to continue our journey on the GR 12 trail. After some inquiries we found a fellow hiker that was kind enough to lend us his copy of the old edition. We thank him for that, but had to learn the hard way that lots of changes in the trail had occured since the topoguide was published. What's more, most of the changes weren't documented on the website of the Walloon GR organisation (probably awaiting the new edition).

     

    So, after hike number 3 we decided to wait for the new edition of the topoguide. Finally it was published early december 2009. Starting with hike number 4 we follow the new edition.

     

    In the new topoguide some particularities have caught our attention.

    - First of all the trail now starts just outside Grimbergen on the border with the Brussels capital region. The overlap with the Flemish topoguide becomes even more important: almost 50 km now.
    Since we completed the Flemish topoguide we start the overview of our hikes here at Kasteelbrakel (Braine-le-Chateau). The first 50 km. can be found under the topoguide GR 12 Bergen-op-Zoom - Braine-le-Château.
    - Secondly the Flemish topoguide seems to contain a lot more information on the trail up to Ukkel-Kalevoet. The Walloon topoguide refers to the GR BRU topoguide which was also published by them (we live in a complicated country).

     

    In addition to the description of the GR 12 (up to roadpoint 70) and the GR 121 trails, the topoguide also describes a connection trail with the GR 16, indicated as GR 12C.

     

    The map below shows an overview of the hikes we made on the GR 12 trail.
    Below the map you'll find the links to our reports on each individual hike.