Why start hiking ?
Why start hiking? First of all, because it is an activity that is easy to get into and accessible to everyone. It’s both a sport, but without any competition, and a leisure activity! Its major advantage is that it takes place outdoors, allowing you to refresh both your body and mind, discover new places at your own pace, and take time to enjoy nature. The benefits of walking outdoors are well-known: it is good for your mood because it reduces stress, improves sleep quality, and strengthens mental resilience. By gently engaging muscles, it maintains joint health while reducing cardiovascular risks. Additionally, hiking can be done alone or with others, providing the opportunity to disconnect from daily life or share pleasant moments with others. Lastly, what a joy it is to reach places that are inaccessible by car!
Equipment : What you need for your first hike ?
The gear for beginners
The gear you need to bring will depend on the duration of the hike. You should aim to lighten your load as much as possible, as walking with too heavy a backpack can quickly spoil the enjoyment of your walk. It is generally advised not to exceed 20% of the hiker's body weight.
EQUIPMENT
- A backpack: at least 30L for a day hike, 50L or more for multi-day hikes
- A pair of sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- A first aid kit, including medications, bandages, blister plasters, tick remover, tweezers, antibacterial gel, your personal medications, etc.
- A mobile phone that can also serve as a GPS
- A multi-tool knife
- A headlamp
- For multi-day hikes without a shelter, make sure to bring sleeping gear:
- For meals:
- Optional: the following equipment is not essential but may be useful for a first hike:
- Walking poles, very useful for uphill or downhill sections but not absolutely necessary (here is a guide for more information on walking poles)
- Snowshoes for walking in the snow
- A rain cover for your backpack in case of rain
- Insect repellent
- A lighter
- A microfiber towel
- A survival blanket
- An IGN map and compass if the trail is not well marked
- Toilet paper or disposable tissues
- Lip balm
- A power bank for your phone or a solar charger
- Binoculars
- A whistle
Organizing Your Backpack
Finally, make sure to organize your backpack properly by placing the heaviest and bulkiest items at the bottom (for example, sleeping bag and spare clothes). Water and snacks should be kept easily accessible. Also, pack a waterproof bag for your spare clothes and ID documents to keep them dry in case of rain.
Before making an investment, consider renting equipment, especially for more expensive items (tent, mattress, sleeping bag). This will allow you to test the gear in real conditions before purchasing the most suitable equipment!Hiker's outfit Depending on the duration of your hike, make sure to pack several outfits.
The outfit:
- A good pair of shoes
- Good hiking socksfor comfort and to prevent blisters
- Shorts or pants depending on the weather; convertible pants are also an option
- For the top, a 3-layer system is ideal:
- A technical T-shirt made of synthetic material or merino wool if possible (quick-drying)
- A fleece or down jacket
- A rain/windproof jacket
Optional:
- A cap, hat, or beanie depending on the weather
- A pair of gloves in case of cold weather
Food to bring on a hike
- A minimum 1L water bottle or hydration bladder. The hydration bladder has the advantage of being lighter (plan for 1.5L of water per day).
- A water filtration system (tablets, filter, etc.) or a filtered water bottle (with an integrated filter that eliminates harmful elements), allowing you to drink water from nature.
- Bring snacks to munch on: Energy bars and dried fruits.
- For meals, freeze-dried meals are ideal as they provide the necessary nutrients and are very lightweight to carry.
Choosing the right hiking route in France
Planning and organization
Before setting off on a multi-day hike, always plan your route in advance.
Determine your preferences ahead of time (forest, mountains, seaside, etc.) and be aware of your physical abilities.
When you're just starting out, take it easy and begin with easy hikes, gradually increasing the difficulty level for the next outing.
It's important to respect your own pace; a hike should remain a pleasure.
For your route, you can gather information from tourist offices and/or get a guide that will give you an overview of the area.
There are many online resources, particularly on the website of the French Hiking Federation.
You can also equip yourself with an IGN map (National Geographic Institute), which are available for all departments. They provide trail maps of GR (Grande Randonnée) paths, walking trails, green spaces, elevation gains, and places to see or visit. Plus, they won’t run out of battery!
There are also numerous apps that help you plan your route, such as Outdooractive (formerly ViewRanger), VisoRando, AllTrails, etc. These apps have the advantage of being able to geolocate you and offer hiking routes based on distance and difficulty level.
When planning your route, ask yourself the following questions:
- How do I get to the starting point?
- How do I plan the return trip if the route isn’t a loop?
- Where will I sleep?
- Will I camp or sleep in a refuge? Be sure to book your refuge in advance online.
- Check the regulations, as camping may be prohibited in some areas.
Estimating the difficulty of the hike
The difficulty level of a hike depends on 3 criteria: distance, altitude, and elevation gain.
You can estimate the difficulty of a hike based on the following criteria:
- Easy hike: less than 500 meters of elevation gain and between 2 and 4 hours of hiking
- Moderate hike: between 500 and 800 meters of elevation gain for 3 to 5 hours of walking
- Difficult hike: between 800 and 1500 meters of elevation gain and between 4 and 8 hours of walking
- Very difficult hike: over 1500 meters of elevation gain in one day and sometimes between 10 and 12 hours of hiking
A heavy or very heavy backpack will also significantly increase the difficulty of a hike.
At higher altitudes, particularly above 2500 meters, conditions become more difficult.
If you're hiking with children, double or even triple the times indicated for adults and do test walks on very easy trails to see if the children can manage the expected times.
Do "test hikes" before embarking on a multi-day hike to train and assess your level.
Understanding trail markers
In France, there are 3 main types of marked trails:
- GR (Grande Randonnée trail), marked with a red and white color code
- GR de Pays, marked with a red and yellow color code
- PR (Promenade and Randonnée), marked with a yellow color code
Note that the frequency of the markers depends on the terrain.
Rules and safety in hiking
Respect the environment
A few rules to follow in order to respect the environment:
- Leave no trace of your passage and carry all your waste with you
- Do not pick wildflowers
- Do not feed the animals
- You can also carry a small trash bag to pick up litter encountered along the way
- On mountains, hikers going uphill have the right of way
When on an incline, priority is always given to the person going uphill. Step aside when you pass other hikers, especially on narrow paths
At a minimum, inform someone about your itinerary
Inform at least one person about your route before you leave, and don’t forget to bring your ID as well as a note with the contact numbers of people to be notified in case of an emergency.
Check the weather before you leave
A few days before departure, make sure to check the weather forecast and equip yourself accordingly: warm clothing and a windbreaker if it’s expected to rain or be very cold. A cap, sunglasses, and sunscreen if you’ll be at high altitude and the forecast is for sunny and hot weather.
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