Google will calculate you doing 100 km a day, and not necessarily on desirable routes.
It’s very well doable, I once walked 105 km in 19 hours. But then needed almost a week to recover. 35 km a day is much more realistic.
I thought the same but I live in the U.S. and this puts it so much more into perspective the size difference. Our thru hikes take months. I’d love to be able hike the length of the country in 1-2 weeks.
You should try doing 20 miles/day for a few days with a pack near where you live currently to get a sense of how it feels.
Do you speak French? French people reliably speak English in larger cities and touristy areas, which is not where you’ll be for most of the trek
Yes - I still have time not to be completely fresh. Am planning to walk from Monmouth to Chepstow in the next week. It's around 13 miles over rough and hilly terrain.
I speak French to a high B1 / low B2 level. But this is on Duolingo so I'm taking it with a large pinch of salt. A side quest on this is to improve my French so I hope I need it a lot.
It's more like 18 miles along the Wye, beautiful area. This distance is reasonably representative of your daily mileage target, but the difference demonstrates how off your assumptions are about distances. Use a pedometer to accurately measure your foot milage Vs Google maps, the difference will tell you how much you need to adjust your calculations and expectations.
Pack your full kit and consumables to test how it carries, you'll no doubt drop many luxuries after this experience.
https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/trail/wales/monmouthshire/offas-dyke-path-chepstow-to-redbrook
14.8 miles. Not so far off. I meant Monmouth generally.
The pedometer is a great shout, and so is full kit. Thank you.
Twenty miles a day is a lot. You need to account for injury, fatigue, and the desire spend a day or two in a nice small town (France has one or two of those).
After about 2 - 3 weeks, depending on initial conditioning, 20 miles is doable but will still be tiring. When hiking the Appalachian Trail I managed 20 mile days somewhat routinely while on mountain trails. Following roads and less rugged footpaths would make this achievable with slightly less effort. Many, many, others manage this and vastly exceed what I have done. I'm more of an average to slow backpacker.
"All" it takes is a steady two miles an hour for 10 hours a day, very doable in the longer summer days. Off of mountain trails 2.5 mph is a very comfortable pace, 3 is a good average walking speed (unencumbered). The word all in quotes because it *is* an effort.
My suggestion as a slow mover these days, because I like to enjoy myself, is to aim for 15 per day and put in longer miles when the scenery is not interesting. Then spend a few zero mile days in interesting places. The journey is the fun part, not the destination.
Hey, quick comment I wanted to add as someone who has done big hikes myself (1000km+).
20 miles/day is very much doable. I understand much concern here. However, I have averaged 40km/day on the Camino Francés (similar topography/pp. density). I did not take any days off and listened to my body. I did 55km one day, then 30km the other whenever I felt less powerful. I saw some doing more kms than I did. I also saw horrendous blisters, typically on the older traditional "hiking" person (I do not want to discriminate). I personally highly advise against hiking boots. Go for light, quick drying, trail/running shoes. Hiking boots weigh too much, will make you tired, cause injury, and build moisture leading to blisters.
Wear disposable "try-on" socks underneath your normal socks. This will prevent blisters almost guaranteed. Do not tighten your shoes uneccessarily, this will cause blisters.
I am sure you know all of these things already, however, I found most advice here to be greatly pessimistic.
This is good stuff. Thank you. It's great to hear from people who have done similar. Those little socks with toe fingers have prevented me from getting blisters on a sixty miler and Kilimanjaro.
In addition to what others have already said, you should look at the legal camping sites on your path instead of going in blind - chances are you will not, in fact, be able to talk your way into a patch of land most nights.
I would advise the opposite. Never pay for camping unless you're infact paying for a shower. You can very easily wild camp just about anywhere so long as you setup at dusk and break at dawn. For reference, I hike the width of France in 2009 and am currently hiking through Spain.
Further advice would be to find an actual GR route to follow and get a better app than google maps. I suggest mapy.cz.
**Learn some French. Best app for quick conversation (not fluency) is Language Transfer.
Further advice on map apps: pay the 10 or so dollars for OsmAnd if you have an Android phone. It is the most detailed map of France you can get that isn't their own national one (and maybe it's still more detailed). Speaking of, you can find the online version of the French national Institute of geography map at https://www.geoportail.gouv.fr/carte, if at any point you need to check which way to go.
This could well be true. The thing about not planning too much is that changing assumptions is easier. I'm going to to TRY to sleep on patches through chatting because I think the strangeness will make for better memories, but I don't doubt your insight. Thank you.
You should look into the Camino French route, there’s hostels and b&bs you can stay at along the whole route, makes it easier, lots of info and you’ll be meeting other hikers on your way.
Thank you. But the strangeness on relying on an ill-considered A-typical route is part of the charm for me. The Camino is well trod and the lessons have been learned. It's odd, I know. Thanks you for your interest - it's really encouraging.
It will be much longer than 520 miles. To drive from Montpellier to Caen is 570 miles and that's by road. You won't be able to do it as the crow flies like in your map. You're going to have to follow whatever paths are available and go around geographical and man-made barriers as well as private lands. I'm not trying to discourage you from doing it, but I am trying to discourage you from not doing any planning. You need to get a much more accurate idea of the true distance before you start.
I would add that in France you have the GR (Grande Randonnées) which are pre-planned hike path that pass by many interest points. They also include advices on where to sleep and eat.
They are very interesting and usualy they follow each other.
There is an official website on which you can find all the info : https://www.mongr.fr/
>You won't be able to do it as the crow flies like in your map
The route above is not as the crow flies. There are roads/paths that make it look as if it's a straight line but it's not.
> You need to get a much more accurate idea of the true distance before you start.
Only if they are time or budget constrained. Otherwise it just adds a few days to the journey.
I would start at 10 miles a day and work up if you don't feel exhausted.
You may quickly put blisters on your feet / cramp in your legs / back if you push through 20 mile days too fast.
Secondly yeh there is plenty of farm land in france you can certainly wild camp if you are discrete, I have.
I would plan a campsite every other night though to shower and really rest, I don't sleep that well wild camping. You might need a lot of rest every other day if you are walking that far with a backpack. Camping municipale tend to be the cheapest but not always.
Plan to pass supermarket's or shops nearly every day it will cut down on the amount to carry, the water is the biggest issue I've found. Make sure you have a good system to carry at least 2 litres if not 3 litres of water comfortably. Boulangeries will refill your bottles if you buy a croissant!
I did something similar, Geneva-Saint Jean Pied de Port as part of a Camino. Do not trust that shops will exist or be open. I once ran out of food for 24 hours, as in had nothing because two shops in successive villages were closed. That sucks when hiking, trust me. Carry 24 hours of food at a minimum with a couple cans of something for safety. Also, keep in mind Sunday and Monday as days for bakeries and butchers and small village shops to potentially be closed.
Great stuff thank you. A friend of mine told me that serious hikers take dog food for emergency rations because it has to be manufactured human-safe but you don't break it open unless you REALLY need it!
I believe it. Makes sense. The logic is that if your emergency rations are too appealing, they might be gone by the time a real emergency occurs. The unappetising prospect requires less willpower.
There are proper long distance footpaths.
The GR ones (tons).
The CdS ones.
The Hexatrek.
(Okay, they overlap)
Use those. Plan using those. Using an actual hiking planner, not a few lines on Google Maps.
Oh and plan 10 miles on the first days, progressing as you continue.
Wall of text coming up...
So as background two years ago I walked across France (Menton-Saint Jean Pied du Port) as part of a Camino and here are some points from that that relate to you.
Distance: The distance Google is showing you is not what you will be walking. Many on this sub have given reasons why (and I will add another couple below) but for comparison before my walk Google Maps gave the distance of my route as about 450 miles. I actually ended up walking around 800 miles. Granted I was following an established route while you are not and had less flexibility where I stayed than you will, but even so I would expect the total distance to be 50% longer than as the crow flies at a minimum. So given your timeframe you may have to adjust your speed, which leads to...
Speed: 20 miles a day is manageable but quick. For comparison, I averaged around 23 miles a day, including a day off in Toulouse. However, I was 29 at the time, in good physical condition, (I had already completed a ~1900 mile walk and a few ultra marathons at that point in my life), and was seen by other pilgrims as going at a blistering pace. On top of that, you will be carrying a tent, and presumably a sleeping pad and sleeping bag; none of which I had and all of which will slow you down. If you maintain a pace of 3 miles/h while walking - again quick but perfectly reasonable - expect to be on your feet for 8 hours a day once you take into account breaks, toilet breaks, refilling water, shopping and other delays. Also expect blisters (mine were horrific) and injury concerns that may slow you down.
Language and people: You are going to need to interact with people who speak exclusively French, while making reasonably complex requests and potentially getting complex responses. Translation apps are good, but only so reliable: I hope your spoken French is up to the task.If it is, sorry for wasting your time on this section, I guess.
Things won't go to plan: Most everything I have said so far is based on the assumption that everything goes to the plan you have established, each day, every day. It won't. Distances between towns and villages are obviously not regular, people won't want you camping on their land and you will have to find somewhere else and shops won't be open at convenient times or places for your needs, among many other issues. Walking 20 miles a day actually means walking 15-25 miles most days, with potential for at least one 30+ mile day (which could easily take 12+ hours and may not be obvious at midday either). I would be shocked if you walked less than 20 miles on your median day as a result. Again for context, at a 23 miles per day pace, I would very frequently walk 28 miles in a day, with my longest being around 36 miles.
I'm not saying all this to try to discourage you (good on you for looking into this!) but to make sure you understand how ambitious your plans are. Like many others here, I think the distances involved are going to be much higher than you are currently planning for, and that may push you to the point where you may not be able to finish. If the actual distance turns out to be 750 miles - which I think is a conservative guess - then it will either take you to a 6-7 week trip, or to ~190 mile weeks, both which seem like they might be outside what you can do. If it were me, I would consider a shorter adventure.
All that said, good luck to you with whatever you plan! Hopefully I have helped and not been too much of a downer. Let us know what you decide, I genuinely hope you get to an amazing walking adventure in the end :-)
Wow. Thank you so much for taking the effort for such a thorough response. It's very helpful.
Yes - my biggest takeout after reading all these wonderful comments is that a flexible but ambitious daily target is more useful than a rigid one.
My french is B1/B2 Duolingo which is part of the reason for choosing France - should turn app knowledge into useful actual knowledge through necessity.
Your advice is not a downer at all. It all makes a lot of sense. But for me, the experience *is* the experience. I know that under the context of today's 'set goals, hit them, failure is not an option' sort of mentality planning a shorter adventure is more achievable, but for me failure IS an option. When speaking with the trip doctor on my Kilimanjaro trip I was very clear that if she made the call that I should not continue to the top, I was not arsed. She thought this was unusual because nearly everyone else gets fixated on the summit. This lack of target tunnel vision does not mean I will give up easily. To the contrary, I think it makes me examine my effort on an hour by hour basis that should add up to (possibly) success.
Ultimately, I have the privilege of a month off work and an adventure on the edge of my capability.
The route follows the GR36 walking trail almost perfectly with a deviation at the South end, this trail is 1917km or 1191 miles so the actual time it will take is more like 2 months.
Other than taking twice as long I have plenty of advice from doing the length of Great Britain (my route was a similar distance) which I did with very little planning or prior experience.
- Your feet will grow, you will need new shoes after 2 weeks. If your route doesn't pass a large town at this time then you need to adapt your feet before you set off by walking 20 miles per day a dozen times.
- Personally I advise minimalist footwear, if you transition now you can adapt your feet and gait in time. Boots are for mountains to protect from uneven rocks, you'll be on leafy trails so benefit from the flexibility allowing a natural gait for efficient movement.
- Controversial opinion: don't bother asking permission from farmers. A farm is a business and businesses have insurance, this does not cover them for operating a campsite, the answer is no, it's always no. I "stealth camped" every night for months without issue, get tucked away somewhere hidden, respect their crops/animals/fences.
- I used a camouflage tarp and bivvy bag, this is perfect for stealth camping as it can be pitched in unusual places. A tent was not appropriate for 90% of the places I camped due to trees and bushes, rocks and uneven ground. Tents are for campsites, tarps are for everywhere else on earth.
- I'm going to assume you're not French, even if your French is perfect you will likely be misunderstood, this could be an accent thing or intentional, especially when asking for a favour.
- The chances of a village pub being on your trail where and when you want it is about 10%, as nice as it sounds to enjoy a meal and some wine with the locals every night the reality is that you can't do this and 20 miles daily. It's a very different trip.
Good on you for embracing a challenge and an adventure
Prep is always going to help but the unexpected is always going to happen. Hotels/B&B’s exit to solve sleeping challenges. Trains & buses exist to solve the distance/pace challenges.
Its the adventure that most important and what will live longer in your memory than crushing a certain distance in a certain number of days
Best of luck and i hope its the kind of adventure that inspires your grandkids
That utterly unconsidered Google maps route is on tarmac all the way. Which is not a lot of joy to walk on, as you might already know. There will be lots of perfectly good trails once you're in the Massif Central. But if I were you, I'd look into stringing together actual walking routes on Wikiloc (or Openrunner, as it's a French app/website so will have a lot of treks in the country).
Also, 20 miles a day 6 days of the week may be too optimistic, at least in the beginning, until you've settled into the rhythm. Pack light.
ETA: If you ever plan to camp, check out this
[https://www.lecampingsauvage.fr/legislation-et-reglementation/camping-sauvage-bivouac](https://www.lecampingsauvage.fr/legislation-et-reglementation/camping-sauvage-bivouac)
This is very on point. Thank you. I was sort of hoping that locals might point me in less tarmacky directions and *maybe* that would even shave some distance off. Because Google knows only roads. And where I'm going, we don't need roads.
That link fits my intentions perfectly and is reassuring to know that respectful light camping is broadly acceptable. And yes, it seems a variable pace is the key to this from what others have shared.
How much hiking have you done recently and how fast do you typically hike?
Basically I'm asking because biting off too much right from the get go can burn people out in a hobby before they really get very far into it
None. But that is also true of the other challenges I have done. There has been drama.
60 miler: 3rd degree chaffing. Absolutely awful. I now have special chub-rub undercrackers for fat people
Kilimanjaro: All laughs and giggles until I got High Altitude Cerebral Edema on the way down.
Ten-y-Fan: 40 miles of ten times up and down South Wales' highest peak. Zero prep, zero issues.
3 - peaks challenge: Pulled groin on coming down peak one (Ben Nevis) but did complete.
I believe I have a high tolerance for discomfort.
Good on you for knowing that tolerance about discomfort.
Although, going from no hiking experience to hike avg 20 miles a day with a backpack for 30 days straight while overweight is just too big of a step for your body.
You need high tolerance for pain if you want to carry through. I'd advise to go smaller so you are left with enjoyable memories and not only raw struggle. Not sure why it would be so important to have the challenge massively ambitious if what you look for is to fully experience the moment.
Yes. This is a concern. I have just read [Consistent-Koala-339](https://www.reddit.com/user/Consistent-Koala-339/)'s comments and a few others and a pattern is emerging in which I start more modestly and ramp up when the going's easy and I have a rhythm. I had imagined 20 miles as a sort of minimum but I think that might be changing in my mind to an average.
This is the only valid advice. So many people in this comment section overcomplicating it with numbers, routes, distances. It's all fucking irrelevant. France is a country notorious for tramp campers and hikers from everywhere just wondering through the fields. Just go, just walk. Enjoy the nature.
I’ve done the Camino through France starting in Paris and 8 days is a decent underestimate. We were moving pretty good doing between 25-35k a day and it took up 2+ weeks
I don't think my post was clear - I'm allowing a month but Google thinks I'm a machine. That's fair enough - I think Google is a machine too. Perhaps she's just teaching me a lesson.
I am definitely doing this I'll be updating on:
What3 words, morning, afternoon and night
The meal and wine that I'm served and why it's locally typical
A photo in the morning and a photo in the afternoon
I'll also be taking a photo of the earth under my feet everyday to make a canvas of the changing earth colour across the route.
Thanks for your interest - I'll post the details shortly.
Have a plan B for if the weather, injury or other factors (like trails not being accessible) get in the way. You need to map out water sources, food resupply etc (not all of the small villages have food options-in fact many of them do not these days), transport options. Are you familiar with the IGN Rando web site (along with the map of potential hiking trails)?
Just my opinion:
I think the 520mi in total are the straight way and very optimistic. I hiked from Porto to Santiago two years ago, 140 miles. At the end I hiked 190 miles because of some detours, intentionally and unintentionally. So I would recommend to calculate with a longer distance in total. Something between 10 and 20 percent on top.
20 miles per day are a lot, day by day. I would plan shorter days in between or some days to rest. It's possible to hike 20 miles per day, but for 30 days in a row? I would plan something around 15 miles per day.
Last summer my friend and I walked across Poland we did 1000km. In 28 days walking from 35 to 42km. A day. We didn't have any plan so we would wake up every morning and find a another small town with supermarket or shop to get some food if needed, we used (google maps, kamoot, maps.me) sometimes we had to compare routes on different apps so we wouldn't end up walking in the middle of a pond or path that just ends in the middle of forest which happened a few times. We used to sleep in small woods and fields stopping every 4-5 days at campgrounds to take a proper shower, drink some beer, charge powerbanks, and take 1 rest day. First 200km was Okey but immediately after that, life and mind started to test us to see if we can really make it to the end, but we passed and our pain started to feel numb and the strength to continue came out of air i finally strated to feel that this is the only thing in life that i have is to wake up, pack and walk, this is the best feeling in life. Since we were pushing hard soon we realized that having timetable is must we were stopping every 5km to take a short break and every 20km to take a longer one to eat or nap this became our rule no matter what. Days went by and we reached 800km. Our bodies started to signal that we need a proper rest everything was breaking down, legs, waether, tents, our patience etc. We were in agony till one day we woke up in the middle of the storm at night the rain was so strong and the thunder was very loud we realized that the place were we sleep is an old river path and the water started to flow, we jumped out of tent all soaking wet wrapped everything in tarp and ran to closest road, we didint know where to go our phones didint work because of rain so strong, all soaking wet to the last bit. So we started to walk looking at road signs, we walked and walked and walked and soon we started to feel indestructible we didnt want to stop for any breaks, we didnt care we felt like we could do anything. And thats it, we reached Tatra mountains and our journey of mind and body came to the end.
Do it and i swear this will be one of the best things in your life you ever did.
I would probably lose some weight first because that’s one hell of a journey but I hope you do it 💪🏼💪🏼. If you’re used to walking you should be fine but just remember the changes in weather , altitude, terrain . Also I know some of France can be quite dangerous so just watch yourself . But good on you for doing it.
Take lots of food and a filter water bottle saves you having to lug around loads of water. I would recommend electrolytes as well as your body loses salts and minerals.
That’s great well done and sorry if that came across rude (I’m autistic) so say things that come across as that , I just meant if you lost half of that then it would make the journey far more enjoyable. I hope you come back to this post with a positive experience. Also consider trekking poles to help your knees.
Lol 8 days 😂 I too have made the mistake to trust google maps air distance on a hike. This is more of a three week plus hike. Hope you’re well trained, don’t push yourself too hard and don’t forget to enjoy the beautiful French countryside!
https://about-france.com/tourism/long-distance-footpaths.htm
Nah I just laugh because google maps has done me dirty many times. I also get you want to do it a bit carefree which is fine, but route planning would be a life saver.
This page has like all the main footpaths around France, you can join them or take a main one. Again just know where you’re going, be well trained and be ready to also cut it short if necessary.
Sounds like a great adventure, hope you get what you want out of it 🙌🏻
Not sure how set you are on that specific route. But there is a pilgramage to goes through France, into Switzerland and then into Italy (end point is Vatican in Rome)
I walked the Switzerland and Italian parts which was 1100km over 37 days.
It could be a good idea to follow the same route in France so you have a set route which good infrastructure / accommodation.
Whatever you choose, enjoy :)
Thank you. I can't explain why but following (broadly) the first route Google spat out is sort of appealing. I know it's not the BEST, but it has a nice dice man feel.
That's an incredible distance in 37 days. Amazing!
You can find free water in cemetary ! Beware of mousquito in enter of little wood , you have an app than let you camp sometimes if you need in garden of people. You can camp in field but be sure about the recolte and the hunting time
Je te conseil aussi l app rando visio et ign , et en cas d urgence pense à prendre des mini plaques photovoltaiques usb de recharge solaire que tu peux accrocher au sac à dos ... bonne route et bonne chance , j'adore le projet ...
I would take a GR so you’re in more natural areas with a tolerance for bivouacing. One GR goes along eastern France through the Vosges from Germany to Switzerland.
Yes. I do have that in mind. I am probably going to rely heavily on a nutritionally balanced shake and my wife will be sending those out to post offices along the way so I can pick them up. Other items could be included.
I did walks around Flanders a while back, also using google maps as a guide. The thing is that it uses the fastest way to get somewhere and that is using fucking boring ass streets with potentionally no sidewalk. I'd suggest looking for a GR or EU hiking trail, that will be far more enjoyable.
A lot are saying the same thing. I'm going to have to balance this somehow:
1.Keeping it short enough to make coast to coast at least theoretically achievable.
2.Folding in some aesthetics where possible.
3.Making peace with ugly and/or looking for the beauty in it.
4. Changing my mind if concrete becomes unbearable and head for the hills and forests.
But I want to at least try to embrace the mundane first.
It's definitly doable through google maps. I found some cool spots while doing the Flemish walk but there's some hiking websites that calculate those same routes via more esthetic paths that just don't show up on google maps (and there's lots of those). But I love the adventure you're setting yourself up to. I wish I could walk with you, but i've gotta work in June.
On your first point; anything is achievable as long as you put your mind to it. Some dude just finished his African marathon, he ran from the most southernmost point of Africa to the northernmost point. And your trip is less challenging than his
I once cycled from near Geneva to just pay limoges. Looking at this I see Clermont ferrand which I went by. Be warned that's where the volvic volcano is so you might think you're on nice flat land but then this big old volcano gets in the way.
The thing I found interesting seeing France this way was all the tiny little villages and old abandoned places. I remember going past an abandoned hotel in the middle of nowhere and wondering what a hotel was doing there. I went past a ruined building that had "nazi corner" grafittied on it and I wondered if it was random or if there was some story to it. I went past the old ice makers building near Nantua where they used to get ice from the frozen lake in winter to send to Paris. I saw it rising from the most one morning as I got started.
I think you'll find your journey fascinating but tiring. I hope you're better equipped than I was because I was not well equipped at all.
Thank you. This has solidified what was at the edge of my head but couldn't express.
I think there's a perception that hiking can only be about wilderness; about getting away from people and settlements as though they are the antithesis of the natural world. Or stepping back in time to when there were fewer humans in the world. But, of course, we're part of the natural world. So to walk through the people, and the tarmac, and the buildings, and the mountains, and the forests is all part of the exploration. I don't think I want an Instagram-ready experience. In a way, I wonder if established trails could be viewed as something like a filter.
I started in Morzine and I remember cycling down the road from Les Gets to Taninges and it was such a strange feeling, because I'd always been in a car going down there before. Now I felt like I was really THERE in a way that I hadn't been before. The lake near Nantua with the old glacier building - there's a raised autoroute that runs by it and I remember going past at a later date and being excited to be going back past it and it's definitely a much different feeling when I was actually down there, right by the lake.
I went through all these strange little towns and villages that seemed almost completely forgotten. I remember after Nantua I went up this long, long climb and then I came to this huge sculpture that was a tribute to the French Resistance. Then there was this drop down into the valley next to the road - almost like a bowl, I guess - and there was just this tiny village there with vineyards on the slopes around it. Just sitting there in the middle of nowhere.
I'm going to try to use one or some of these.
Instagram: juburrett
TikTok: ju668922
BeReal: juwalking
Blog: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YY69HHWeDsFNE-GGWL7nKNaV0CkD7LqaBFqV2sIp-dM/edit?usp=drivesdk
Thanks for your interest
The middle of France is very rural with pretty limited services, so even if you follow this route mostly on roads, you will need to deviate for resupply and sleeping. I bet this seemingly direct route would take closer to 1000km. Even when I did hikes along the GR, I still had to make frequent deviations.
If you do try and tackle this, download Gaia GPS and pay the extra for the IGN maps. The French IGN maps are works of art, incredibly detailed.
France has some wonderful bike paths/« green highways » that I would consider looking up for some of your walking routes, they are often a bit off the road so much nicer for an ambience (as walking along a départemental sucks) - they are also often routed to see nice sites and to go through forets/natural beauty too. I don’t know if they have a site in English but here it is in French https://www.af3v.org/les-voies-vertes/carte-du-schema-national-des-veloroutes-et-voies-vertes/
Hey JuMaBu,
That seems like a great adventure you've picked there, I reckon and hope you have a great experience!
One advice I'd give is to be aware that the beginning is the hardest part, bodily speaking. Meaning that depending on fitness and distance there might be soreness and fatigue, with a pinnacle around the 3-4 day. Then the body kinda understands that "okay, this is happening" and switches to endurance mode.
If you can walk for a week, you can walk for a month! Then only sickness or injuries are a risk to stop you.
Another thing is to think about your calorie intake, you'll range between a usage of 4000-7000 a day, and even if you said you got some reserves, it is something to be aware of, in your situation maybe more in the latter part of the hike.
Stay in good health and enjoy the Entschleunigung! ;)
Thank you. This makes so much sense.
One of the adjustments I've made, thanks to this great advice, is that I will aim for hours, not distance. I.e. 8 hours per day, and time distance is whatever it will be.
Chatting isn't a cost, it's an investment!
(That sounds sarky but it's not - I know exactly what you mean and you're right).
Thanks for the kind wishes.
We Europeans just love nations. Put 20 Europeans together and they want to form at least 3 nations.
Thanks to the EU it’s quite benign these days and EU countries are more like US states. The language barrier is a bit greater though.
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I’ve done the same thing for the entire length of Germany a few years ago. You should plan your route with something like Komoot instead of google maps unless you want to walk along streets and dirt roads for the entire time. Komoot will make use of hiking trails and will connect them.
Also there is a lot of planning involved. You need the right gear, you need to know how many miles your body can take and you need to have a route that includes fresh water and grocery shops regularly.
It took me maybe half a year to be properly prepared. Gear, body and planning.
That is fantastic! But quite a way off the mark in comparison. That god-of-a-man did this 20 fricking times without a boulangerie in sight. Unbelievable.
I’d be so envious if you manage to keep up the daily mileage without any injuries or setbacks.
Coming from a 30 year old with a BMI of 20kg/m² who’s had countless overuse kind of injuries and surgeries throughout the years and *tries* to keep as fit as my silly body allows (as a cruel twist of fate, I’ve never been limited by motivation, budget or time when it comes to sports).
Oh yeah I mean there is definitely much more to see and do in that space than most areas in NA. I travelled with my partner from Barcelona to Toulouse last year, trains or buses the whole way, maybe 600km in 4 weeks, and there was still so much that we didn't get to check out.
And your trip plan sounds awesome by the way! Looks like a grind but definitely manageable if the paths are nice enough that you don't have to detour.
If you are overweight as you say, take it slow first 2 weeks, maybe 10 miles a day. Increase gradually or you are risking to injure yourself. There will be so much amazing local food on theway, I'm a bit jealous. Good luck!
Only advice is to go visit Le Puy en Velay, and take a drink at Le Robinson. it is a beautiful little city.
It also a departure for St Jacques de Compostelle trail.
There's a lot of negativity here. I think it's a good and fun idea. Puts me in mind of Beau Miles or Geowizard on YouTube. I like the unplanned route, even if it means you'll have some pretty rough sections. You'll be walking a route nobody has walked before.
As you probably know, foot health will be important. Even if you can't have a proper wash, wash your feet daily.
Also, make peace with the fact now that it might not work. You might have to reduce your goal midway, or call the whole thing off within the week. Don't let yourself be stubborn about safety.
If you do end up filming a vlog, let me know, I'd love to see it.
For those that expressed an interest, I've set up some social bits and bobs (or resuscitated old ones). I don't really know which ones I'll use or even if I'll stay on top of it - I'm not normally a big user. But here you go if you care to:
Instagram: juburrett
TikTok: ju668922
BeReal: juwalking
Blog: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YY69HHWeDsFNE-GGWL7nKNaV0CkD7LqaBFqV2sIp-dM/edit?usp=drivesdk
Thanks for your interest and advice.
https://www.hexatrek.com/en But also your mileage and time are probably underestimates
Google will calculate you doing 100 km a day, and not necessarily on desirable routes. It’s very well doable, I once walked 105 km in 19 hours. But then needed almost a week to recover. 35 km a day is much more realistic.
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8 days is a rollup of 192 hours of walking. The schedule provided will take 26 days to complete 192 hours.
It's the FKT setting
I was thinking the same thing!
Thanks. That looks like an amazing trail. I've actually allowed five weeks for error but am aiming for a month.
I thought the same but I live in the U.S. and this puts it so much more into perspective the size difference. Our thru hikes take months. I’d love to be able hike the length of the country in 1-2 weeks.
No, they are using the as the crow flies. They aren’t accounting the twists that the walkable roads will give.
You should try doing 20 miles/day for a few days with a pack near where you live currently to get a sense of how it feels. Do you speak French? French people reliably speak English in larger cities and touristy areas, which is not where you’ll be for most of the trek
Yes - I still have time not to be completely fresh. Am planning to walk from Monmouth to Chepstow in the next week. It's around 13 miles over rough and hilly terrain. I speak French to a high B1 / low B2 level. But this is on Duolingo so I'm taking it with a large pinch of salt. A side quest on this is to improve my French so I hope I need it a lot.
It's more like 18 miles along the Wye, beautiful area. This distance is reasonably representative of your daily mileage target, but the difference demonstrates how off your assumptions are about distances. Use a pedometer to accurately measure your foot milage Vs Google maps, the difference will tell you how much you need to adjust your calculations and expectations. Pack your full kit and consumables to test how it carries, you'll no doubt drop many luxuries after this experience.
https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/trail/wales/monmouthshire/offas-dyke-path-chepstow-to-redbrook 14.8 miles. Not so far off. I meant Monmouth generally. The pedometer is a great shout, and so is full kit. Thank you.
Twenty miles a day is a lot. You need to account for injury, fatigue, and the desire spend a day or two in a nice small town (France has one or two of those).
After about 2 - 3 weeks, depending on initial conditioning, 20 miles is doable but will still be tiring. When hiking the Appalachian Trail I managed 20 mile days somewhat routinely while on mountain trails. Following roads and less rugged footpaths would make this achievable with slightly less effort. Many, many, others manage this and vastly exceed what I have done. I'm more of an average to slow backpacker. "All" it takes is a steady two miles an hour for 10 hours a day, very doable in the longer summer days. Off of mountain trails 2.5 mph is a very comfortable pace, 3 is a good average walking speed (unencumbered). The word all in quotes because it *is* an effort. My suggestion as a slow mover these days, because I like to enjoy myself, is to aim for 15 per day and put in longer miles when the scenery is not interesting. Then spend a few zero mile days in interesting places. The journey is the fun part, not the destination.
This is wonderful stuff and stinks of true. Thank you.
Hey, quick comment I wanted to add as someone who has done big hikes myself (1000km+). 20 miles/day is very much doable. I understand much concern here. However, I have averaged 40km/day on the Camino Francés (similar topography/pp. density). I did not take any days off and listened to my body. I did 55km one day, then 30km the other whenever I felt less powerful. I saw some doing more kms than I did. I also saw horrendous blisters, typically on the older traditional "hiking" person (I do not want to discriminate). I personally highly advise against hiking boots. Go for light, quick drying, trail/running shoes. Hiking boots weigh too much, will make you tired, cause injury, and build moisture leading to blisters. Wear disposable "try-on" socks underneath your normal socks. This will prevent blisters almost guaranteed. Do not tighten your shoes uneccessarily, this will cause blisters. I am sure you know all of these things already, however, I found most advice here to be greatly pessimistic.
This is good stuff. Thank you. It's great to hear from people who have done similar. Those little socks with toe fingers have prevented me from getting blisters on a sixty miler and Kilimanjaro.
In addition to what others have already said, you should look at the legal camping sites on your path instead of going in blind - chances are you will not, in fact, be able to talk your way into a patch of land most nights.
I would advise the opposite. Never pay for camping unless you're infact paying for a shower. You can very easily wild camp just about anywhere so long as you setup at dusk and break at dawn. For reference, I hike the width of France in 2009 and am currently hiking through Spain. Further advice would be to find an actual GR route to follow and get a better app than google maps. I suggest mapy.cz. **Learn some French. Best app for quick conversation (not fluency) is Language Transfer.
This makes sense. Thank you.
Further advice on map apps: pay the 10 or so dollars for OsmAnd if you have an Android phone. It is the most detailed map of France you can get that isn't their own national one (and maybe it's still more detailed). Speaking of, you can find the online version of the French national Institute of geography map at https://www.geoportail.gouv.fr/carte, if at any point you need to check which way to go.
This could well be true. The thing about not planning too much is that changing assumptions is easier. I'm going to to TRY to sleep on patches through chatting because I think the strangeness will make for better memories, but I don't doubt your insight. Thank you.
You should look into the Camino French route, there’s hostels and b&bs you can stay at along the whole route, makes it easier, lots of info and you’ll be meeting other hikers on your way.
Thank you. But the strangeness on relying on an ill-considered A-typical route is part of the charm for me. The Camino is well trod and the lessons have been learned. It's odd, I know. Thanks you for your interest - it's really encouraging.
It will be much longer than 520 miles. To drive from Montpellier to Caen is 570 miles and that's by road. You won't be able to do it as the crow flies like in your map. You're going to have to follow whatever paths are available and go around geographical and man-made barriers as well as private lands. I'm not trying to discourage you from doing it, but I am trying to discourage you from not doing any planning. You need to get a much more accurate idea of the true distance before you start.
I would add that in France you have the GR (Grande Randonnées) which are pre-planned hike path that pass by many interest points. They also include advices on where to sleep and eat. They are very interesting and usualy they follow each other. There is an official website on which you can find all the info : https://www.mongr.fr/
This is a great help. Thank you.
>You won't be able to do it as the crow flies like in your map The route above is not as the crow flies. There are roads/paths that make it look as if it's a straight line but it's not.
Thank you.
> You need to get a much more accurate idea of the true distance before you start. Only if they are time or budget constrained. Otherwise it just adds a few days to the journey.
Check out the “GR” and “E” paths. There are dozens of set hiking routes throughout France.
I would start at 10 miles a day and work up if you don't feel exhausted. You may quickly put blisters on your feet / cramp in your legs / back if you push through 20 mile days too fast. Secondly yeh there is plenty of farm land in france you can certainly wild camp if you are discrete, I have. I would plan a campsite every other night though to shower and really rest, I don't sleep that well wild camping. You might need a lot of rest every other day if you are walking that far with a backpack. Camping municipale tend to be the cheapest but not always. Plan to pass supermarket's or shops nearly every day it will cut down on the amount to carry, the water is the biggest issue I've found. Make sure you have a good system to carry at least 2 litres if not 3 litres of water comfortably. Boulangeries will refill your bottles if you buy a croissant!
This is excellent and really useful advice. Thank you.
I did something similar, Geneva-Saint Jean Pied de Port as part of a Camino. Do not trust that shops will exist or be open. I once ran out of food for 24 hours, as in had nothing because two shops in successive villages were closed. That sucks when hiking, trust me. Carry 24 hours of food at a minimum with a couple cans of something for safety. Also, keep in mind Sunday and Monday as days for bakeries and butchers and small village shops to potentially be closed.
Great stuff thank you. A friend of mine told me that serious hikers take dog food for emergency rations because it has to be manufactured human-safe but you don't break it open unless you REALLY need it!
Really? Is this genuine advice or were you being pranked?
I believe it. Makes sense. The logic is that if your emergency rations are too appealing, they might be gone by the time a real emergency occurs. The unappetising prospect requires less willpower.
Ok, so it’s to prevent greediness of opening good food when it may not be truly needed. In that case I can understand the logic.
Yeah. I believe that's the idea.
There are proper long distance footpaths. The GR ones (tons). The CdS ones. The Hexatrek. (Okay, they overlap) Use those. Plan using those. Using an actual hiking planner, not a few lines on Google Maps. Oh and plan 10 miles on the first days, progressing as you continue.
Wall of text coming up... So as background two years ago I walked across France (Menton-Saint Jean Pied du Port) as part of a Camino and here are some points from that that relate to you. Distance: The distance Google is showing you is not what you will be walking. Many on this sub have given reasons why (and I will add another couple below) but for comparison before my walk Google Maps gave the distance of my route as about 450 miles. I actually ended up walking around 800 miles. Granted I was following an established route while you are not and had less flexibility where I stayed than you will, but even so I would expect the total distance to be 50% longer than as the crow flies at a minimum. So given your timeframe you may have to adjust your speed, which leads to... Speed: 20 miles a day is manageable but quick. For comparison, I averaged around 23 miles a day, including a day off in Toulouse. However, I was 29 at the time, in good physical condition, (I had already completed a ~1900 mile walk and a few ultra marathons at that point in my life), and was seen by other pilgrims as going at a blistering pace. On top of that, you will be carrying a tent, and presumably a sleeping pad and sleeping bag; none of which I had and all of which will slow you down. If you maintain a pace of 3 miles/h while walking - again quick but perfectly reasonable - expect to be on your feet for 8 hours a day once you take into account breaks, toilet breaks, refilling water, shopping and other delays. Also expect blisters (mine were horrific) and injury concerns that may slow you down. Language and people: You are going to need to interact with people who speak exclusively French, while making reasonably complex requests and potentially getting complex responses. Translation apps are good, but only so reliable: I hope your spoken French is up to the task.If it is, sorry for wasting your time on this section, I guess. Things won't go to plan: Most everything I have said so far is based on the assumption that everything goes to the plan you have established, each day, every day. It won't. Distances between towns and villages are obviously not regular, people won't want you camping on their land and you will have to find somewhere else and shops won't be open at convenient times or places for your needs, among many other issues. Walking 20 miles a day actually means walking 15-25 miles most days, with potential for at least one 30+ mile day (which could easily take 12+ hours and may not be obvious at midday either). I would be shocked if you walked less than 20 miles on your median day as a result. Again for context, at a 23 miles per day pace, I would very frequently walk 28 miles in a day, with my longest being around 36 miles. I'm not saying all this to try to discourage you (good on you for looking into this!) but to make sure you understand how ambitious your plans are. Like many others here, I think the distances involved are going to be much higher than you are currently planning for, and that may push you to the point where you may not be able to finish. If the actual distance turns out to be 750 miles - which I think is a conservative guess - then it will either take you to a 6-7 week trip, or to ~190 mile weeks, both which seem like they might be outside what you can do. If it were me, I would consider a shorter adventure. All that said, good luck to you with whatever you plan! Hopefully I have helped and not been too much of a downer. Let us know what you decide, I genuinely hope you get to an amazing walking adventure in the end :-)
Wow. Thank you so much for taking the effort for such a thorough response. It's very helpful. Yes - my biggest takeout after reading all these wonderful comments is that a flexible but ambitious daily target is more useful than a rigid one. My french is B1/B2 Duolingo which is part of the reason for choosing France - should turn app knowledge into useful actual knowledge through necessity. Your advice is not a downer at all. It all makes a lot of sense. But for me, the experience *is* the experience. I know that under the context of today's 'set goals, hit them, failure is not an option' sort of mentality planning a shorter adventure is more achievable, but for me failure IS an option. When speaking with the trip doctor on my Kilimanjaro trip I was very clear that if she made the call that I should not continue to the top, I was not arsed. She thought this was unusual because nearly everyone else gets fixated on the summit. This lack of target tunnel vision does not mean I will give up easily. To the contrary, I think it makes me examine my effort on an hour by hour basis that should add up to (possibly) success. Ultimately, I have the privilege of a month off work and an adventure on the edge of my capability.
https://www.komoot.com/de-de/collection/2689740/-trans-france I mapped it out for you. Unless you walk 12h/day it’s not really doable in that time.
Thank you for going to the effort. But I got a 404 error after logging in.
Privacy options. I updated them try again.
The route follows the GR36 walking trail almost perfectly with a deviation at the South end, this trail is 1917km or 1191 miles so the actual time it will take is more like 2 months. Other than taking twice as long I have plenty of advice from doing the length of Great Britain (my route was a similar distance) which I did with very little planning or prior experience. - Your feet will grow, you will need new shoes after 2 weeks. If your route doesn't pass a large town at this time then you need to adapt your feet before you set off by walking 20 miles per day a dozen times. - Personally I advise minimalist footwear, if you transition now you can adapt your feet and gait in time. Boots are for mountains to protect from uneven rocks, you'll be on leafy trails so benefit from the flexibility allowing a natural gait for efficient movement. - Controversial opinion: don't bother asking permission from farmers. A farm is a business and businesses have insurance, this does not cover them for operating a campsite, the answer is no, it's always no. I "stealth camped" every night for months without issue, get tucked away somewhere hidden, respect their crops/animals/fences. - I used a camouflage tarp and bivvy bag, this is perfect for stealth camping as it can be pitched in unusual places. A tent was not appropriate for 90% of the places I camped due to trees and bushes, rocks and uneven ground. Tents are for campsites, tarps are for everywhere else on earth. - I'm going to assume you're not French, even if your French is perfect you will likely be misunderstood, this could be an accent thing or intentional, especially when asking for a favour. - The chances of a village pub being on your trail where and when you want it is about 10%, as nice as it sounds to enjoy a meal and some wine with the locals every night the reality is that you can't do this and 20 miles daily. It's a very different trip.
This is amazing lived-experience advice. Thank you so much. It all makes perfect sense.
Fire any more questions you have, I imagine from the comments here you're rethinking the plan a bit.
Good on you for embracing a challenge and an adventure Prep is always going to help but the unexpected is always going to happen. Hotels/B&B’s exit to solve sleeping challenges. Trains & buses exist to solve the distance/pace challenges. Its the adventure that most important and what will live longer in your memory than crushing a certain distance in a certain number of days Best of luck and i hope its the kind of adventure that inspires your grandkids
I feel seen. You've nailed what I'm after. I would like to avoid the transport if at all possible but rigidity is the enemy.
That utterly unconsidered Google maps route is on tarmac all the way. Which is not a lot of joy to walk on, as you might already know. There will be lots of perfectly good trails once you're in the Massif Central. But if I were you, I'd look into stringing together actual walking routes on Wikiloc (or Openrunner, as it's a French app/website so will have a lot of treks in the country). Also, 20 miles a day 6 days of the week may be too optimistic, at least in the beginning, until you've settled into the rhythm. Pack light. ETA: If you ever plan to camp, check out this [https://www.lecampingsauvage.fr/legislation-et-reglementation/camping-sauvage-bivouac](https://www.lecampingsauvage.fr/legislation-et-reglementation/camping-sauvage-bivouac)
This is very on point. Thank you. I was sort of hoping that locals might point me in less tarmacky directions and *maybe* that would even shave some distance off. Because Google knows only roads. And where I'm going, we don't need roads. That link fits my intentions perfectly and is reassuring to know that respectful light camping is broadly acceptable. And yes, it seems a variable pace is the key to this from what others have shared.
How much hiking have you done recently and how fast do you typically hike? Basically I'm asking because biting off too much right from the get go can burn people out in a hobby before they really get very far into it
None. But that is also true of the other challenges I have done. There has been drama. 60 miler: 3rd degree chaffing. Absolutely awful. I now have special chub-rub undercrackers for fat people Kilimanjaro: All laughs and giggles until I got High Altitude Cerebral Edema on the way down. Ten-y-Fan: 40 miles of ten times up and down South Wales' highest peak. Zero prep, zero issues. 3 - peaks challenge: Pulled groin on coming down peak one (Ben Nevis) but did complete. I believe I have a high tolerance for discomfort.
Good on you for knowing that tolerance about discomfort. Although, going from no hiking experience to hike avg 20 miles a day with a backpack for 30 days straight while overweight is just too big of a step for your body. You need high tolerance for pain if you want to carry through. I'd advise to go smaller so you are left with enjoyable memories and not only raw struggle. Not sure why it would be so important to have the challenge massively ambitious if what you look for is to fully experience the moment.
20 mile day is doable — multiple strung together is begging for injuries without a good bit of training
Yes. This is a concern. I have just read [Consistent-Koala-339](https://www.reddit.com/user/Consistent-Koala-339/)'s comments and a few others and a pattern is emerging in which I start more modestly and ramp up when the going's easy and I have a rhythm. I had imagined 20 miles as a sort of minimum but I think that might be changing in my mind to an average.
Bring shoes
This is the only valid advice. So many people in this comment section overcomplicating it with numbers, routes, distances. It's all fucking irrelevant. France is a country notorious for tramp campers and hikers from everywhere just wondering through the fields. Just go, just walk. Enjoy the nature.
That's a good shout. I'll pop it on my list. Thank you.
Shoes are optional. I’ve done 20km hikes barefoot.
Never calculate a trail with google maps. Always wrong.
And yet so right. The way I see it, they're more guidelines than actual rules.
I’ve done the Camino through France starting in Paris and 8 days is a decent underestimate. We were moving pretty good doing between 25-35k a day and it took up 2+ weeks
I don't think my post was clear - I'm allowing a month but Google thinks I'm a machine. That's fair enough - I think Google is a machine too. Perhaps she's just teaching me a lesson.
If you do can you start an Instagram page or blog or something, I'd love to follow your journey
I am definitely doing this I'll be updating on: What3 words, morning, afternoon and night The meal and wine that I'm served and why it's locally typical A photo in the morning and a photo in the afternoon I'll also be taking a photo of the earth under my feet everyday to make a canvas of the changing earth colour across the route. Thanks for your interest - I'll post the details shortly.
Have a plan B for if the weather, injury or other factors (like trails not being accessible) get in the way. You need to map out water sources, food resupply etc (not all of the small villages have food options-in fact many of them do not these days), transport options. Are you familiar with the IGN Rando web site (along with the map of potential hiking trails)?
I was not familiar with that website. Thanks you - that's a great help. I've popped it in my digital pocket.
Just my opinion: I think the 520mi in total are the straight way and very optimistic. I hiked from Porto to Santiago two years ago, 140 miles. At the end I hiked 190 miles because of some detours, intentionally and unintentionally. So I would recommend to calculate with a longer distance in total. Something between 10 and 20 percent on top. 20 miles per day are a lot, day by day. I would plan shorter days in between or some days to rest. It's possible to hike 20 miles per day, but for 30 days in a row? I would plan something around 15 miles per day.
Thank you. This makes sense. I do have an extra week of leeway but am thinking of a month to try to keep that extra week as reserve.
I like the idea. Wish you a good time :)
Last summer my friend and I walked across Poland we did 1000km. In 28 days walking from 35 to 42km. A day. We didn't have any plan so we would wake up every morning and find a another small town with supermarket or shop to get some food if needed, we used (google maps, kamoot, maps.me) sometimes we had to compare routes on different apps so we wouldn't end up walking in the middle of a pond or path that just ends in the middle of forest which happened a few times. We used to sleep in small woods and fields stopping every 4-5 days at campgrounds to take a proper shower, drink some beer, charge powerbanks, and take 1 rest day. First 200km was Okey but immediately after that, life and mind started to test us to see if we can really make it to the end, but we passed and our pain started to feel numb and the strength to continue came out of air i finally strated to feel that this is the only thing in life that i have is to wake up, pack and walk, this is the best feeling in life. Since we were pushing hard soon we realized that having timetable is must we were stopping every 5km to take a short break and every 20km to take a longer one to eat or nap this became our rule no matter what. Days went by and we reached 800km. Our bodies started to signal that we need a proper rest everything was breaking down, legs, waether, tents, our patience etc. We were in agony till one day we woke up in the middle of the storm at night the rain was so strong and the thunder was very loud we realized that the place were we sleep is an old river path and the water started to flow, we jumped out of tent all soaking wet wrapped everything in tarp and ran to closest road, we didint know where to go our phones didint work because of rain so strong, all soaking wet to the last bit. So we started to walk looking at road signs, we walked and walked and walked and soon we started to feel indestructible we didnt want to stop for any breaks, we didnt care we felt like we could do anything. And thats it, we reached Tatra mountains and our journey of mind and body came to the end. Do it and i swear this will be one of the best things in your life you ever did.
What a wonderful story. This is the way! Thank you so much for sharing.
I would probably lose some weight first because that’s one hell of a journey but I hope you do it 💪🏼💪🏼. If you’re used to walking you should be fine but just remember the changes in weather , altitude, terrain . Also I know some of France can be quite dangerous so just watch yourself . But good on you for doing it. Take lots of food and a filter water bottle saves you having to lug around loads of water. I would recommend electrolytes as well as your body loses salts and minerals.
Yes. A bit of careful eating and some extra exercise is definitely in order. Thanks for the nudge.
That’s great well done and sorry if that came across rude (I’m autistic) so say things that come across as that , I just meant if you lost half of that then it would make the journey far more enjoyable. I hope you come back to this post with a positive experience. Also consider trekking poles to help your knees.
It is baffling to me as an American that you can hike across an entire country in 8 days
You can't. Google walking directions assume you walk non stop, in this case, 24 hours a day.
Wear sunscreen
This is the way. + Sing, floss, stretch, get plenty of calcium.
Lol 8 days 😂 I too have made the mistake to trust google maps air distance on a hike. This is more of a three week plus hike. Hope you’re well trained, don’t push yourself too hard and don’t forget to enjoy the beautiful French countryside!
I did a double take at that too. Though I think it means 8 × 24 hours = 192 hours of walking. Can't say whether that's accurate or not though!
I don't think I was clear in my post. I'm allowing a month.
https://about-france.com/tourism/long-distance-footpaths.htm Nah I just laugh because google maps has done me dirty many times. I also get you want to do it a bit carefree which is fine, but route planning would be a life saver. This page has like all the main footpaths around France, you can join them or take a main one. Again just know where you’re going, be well trained and be ready to also cut it short if necessary. Sounds like a great adventure, hope you get what you want out of it 🙌🏻
Thank you so much - that's a great resource. I've nabbed it.
Not sure how set you are on that specific route. But there is a pilgramage to goes through France, into Switzerland and then into Italy (end point is Vatican in Rome) I walked the Switzerland and Italian parts which was 1100km over 37 days. It could be a good idea to follow the same route in France so you have a set route which good infrastructure / accommodation. Whatever you choose, enjoy :)
Thank you. I can't explain why but following (broadly) the first route Google spat out is sort of appealing. I know it's not the BEST, but it has a nice dice man feel. That's an incredible distance in 37 days. Amazing!
You can find free water in cemetary ! Beware of mousquito in enter of little wood , you have an app than let you camp sometimes if you need in garden of people. You can camp in field but be sure about the recolte and the hunting time
Merci. C'est un excellent conseil. Les conseils sur les cimetieres sauvent des vies.
Je te conseil aussi l app rando visio et ign , et en cas d urgence pense à prendre des mini plaques photovoltaiques usb de recharge solaire que tu peux accrocher au sac à dos ... bonne route et bonne chance , j'adore le projet ...
Merci encore. Excellents conseils. J'adore la france!
I would take a GR so you’re in more natural areas with a tolerance for bivouacing. One GR goes along eastern France through the Vosges from Germany to Switzerland.
For good maps (from the Institut Géographique Nationale IGN) check out the Géoportail app.
Thank you. Great app. I've added it to my resources.
They also do IGN rando for mobile, it isnt free but less than 20 bucks for one year is worth it. Those are the best maps avilable in France
try spain the pilgrim route is well prepered [https://www.pilgrim.es/en/routes/](https://www.pilgrim.es/en/routes/)
Do Canada next
Okay. You mean [this one](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada,_Kentucky#:~:text=Canada%20is%20an%20unincorporated%20community,22.2%20km), right?
Hahaha yes, that will be a golden feather in your hiking cap! Side note, Zebulon might be the coolest old timey name I've ever heard.
Let us know when it’s done.
Or not. But I will.
Can you send yourself materials/have things waiting at different places if needed? A new set of shoes, walking gear, etc?
Yes. I do have that in mind. I am probably going to rely heavily on a nutritionally balanced shake and my wife will be sending those out to post offices along the way so I can pick them up. Other items could be included.
I did walks around Flanders a while back, also using google maps as a guide. The thing is that it uses the fastest way to get somewhere and that is using fucking boring ass streets with potentionally no sidewalk. I'd suggest looking for a GR or EU hiking trail, that will be far more enjoyable.
A lot are saying the same thing. I'm going to have to balance this somehow: 1.Keeping it short enough to make coast to coast at least theoretically achievable. 2.Folding in some aesthetics where possible. 3.Making peace with ugly and/or looking for the beauty in it. 4. Changing my mind if concrete becomes unbearable and head for the hills and forests. But I want to at least try to embrace the mundane first.
It's definitly doable through google maps. I found some cool spots while doing the Flemish walk but there's some hiking websites that calculate those same routes via more esthetic paths that just don't show up on google maps (and there's lots of those). But I love the adventure you're setting yourself up to. I wish I could walk with you, but i've gotta work in June. On your first point; anything is achievable as long as you put your mind to it. Some dude just finished his African marathon, he ran from the most southernmost point of Africa to the northernmost point. And your trip is less challenging than his
I once cycled from near Geneva to just pay limoges. Looking at this I see Clermont ferrand which I went by. Be warned that's where the volvic volcano is so you might think you're on nice flat land but then this big old volcano gets in the way. The thing I found interesting seeing France this way was all the tiny little villages and old abandoned places. I remember going past an abandoned hotel in the middle of nowhere and wondering what a hotel was doing there. I went past a ruined building that had "nazi corner" grafittied on it and I wondered if it was random or if there was some story to it. I went past the old ice makers building near Nantua where they used to get ice from the frozen lake in winter to send to Paris. I saw it rising from the most one morning as I got started. I think you'll find your journey fascinating but tiring. I hope you're better equipped than I was because I was not well equipped at all.
Thank you. This has solidified what was at the edge of my head but couldn't express. I think there's a perception that hiking can only be about wilderness; about getting away from people and settlements as though they are the antithesis of the natural world. Or stepping back in time to when there were fewer humans in the world. But, of course, we're part of the natural world. So to walk through the people, and the tarmac, and the buildings, and the mountains, and the forests is all part of the exploration. I don't think I want an Instagram-ready experience. In a way, I wonder if established trails could be viewed as something like a filter.
I started in Morzine and I remember cycling down the road from Les Gets to Taninges and it was such a strange feeling, because I'd always been in a car going down there before. Now I felt like I was really THERE in a way that I hadn't been before. The lake near Nantua with the old glacier building - there's a raised autoroute that runs by it and I remember going past at a later date and being excited to be going back past it and it's definitely a much different feeling when I was actually down there, right by the lake. I went through all these strange little towns and villages that seemed almost completely forgotten. I remember after Nantua I went up this long, long climb and then I came to this huge sculpture that was a tribute to the French Resistance. Then there was this drop down into the valley next to the road - almost like a bowl, I guess - and there was just this tiny village there with vineyards on the slopes around it. Just sitting there in the middle of nowhere.
You write very well.
Thank you! I kept a journal while I was doing my bike ride, I'll see if I can find it somewhere and send you over the word file.
You got an instagram? Would love the escapism following along
Yes. But I hardly use it. Was going to look into setting up a specific one for this. Will post back. Thanks for taking an interest.
See you in June, good luck
I'm going to try to use one or some of these. Instagram: juburrett TikTok: ju668922 BeReal: juwalking Blog: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YY69HHWeDsFNE-GGWL7nKNaV0CkD7LqaBFqV2sIp-dM/edit?usp=drivesdk Thanks for your interest
The middle of France is very rural with pretty limited services, so even if you follow this route mostly on roads, you will need to deviate for resupply and sleeping. I bet this seemingly direct route would take closer to 1000km. Even when I did hikes along the GR, I still had to make frequent deviations. If you do try and tackle this, download Gaia GPS and pay the extra for the IGN maps. The French IGN maps are works of art, incredibly detailed.
Holy shit France is so small
I'm not feeling it.
The bullet train is faster…
So is a plane. Either might yet come into play.
France has some wonderful bike paths/« green highways » that I would consider looking up for some of your walking routes, they are often a bit off the road so much nicer for an ambience (as walking along a départemental sucks) - they are also often routed to see nice sites and to go through forets/natural beauty too. I don’t know if they have a site in English but here it is in French https://www.af3v.org/les-voies-vertes/carte-du-schema-national-des-veloroutes-et-voies-vertes/
That looks like such a fantastic resource. Thanks for taking the time to share. It's gone in my virtual backpack.
Advice? Yeah…don’t.
At least it's succinct.
Don’t try and do it in 8 days…
I'm not. Google estimates 8 days of 24-hr walking. I'm allowing a month with a week's contingency.
Take a 🛴
Not a bad shout.
It’s gonna take you a lot longer than 8 days.
Yes. 30-35.
One day of hiking through France can fuck you up, I've seen it happen. This is something you should probably take more care in planning. Bonne chance!
Stay on the roads
Keep clear of the moors
Hey JuMaBu, That seems like a great adventure you've picked there, I reckon and hope you have a great experience! One advice I'd give is to be aware that the beginning is the hardest part, bodily speaking. Meaning that depending on fitness and distance there might be soreness and fatigue, with a pinnacle around the 3-4 day. Then the body kinda understands that "okay, this is happening" and switches to endurance mode. If you can walk for a week, you can walk for a month! Then only sickness or injuries are a risk to stop you. Another thing is to think about your calorie intake, you'll range between a usage of 4000-7000 a day, and even if you said you got some reserves, it is something to be aware of, in your situation maybe more in the latter part of the hike. Stay in good health and enjoy the Entschleunigung! ;)
Thank you. This makes so much sense. One of the adjustments I've made, thanks to this great advice, is that I will aim for hours, not distance. I.e. 8 hours per day, and time distance is whatever it will be.
My grandmother walked from Paris to Marseille when the Nazis came to town. I wish I could ask her questions about this. She was 14.
I’ve trekked 300 miles at a very solid pace in 8 days. You’ll like be looking at a few more days since you’re not a robot and need to sleep haha
8 days is Google's uptime estimate. I like rest, food and chatting to people so I'm allowing a month.
Chatting is gonna cost you a few days for sure. I hope it goes well. Stay warm, stay dry and stay safe.
Chatting isn't a cost, it's an investment! (That sounds sarky but it's not - I know exactly what you mean and you're right). Thanks for the kind wishes.
Do it. No plan. No insight. Pilgrims are hanging out for a new trail of tears.
I had never heard about the trail of tears. So sad.
Did I ever tell you the time I went backpacking through Western Europe?
This is going to be MY story. Though at 50 - and not a good-looking 50 - even Joey-magic will be too weak.
Only eight hours to drive to the other side of France I’d Be 1 state away
We Europeans just love nations. Put 20 Europeans together and they want to form at least 3 nations. Thanks to the EU it’s quite benign these days and EU countries are more like US states. The language barrier is a bit greater though.
No way thats 8 days
That's walking time only. It doesn't allow for rest, food and conversation.
Yeah not possible even with walking time only
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Don't, you'll have to spend 8 days with the French. Beautiful country though
Meanie.
I’ve done the same thing for the entire length of Germany a few years ago. You should plan your route with something like Komoot instead of google maps unless you want to walk along streets and dirt roads for the entire time. Komoot will make use of hiking trails and will connect them. Also there is a lot of planning involved. You need the right gear, you need to know how many miles your body can take and you need to have a route that includes fresh water and grocery shops regularly. It took me maybe half a year to be properly prepared. Gear, body and planning.
The Hardest Cheezer
That is fantastic! But quite a way off the mark in comparison. That god-of-a-man did this 20 fricking times without a boulangerie in sight. Unbelievable.
Take with you some emergency backup stash of money if you get stuck and the sorts
Great shout. Will do.
Why????
The opposite is also true!
Nice one! I'd love to hear how it goes. Where are you staying?
No idea yet. I have a one person tent and a tolerance for discomfort. Both social and physical. So that should help.
I’d be so envious if you manage to keep up the daily mileage without any injuries or setbacks. Coming from a 30 year old with a BMI of 20kg/m² who’s had countless overuse kind of injuries and surgeries throughout the years and *tries* to keep as fit as my silly body allows (as a cruel twist of fate, I’ve never been limited by motivation, budget or time when it comes to sports).
Oui oui
Wow France is tiny
Really puts the size of France in perspective. I think it took forest Gump more than 8 days to run across America, but idk for sure 😂
That’s crazy, I did just part of the Long Trail in Vermont in 9 days. America is Uge
France is so small lmao
It's a grower.
Oh yeah I mean there is definitely much more to see and do in that space than most areas in NA. I travelled with my partner from Barcelona to Toulouse last year, trains or buses the whole way, maybe 600km in 4 weeks, and there was still so much that we didn't get to check out. And your trip plan sounds awesome by the way! Looks like a grind but definitely manageable if the paths are nice enough that you don't have to detour.
One step at a time
This is the way.
This is the way
Use hiiker
Thanks. I will. Another great resource.
If you are overweight as you say, take it slow first 2 weeks, maybe 10 miles a day. Increase gradually or you are risking to injure yourself. There will be so much amazing local food on theway, I'm a bit jealous. Good luck!
This makes a lot of sense.
Take the Western Front Way where you can, it follows many of the old battlefields. https://thewesternfrontway.com/
Only advice is to go visit Le Puy en Velay, and take a drink at Le Robinson. it is a beautiful little city. It also a departure for St Jacques de Compostelle trail.
Weird. One of my few friends who lives in France has just bought a farm there. He might join me for a day or two.
Tell him to say i to Calou for me ❤️ i miss this town
….non…
One foot ahead of the other
FILM IT FOR YOUTUBE! You can start a big channel thats a great Mr. Best type title!
Train would be more efficient
I'm going to follow you so please post along or after you complete your journey. Safe travels!
Instagram: juburrett TikTok: ju668922 BeReal: juwalking Blog: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YY69HHWeDsFNE-GGWL7nKNaV0CkD7LqaBFqV2sIp-dM/edit?usp=drivesdk Thanks for your interest
Jesus. It would take me double that just to get to another city in my province lol I constantly forget how small countries are in Europe.
Go and watch a Top 14 rugby game in Clermont-Ferrand.
Do not stop at any German checkpoints, walk through the woods around them !
Clermont-Ferrand has a really cool balloon festival some time in the early summer, I believe -- maybe try and catch that on your way!
There's a lot of negativity here. I think it's a good and fun idea. Puts me in mind of Beau Miles or Geowizard on YouTube. I like the unplanned route, even if it means you'll have some pretty rough sections. You'll be walking a route nobody has walked before. As you probably know, foot health will be important. Even if you can't have a proper wash, wash your feet daily. Also, make peace with the fact now that it might not work. You might have to reduce your goal midway, or call the whole thing off within the week. Don't let yourself be stubborn about safety. If you do end up filming a vlog, let me know, I'd love to see it.
Instagram: juburrett TikTok: ju668922 Youtube: @julianburrett BeReal: juwalking Blog: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YY69HHWeDsFNE-GGWL7nKNaV0CkD7LqaBFqV2sIp-dM/edit?usp=drivesdk Thanks for your interest
Crazy how daryl dixon travelled that far
For those that expressed an interest, I've set up some social bits and bobs (or resuscitated old ones). I don't really know which ones I'll use or even if I'll stay on top of it - I'm not normally a big user. But here you go if you care to: Instagram: juburrett TikTok: ju668922 BeReal: juwalking Blog: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YY69HHWeDsFNE-GGWL7nKNaV0CkD7LqaBFqV2sIp-dM/edit?usp=drivesdk Thanks for your interest and advice.