Hiking in France

The French Alps are fantastic. Read about my hikes on the Tour du Mont Blanc and the GR5.

GR 5 stage 2: Les Houches to Landry

GR 5 stage 2: Les Houches to Landry

The second stage of the GR5 shares about 40 km of trail with the Tour du Mont Blanc. After two days I was happy to leave this more than slightly crowded trail, turning South into the Beaufortin. There I crossed the Col du Bresson, another highlight of the GR5.

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GR 5 stage 1: Lac Léman to Les Houches

GR 5 stage 1: Lac Léman to Les Houches

The first 5 days of the GR5 involved a long and steep initial ascent into the Alps and unexpected and extraordinary scenery. I also met a number of other solo hikers. Within a few days a we formed a more or less loose group, hiking and camping together most of the time. Getting to know these wonderful people has enriched my experience on the GR5 tremendously.

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Planning the GR5 – Grande Traverse des Alpes

Planning the GR5 – Grande Traverse des Alpes

In the summer of 2023 I hiked 14 days on the GR5 (Grande Randonnée 5). While the complete GR5 starts in my home country (the Netherlands), I hiked the part that crosses the French Alps from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean Sea. As two weeks are not enough to hike the complete route to the sea, I hiked halfway to the city of Briançon.

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TMB Day 8: Up and Down Col de Balme

TMB Day 8: Up and Down Col de Balme

Day 8 of the Tour du Mont Blanc was wet, cold …and short. I hiked up to the Refuge du Col de Balme, where I  warmed up and made plans for the rest of this rainy day. Then I hiked down to the valley to the first hotel that had a room available. The day ended nicely though, with 4 fellow TMB hikers in an Argentière bar.

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