Fresh from the Te Araroa(TA) I had an idea wriggling around in my head. My finances were in order to do another thruhike and I had my eyes set on either the GDT or the AT. But something I heard whispered on the TA stuck with me: the HexaTrek is beautiful. I heard that said a grand total of two times and I was sold. Apparently there was this brand new hike that crossed the country of France. This sounded like a bigger adventure than heading back home to North America.
I had research to do: how long was it, was the resupply easy, what terrain does it cross? Within an evening I was sold on this being my next trip. The two hooks were simple. You get to hike across the Alps. You get to hike across the Pyrenees. Two legendary trips combined into one, how could I say no. I applied for a French visa, started practising French and within a month I was on a flight to Europe to start my journey.
The plan was to hike southbound. The six stages(hexa) of the route were ordered in that way and most other hikers I talked with online were going that way as well. A flight from Toronto to Frankfurt was the cheapest I could find and direct. Upon landing I took a couple trains to arrive at the northern city terminus of Wissembourg. A short walk to the actual terminus from the station and here I was at the start of something new.
3034km(1885mi) from the German border, down along the Swiss border before venturing through the heart of Southern France and finally trailing west in the mountains to the Atlantic ocean dipping in and out of Spain. The suggested time to hike is anywhere from 3 to 5 months from mid-May to late-September. There is a potential need for snow gear depending on the season and conditions. The track follows established trails and navigation is only possibly via GPS(either via the official app or downloading the gpx).
I plan on hiking in roughly 3 months from June to August. There is a lot of snow this year so I will be flipping around to let it melt but I will still be bringing microspikes in case.
Resupply is usually 3-4 days of food carried between towns. The trail brings you into towns constantly so it is possible to never have to hitchhike. In the Pyrenees you may need to take a bus for one remote section as well as have a few resupply carries that are 5-6 days long. No mailing ahead is ever necessary.
My resupply strategy:
I'm trying to be ultralight for this hike and it's nearly identical to my gear for the TA. The only difference is a larger pack, by Northern Ultralight, and a pair of microspikes.
Table of all items and weights
Do every suggested alternate
Feel free to ignore the Tarn/Ardeche canoe section as well as the Chablais Alps Low Route(134km on Stage 2 via as Lac Anterne). All other alternates are fantastic! You'll climb multiple 3000m(9842ft) peaks, traverse rugged routes, and get more alone time with the mountains.
Take a look at my guide showing all the alternates along the hike. Even just adding one or two of these will create memories that you won't regret.
Opening hours
Groceries are usually closed on Sundays(may be open from 0930h to 1200h only). Everything else is a gamble. Make sure you plan ahead and/or confirm hours so you don't get left with no food.
Restaurants outside of cities generally do not serve food from 1200h to 1800h.
Many business shut down from 1200h to 1530h daily.
Cemeteries usually have water
This pro tip will help you out if you are in a pinch for water. Usually just on the inside of a cemetery gate there is a water faucet. Be sure to filter.
Learn some French
Any effort in this direction will pay off. It'll let you chat and exchange pleasantries with locals and immerse further into the culture. I highly recommend the free lessons by
Language Transfer
as well as this pocket sized phrasebook
Lonely Planet French Phrasebook & Dictionary 8ed.
I personally used both of these resources.
Day by day journal of the trip:
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