The way, useful information, daily stages, GPS tracks of the hike through France, Northeast to Southwest, from the German border to the Spanish one with on the way, all the mountains of the country (Vosges, Jura, Alps, Massif Central and Pyrenees) : “La Grande Traversée de la France”, 2500 kilometers (1550Mi) and 117 kilometers of ascent (380000ft).
All the pictures of the Grande Traversée de la France :
The Grande Traversée of France
The ultimate thru hike? A very progressive way, mythical routes such as the Grande Traversée des Vosges, the Grande Traversée du Jura, the Grande Traversée des Alpes (GR5 to Mount Thabor before going west), parts of the way of Stevenson in the Massif Central and the wild HRP in the Pyrenees at the end, a very mountainous way but also typical small villages, castles, french food… still little known, the Grande Traversée de la France can become a must with various initiatives that are being implemented. Hurry to be one of the pioneers.
My way:
See the details of the stages, GPS tracks, as well as all the information on logistics (resupply, accommodation, water …) in the following pages :
Hexatrek and the Great Hike thru France (Grande Traversée of France) :
The Hexatrek and my Grande Traversée of France are similar. They share the same philosophy: hiking through France through its five mountain ranges, inspired by American thru-hikes. They were conceived almost simultaneously. I completed my hike in 2020. The Hexatrek was created in 2022. While neither was directly inspired by the other, the result is similar.
What are the main differences? My way is much shorter: 2,500 km compared to 3,030 km for the Hexatrek. In detail, within each mountain range:
– Vosges. The Hexatrek begins at the border in Wissembourg, in an unremarkable location without any particular appeal. I prefer starting in Lauterbourg, on the banks of the Rhine, in the far northeast of France to finish then in Hendaye, in the far southwest of the country. The Lauterbourg to Wissembourg stage is also mostly on marked trails. The two ways are then quite similar, but I stay at a higher altitude, while the Hexatrek goes at lower elevations, notably in Saverne and then near Sélestat. Why? It also doesn’t go over the summit of the Hohneck. That’s a shame. The Hexatrek then chooses to go via the Grand Ballon d’Alsace. It’s the highest point of the massif at 1424m. This is justifiable. But this choice then requires descending into the valley at Thann. I chose to stay on the ridge line, going via the Drumont. After the Ballon d’Alsace, the Hexatrek, being at a higher altitude, seems more suitable to me than mine. In the Vosges Mountains, my Grande Traversée de la France (Great French Crossing) is 350km, the Hexatrek is 420km.
– Jura. Up to the Doubs Gorges, the two ways are similar and then completely different. This is, for me, the biggest flaw of the Hexatrek. It ignores the French Jura. For a hike thru France, that’s a shame. The Swiss section isn’t always very interesting (and on top of that, there are Swiss prices…). Worse, the Hexatrek then completely overlooks the southern part of the massif with its highest point, the Crêt de la Neige at 1721m. This is a beautiful section with trails along the ridges and magnificent views of the Alps. Instead, the Hexatrek heads straight south to cross Lake Geneva by boat. The hiking track is broken… However, a long-distance hiking trail, the GR Balcon du Léman circumnavigate the lake entirely on foot with good paths (except for the more urban section near Bonne). In the Jura Mountains, with 280km (not including the ferry crossing), the Hexatrek is much shorter than my Grande Traversée de la France (400km).
– Alps. I didn’t know this mountain range, unlike the creator of the Hexatrek. This surely explains some of the choices. I largely followed the GR5 – Grande Traversée des Alpes (Great Alpine Crossing). It passes through Samoëns. The Hexatrek stays at a higher altitude. It’s longer but probably more spectacular. After that, the two ways are similar. However, south of the Écrins National Park, I headed straight for the Rhône Valley via the Dévoluy massif, while the Hexatrek takes a route to explore the Alps through the Belledonne massif. Aside from the section through the Vercors and the proximity of Mont Aiguille, if I were to do the route again, I would take a much more direct path than the Hexatrek. The greatest difference in distance between the two ways is in the Alps: 850km for the Hexatrek and 580km for my Grande Traversée de la France (Great Crossing of France). This reflects two different philosophies: exploring the mountain range on one hand, and simply going from one point to another on the other.
– Massif Central. The Hexatrek goes through the Ardèche gorges, whereas I only reached them above the Pont d’Arc. Upon arriving in Vallon, I made up for this by canoeing down the Ardèche gorges in the afternoon. A different choice then followed: the Hexatrek route goes through the Tarn gorges. I chose to stay at altitude and pass by Mont Aigoual, an iconic peak in this mountain range. My way is then more direct in several places, particularly at the end where I pass through Minerve, while the Hexatrek goes through Carcassonne. From the Alps to the Pyrenees, my Grande Traversée de la France (Great Crossing of France) is 520km, whereas the Hexatrek is much longer at 680km.
– Pyrenees. I was already familiar with this mountain range, being from the Pyrenees. My way reflects choices made regarding parts of this range that I hadn’t yet explored. I was more inspired by the HRP (Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne). The Hexatrek more closely follows the GR10. It doesn’t pass by Canigou or Carlit. I then wanted to discover a wild part of the Ariège region where the Hexatrek crosses into Andorra. In the central section, I went via Vallibierna (3059m). It’s not a typical route. For a more “normal” traverse, it’s best to follow the HRP (Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne) route or the Hexatrek. The Hexatrek mostly follows the GR10 except in the Aspe Valley where it avoids the Chemin de la Mâture (mast path). I’m making the opposite choice, staying on the HRP except for the Chemin de la Mâture section… In the Pyrenees, my way is also shorter at 650km compared to 800km for the Hexatrek.
Two ways, the same philosophy, but ultimately quite a few differences between my Grande Traversée de la France (Great Hike thru France) and the Hexatrek…
Lexicon :
Bivouac: wild camping, usually according to French regulation, in a small tent (where you can’t standing) and pitched only for the night.
Abri: shelter. It’s unclosed (no door, some with just a roof) quite similar to those on the Appalachian Trail.
Cabane: small hut or shelter. It has a door. Some “cabanes” are occupied in summer by shepherds and open the rest of the year.
Refuge non gardé : unattended hut. Unlike a simple “cabane”, usually there are beds with mats.
Refuge: hut. You sleep in dorms, they can provide meals. Some of them even have showers.
Gîte d’étape: It’s like a refuge (or hostel) but accessible by road. You sleep in dorms (some have also bedrooms), they can provide meals. You will find “gîtes d’étape” on the main hiking trails (for example in Massif Central)
Internet websites:
The website Hexatrek provides tracks, logistics, point of interest and an application.
In addition to the websites mentioned on the pages for each massif, the site gites-refuges.com is useful for information on huts and “gîtes d’étape” and that Refuges.info for huts and shelters.
See the site LeCampingsauvage.fr for regulations in France for bivouacs or wilderness camping.
My backpack
Since the Appalachian Trail in 2017, then the Balkans in 2018 and Eastern Europe in 2019, I have almost the same equipment with a few small modifications each year. I’m OK with it, it gaves me satisfaction. I needed everything and lacked of nothing. The major development of 2020 is to go below 8kg carried excluding water and food (exactly 7,62kg/16,8lbs) . I replaced my “city” down jacket with a model more suitable to sports and more efficient (Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer). I also replaced my worn windbreaker jacket (more than 10 years old, a little torn and sewn, no more waterproof) with a recent model : Vertical Aeroquest MP +. It is a big weight gain (150g compared to the previous model). It seems very fragile to me but I used it olny once (best to avoid dense vegetation, brambles, rocks …).
I had a special new item in 2020 : a mask. On the other hand, I don’t plan to hang my food. I’m not afraid of the bears in Pyrenees : we are cousins…
I could have gone a little close to 7kg by changing the heavy elements (backpack, tent, down, mattress) by new products, today on the market and lighter. I kept my tent. I’m happy with it. It is it fifth year. Quite large (supposed to be for two), it allows you to be comfortable when you are inside, with the backpack, with bad weather. There are now lighter mats, but that would be an investment to gain barely a few grams. For the backpack, North Face with its Hydra 38l around a kilo or Salomon with its Out Week 38 + 6l announced for 815g should be tested.
Without being a purist of ultra light hiking, less than 8kg without water and food seems very reasonable to me to be independent and able to remain comfortable in slightly negative temperatures.
Phone charge: I will sometimes hike several days without being able to charge it. Until now, I had my phone (4100mAh battery) + two 18650 batteries given for 3500 mAh (one of which is also used for the headlamp). This allowed me to have about 6 days of autonomy with a very controlled use of the phone. I bought this year a Tomshine 10W 5V (85g) solar panel and only carried one 18650 battery from the headlamp. The overweight compared to last year is only 35 grams.
