What to do if you cross these animals when out walking in France

Some potentially dangerous animals can be found in France and there is a chance that you could come across them while out walking. 

When visiting a new place, as well as scouting out the best hiking trails, it is always a good idea to carry a small first aid kit, locate the closest medical facility, and familiarise yourself with local emergency phone numbers. Call operators may speak English but it is not guaranteed. 

We look at ways to help avoid dangerous species and explain what to do if you end up crossing paths with bears, scorpions, vipers, or other animals.

Bears

The Office français de la biodiversité (OFB) counted 96 bears in the French Pyrenees in 2024, including 22 newborns, with the number of bears in the area continuing to increase each year. In April 2023, the OFB counted 76 bears.

The possibility of encountering a bear this summer while hiking in France remains extremely low. Making noise as you walk is a good way of altogether avoiding an encounter with a bear, as they are generally afraid of humans. 

If you do come across a bear, you should back away calmly, facing it, and speak softly. Do not shout or make any sudden movements as this could be seen as a threat.

If you are hiking with a dog, ideally keep it on a lead. If the dog is off-lead and appears to approach the bear, do not call it to come back. Simply move backwards and leave the area calmly, trusting that your dog will follow you of its own accord soon after.

In the event of a serious incident, pepper sprays can be used as a last resort in an emergency. However, technically these require prior authorisation for use as they are considered to be a weapon.

Wild boar

Wild boar are becoming a more common sight in villages and towns in France, and hotter summers mean that wild boar may be more likely to approach houses looking for food and water.

Local officials, farmers, and residents increasingly seek methods to deter them.

If you see a boar, the best thing to do is remain calm, as sudden movements or loud noises can cause it to panic, particularly if it is a female with her young.

Note that boars are more skittish and protective around their young, and if you see baby boars be extra cautious not to anger their parents.

Other than to protect their young, boars mainly attack if they feel threatened or believe they are being hunted, so you should avoid moving directly towards the animal.

You should continue on your route, unless this would bring you into close or direct contact with the animal in which case you should back away slowly and return the way you came.

Read more: Walkers injured by wild boar launch legal action against hunters in south-west France

If the animal starts to charge, you should get to high ground, such as on a rock or up a tree, immediately. If you cannot do this, standing with your back up against a large tree is the next best choice.

Asian hornets

The Asian hornet first arrived in France in 2004 and can now be found nationwide except in Corsica and the overseas territories.

This insect is a particular enemy of bees, having destroyed nearly a quarter of the country’s honey bee population. It is also particularly dangerous and in some cases, deadly, to those who are allergic to hornet stings. 

Read also: What is France’s new national plan to fight against Asian hornets?

If you discover a hornet nest, you should leave the area immediately and if possible prevent others from approaching it. Asian hornets are more likely to sting if they feel threatened, including if a person or animal is in close proximity to their nest. 

Nests are typically found in tree trunks and stumps, attics, chimneys, dry stone walls and old straw bales, especially in rural areas.

Contact the local mairie if the nest is on public land, and contact a professional pest control service if a nest is found on your land. Estimated removal costs vary between €75 if easy (ie if the nest is accessible) and up to €200 if specialised equipment is required.

Read also: Spring sees return of Asian hornets in France: Action to take now

Individuals can also try to prevent the spread of Asian hornets by buying traps. Some French communes give traps to residents for free.

Homemade traps can also be made with a plastic bottle, cut in half, into which a mix of beer, bad white or red wine, and blackcurrant or grenadine-type syrup is poured. Typically, bees avoid traps that contain alcohol, although some experts advise against this because of the high risk of capturing other, non-harmful insects. 

Vipers 

Four species of viper exist in France – mostly in the south and centre – which can be venomous to humans, and even those harmless to you may be poisonous to pets and other domesticated animals such as chickens.

It has been illegal since 2021 to kill any snake in France, including poisonous vipers, however if you do see a snake, there are helplines you can call instead of interacting with it yourself.

To avoid being bitten while hiking, it is recommended to wear high boots and to tap the ground with a stick or your foot. Snakes are very sensitive to vibrations.

If you do get bitten, the first symptoms will generally appear within an hour. Vipers only produce a small amount of venom, and can opt to bite without injecting any (known as a dry bite) or with a very small amount. 

You should call the emergency services or go to the hospital to receive an anti-venom injection.

Clean the bite with soap and water, but do not try to take the venom out of the wound, especially not by sucking on it. 

You should not cauterise the wound, nor use a tourniquet, as this may aggravate the bite itself by causing nearby blood vessels to burst. You should take off any jewelry near the bite to prevent the area becoming too restricted and increasing the pain and potential damage from it.

Rest and try to remain as still as possible.

Read also: Close encounters with a French serpent and what to do if it happens to you

Languedoc scorpion

There are at least five different species of scorpions - including the Languedoc Scorpion (Buthus occitanus) - living in France, around the Mediterranean basin, and in Aquitaine as far north as Bordeaux. 

They are nocturnal and live in rural areas or woods, often hiding under large stones.

Read also: Anxiety-inducing French Languedoc scorpions: How to deal with them

The Languedoc Scorpion is the largest scorpion in Europe (measuring up to 9 cm) and is also one of the most venomous. It has a stinger at the tip of its tail which it uses to kill its prey, adjusting the dose of poison according to the size of its victim.

Stings affect the nervous system and muscles but the severity of a reaction depends on the age of the person stung, their state of health, and the quantity of venom injected. Stings are not usually fatal although take care with very young children.

Symptoms include immediate sharp pain where stung (which could last several hours), inflammation, vomiting, diarrhea and memory loss. 

You should call the emergency services and apply ice to cool the sting. 

Jellyfish

It is quite common to see jellyfish washing up on French beaches, especially in late summer or early autumn. 

Jellyfish are usually identified as Pelagia Noctiluca (Mauve Stinger). This species of jellyfish is usually found in warmer Mediterranean waters, however tropical storms can bring them to other French shores as far as those north of the country.

They are pinkish-brown in colour and can sting if touched or stepped on even if dead.

Read also: Jellyfish spotted at beaches in south of France: how to check which beaches are safe 

If you are stung by a jellyfish, you should gently rub the infected area with vinegar, then keep it warm for 40 minutes, if possible. 

Contrary to popular belief, urine does not help alleviate a jellyfish sting, and is not recommended. 

You should avoid touching your face or rubbing your eyes if stung.

Stings usually get better on their own. However if experiencing severe swelling or an allergic reaction, seek help from a medical professional.