SPECIFIC NEWS
FROM & ABOUT THE PATHS (GRs):


ALPS & GR 5:

ALTERNATE ALPS WALK ON THE GR 4 WHEN SNOW CLOSES THE GR 5 - A recommendation for those walkers wanting to walk in the Alps in spring and autumn when the Grande Traversée [GR 5] is blocked by snow and too dangerous, is to try GR 4 instead. GR 4 is a 200-mile crossing of the Alpes de Provence, running in a SE/NW slant from industrially-perfumed Grasse to Pont St Esprit on the Rhone. It goes via the Gorge du Verdon and Mont Ventoux. I've walked it in April. Sometimes then you can cross Mont Ventoux, and sometimes not. If not, then take GR 9 which hugs its shoulders below the snowline. A fantastic walk—and much less travelled than the perhaps now over-famous GR 5.

– Mark M., 26 April '02

GENEVA TO CHAMONIX ON THE GR 5 IN SEPTEMBER - We are hoping to walk the GR 5 from Geneva to Chamonix in mid-late September. Do you think this time of year is OK? Unfortunately September is the only time we can go. Also, will the refuges be open in September and what is the best way of finding the addresses, details & locations of the refuges/gîtes along the route? How long will this stretch take—we are relatively fit and walked the West Highland Way last year and found it pretty easy going.

– Vanessa, England, 4 July '01

– From BLeF - There are websites that will help you find the addresses, opening and closing dates, locations, etc. of the gites and refuges along your route. They are listed on my links page under the "Accommodations" subheading. I particularly recommend the site www.gites-refuges.com. See also the FFRP topo-guide #504, le Leman à Mont Blanc, which will give you the length and difficulty of the various stages of that route as well as more information on accommodations. Even though this guide is in French you will still find it extremely useful.

The weather at that time of the year can be glorious but it can also be, in some years, stormy and dangerous for those traveling at altitude. Though it might seem that you will only be climbing up to the high country, the reality is you will be crossing a couple of passes over 2000 meters (Bossetan at 2290 and d'Anterne at 2264) where the weather can be snowy at any time of the year. And there are numerous passes along the route just under 2000 meters—this is definitely walking at altitude. My advice is that you should be very cautious. Be sure to check weather forecasts each day before you set out.

As you probably already know, the GR 5 leaves Lake Leman at Thonom-les-Bains, a short ferry ride up the lake from Geneva

ONLINE GUIDE TO THE CHARTREUSE - www.braemoor.co.uk, a site mounted and maintained by John Braemoor from the UK, offers a thorough and informative section dedicated to walking in the Chartreuse region, which is located in the Alps north of Grenoble. This is a fine source of information for the walker that covers a relatively unknown area.

– BLeF, 30 April '01

CELL PHONES FOR GR 5 WALK - Do you have any advice on cellphones for use on the Lake Geneva to Nice portion of the GR 5? Specifically, I'm wondering if, for a two month walk,it would be cheaper to rent one in France, buy one in France, or try to find one in the U.S. that will work in France. Does anyone have experience with coverage on that portion of the GR 5? We are thinking it would be handy to have one to phone ahead to see if there is space in a gite or hotel.

– Elaine & Ned, 15 April '01

– Comment from BLeF - I've never used a cell-phone in Europe so I'm afraid that I don't have much to say. It does seem that a phone would be a handy thing to have, particularly when walking the GR 5 where accommodations can fill up quickly. It could also, of course, help in any emergency—see emergency numbers.

HAUTE ROUTE - My husband and I are preparing to backpack the Haute Route this summer. Do you have any suggestions or recommdations about this route. We are from North Carolina and do a lot of backpacking on the Applachian Trail. Is this trek going to be more or less challengeing than the AT? Will there be enough places for us to camp along the way? Do we need to bring any mountaineering gear? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

We are planning to go from Chamonix to Zermatt. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Any special sites to look for along the way?

– Joyce B., North Carolina, 3, 25 April '01

– From BLeF - Plenty of places to camp in France—French law allows camping anywhere above the treeline. But in Switzerland you must camp only in designated campgrounds. Certainly more strenuous because of the altitude and the abruptness of the slopes, but you will find a great deal more in the way of accommodations, refuges, gîtes—in other words civilization than in the Appalachians. As far as I know, no mountaineering gear needed except perhaps an ice ax if you go early in the summer when there is still snow on the passes.

ENGLISH-LANGUAGE GUIDES TO THE GR 5 - For a list of English-language guides to the GR 5, go to Maps and Guidebooks.

– BLeF, 16 February '01

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SILLANS-LA-CASCADE AREA OF PROVENCE - I have ordered from (the IGN) Top 25-3443OT, Aups-Salernes (they say that Sillans la Cacade is about in the middle of that one) and Top 100-068 Toulon-Nice for a lager scale view of the area. I hope that contourlines will be on the Top 25 (at the least—maybe the other as well).

Any suggestions for that area? Other maps? Walks? Points of interest?

– Kevin C., 22 January '01

– From BLeF - Years ago I bicycled through Aups, but I'm afraid I don't remember much about the area. However, just north of there are the Gorges du Verdon, an area with many beautiful walks, including, of course, the classic walk down the canyon.

Yes, the Top 25 maps have contour lines (interval 10 meters) as do the Top 100 (interval 20 meters). I would suggest that you also obtain the Didier-Richard maps #24 and #25. (Sillans is near the edge of map #25, so you'll need both.) The scale is 1:50,000, and they show prominently ALL the major trails in the region, not just the GR and GRP trails. You'll find them very useful. (For sources, see "Maps" and "Links" on this website.)

JANUARY AND FEBRUARY LONG-DISTANCE WALKING ON THE GR 5 - We do a great deal of long-distance backpacking and recently have gotten into Europe-style long distance walking as we get older, but have never been to France. We're going to take a shot at a 8 to 10 week walking trip (in) France from the middle of January through the middle or end of March. As foresters, it's the only time of year we can get away for that much time, and we like empty trails and cheap airfares. Weather is, of course, the issue. .

At first we were thinking GR 5, figuring we could probably make it to the Vosges and stop at Strasbourg...

– Donald & Joanne, 4 December '00

– From BLeF, 4 December '00 - I think you're very smart to give up the idea of walking the northern part of the GR 5 in the winter. It's not just the fact that the Vosges in France usually get and hold a great deal of snow, but also that the trail further north crosses the Ardennes in Belgium where the Battle of the Bulge, as you may remember from the history books and the movie, was fought in very deep snow.

WALKING THE GR 5 FROM SOUTH TO NORTH - We are planning to walk the GR 5 in June and July 2001 ... Specifically, we are wondering if it is feasible to walk the trail from south to north, starting from Nice. All the guidebooks are written in the other direction and we are wondering if there is a strong reason behind why the trail would have to be hiked from north to south...

– Elaine & Ned, 2 December '00

– Answer from Pierre L., Lyon, France, 13 December '00 - As concerns a walk on GR 5 heading northwards, that's what I did, and I think it is not only possible but even commendable: thence the sun is behind you, and you profit (slightly) better the landscape. The drawback is that the final stretches, especially if you intend to go up to Holland, might seem a bit flat after the highlights of the Alpes. But if you intend to walk only the alpine stretch, it is a must: the reward of the descent on the Lac Léman is still pricier than the descent on the Méditerranée (I know that, I finished the section end October in Saint-Gingolph, just on the last week-end before snows).

– Answer from Eric A., Arizona, 13 January '01 - Also, for Elaine and Ned, who ask about walking GR 5 from South to North, there is no practical reason not to walk south to north, except that they will find that when proceeding north to south, each section is progressively more hilly, so your strength builds as the walking gets more difficult. We found that to be extremely advantageous. Also, this is just our opinion, but I think that after walking the Alps, one would find the rest of the trail anti-climactic, particularly the Lorraine and the Deltapad (Holland).

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FOUR AND HALF MONTHS ON THE GR 5 - It was great fun to read Jeff's account of his GR5 adventure (see below - BLeF) as we also walked the GR 5 this summer! We began the third week of April and finished in Nice the first week of September. We slowed ourselves down towards the end, not wanting the walk to be over. We met two other American couples on the walk, one of which began the same day as us. What a great coincidence. The walk is spectacular, particularly the Alps. Met very terrific people who rescued us time and again; we frequently got lost and the numerous detours due to the Xmas storms last year sometimes put us way off course. Also, it's not so bad to be in a kind of hiking "bubble"—away from the stresses of the everyday. We're back in that everyday and missing our adventure.

– Sue & Mark, 24 November '00

WALKING IN THE ALPS IN LATE SEPTEMBER OR MID OCTOBER - My name is N. and I'm from Israel. A freind of me and I are planing to do a trip in France and I would like to ask some questions: I want to do the trip to the Alps in the end of September or the middle of October, but do the weather is good for it? In which area in the Alps whould I go? Is it legal to sleep outside? My freind and I in a very good physical condition, but we don't have the knowledge for ice climbing and all the things that connect to it, so we are searching for:1) Two 3-4 days trek thet we can do one by one, or 2) one 7-8 days trek. Also, we use to work with 50,000 maps, can I find them in France?

– N.R., Israel, 2 Sept '00

– From BLeF - Anytime after the beginning of September walkers run the risk of encountering bad weather—snow, blizzards, whiteouts—in the French Alps. What you might experience this year depends entirely on the weather patterns in Europe, which you can find on the various weather sites on the internet. Remember, snow that falls, say, in early September can, even though the weather the rest of the month is good, block the trails that traverse the high passes until the snow melts next June.

If you are determined to go, take your trip as soon as possible. And choose a spot as far south as you can. (Corsica might be a good alternative?, but even here snow can fall at this time of year.)

Maps: Yes, France has a very good series of 1:50,000 maps published by the IGN, the French government mapping organization, but it seems that the IGN is fazing this series out. More generally available are 1:100,000 Top100 maps and the very detailed 1:25,000 maps (both series from the IGN). I highly recommend the 1:25,000 maps, which are superb guides while on the trail.

Sleeping outside in maintained campgrounds is of course possible. French law also allows sleeping out anywhere above the tree line. There are also a series of Alpine huts, called refuges, which cater to hikers, but many of them close in September.

I myself would not attempt a long walk in the high Alps at this time of the year and my advice to you is, "Don't do it." I urge you to be very cautious. Walking in the high Alps is serious business at any time, but is doubly dangerous when the days are shorter and winter approaches.

Does anyone have any suggestions for walks in the foothills of the Alps that might satisfy N's desire for an Alpine experience?

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MODERATE WALKS OUT OF CORDON (NEAR CHAMONIX) - We will be staying in Cordon for three days in early July. Where would I begin to find the nicest moderate hiking trails in that area? We will have a car.

– D.K., 11 June '00

– From BLeF - All the ski resorts near Cordon—Megève, Chamonix and St Gervais to name just 3—have cable cars and chair lifts that run in the summer to take hikers as well as gawkers into the high country above town where there are many, many trails suitable for day walks. One of my favorite ways to walk in this area is to take a lift up in the morning and then stroll back down to town during the day. "Moderate" but you also get the views. I would suggest visiting the Syndicat d'Initiative (Chamber of Commerce/Tourist Bureau) in any of these resorts where you'll surely find information about and maps of the local walking paths. Buy as well the 1:25,000 IGN blue map for the local area and you'll be set for some great walks.

Remember, however, that the weather can change quickly in the high Alps. Not just rain, but snow is always a possibility. Besides your picnic you should carry sweaters and rain gear in your day pack.

DAY WALKS IN THE ALPS? - I am making my first visit to France via Paris. I am planning on spending three days in the Alps to hike. Is Annecy a good place to stay and use as a base for hiking or is it better to stay closer to the Alps, such as Megève or Chamonix?

– K.Y., 5 June '00

– After-Trip Report from K.Y., 30 October '00 - My wife and I hiked the Grand Balcon Nord (in Chamonix - BLeF) in late August. We took the Aiguille di Midi lift to the first stop to start the hike. If there is one good thing about hiking in the Alps, it has to be the ski lifts running in the summer, not having 2 1/2 hours of uphill climbing to reach the sought after trail.

The weather was not good. Cloudy but not too cool. During most of the hike towards Montevers train station, we could see the valley, reminding us of how high we were. During most of the hike I would point out to my wife where we would hike the next day on Grand Balcon Sud (didn't make it because of rain).

I really liked the trail. Well marked, not a lot of people traffic, and because we were not acclimated the relatively flatness and perfect length. My favorite part (and my wife's) was when we saw Mer de Glace. Literally breathtaking. Wish it had been sunny. I would recommend this trip for those of us who are not mountaineers. At the end of the trip, we also toured the cave in the glacier. I know it may seem too touristy, but I really was fascinated with being "inside a glacier." It was also fun to reach down into a mountain stream and feel the cold water melting from the glaciers.

I really did enjoy our trip. Our first day in Chamonix, we took the Plan Praz lift with hopes of hiking to the summit, but not enough time and not being acclimated kept us climbing just to the wood poles on the trail/road towards the restaurant. Beautiful sunny day though, we got plenty of pictures of Mont Blanc and the other peaks. Even saw goats grazing.

I can't think of anything bad. The other fun aspect of hiking the Alps as opposed to wilderness areas here in the U.S. are the refuges. It was fun to have hot breakfast at the start of the Grand Balcon hike.

I was very happy about hiking the Alps and wish we had more time to explore the area. I also enjoyed the fact that we didn't have to drive anywhere to access the trails, simply walk from our hotel to the lifts and back home. No driving. I still look at the cham cam to see what the weather is in Chamonix.

– Earlier Reply from BLeF, 5 June '00 - While the Lac d'Annecy is beautiful, walks around it and from the city of Annecy itself would be into the foothills of the Alps, not in the Alps. If you plan to rent a car, there are good daywalks into real Alpine valleys just to the east of Annecy. And with a car, instead of staying in Annecy itself I would suggest staying in one of the many peaceful smaller villages like, say, Talloires that surround the lake; there is a complex of trails from every village on the east side of the lake into the higher country above. But if you really want to walk in and see the high Alps, then Megève or Chamonix would serve as a better base. No auto would be needed in either place.

WALK AROUND MONT BLANC? - Greetings from Finland! Here is four people coming to go around Mont Blanc in July (7/7/2000, Tour of Mont Blanc TMB) and we have few questions about that tour. We hope you can help us...

We would like to stay at least few nights in tents on the Alps and feel "the real spirit and beauty" of the mountains. Is it allowed (in Switzerland, in Italy, in France) to do so there? We have read that there are some refuges where hikers/backpackers can stay over night. Now we are planning how much money we should take with us and that's why we need to know how much staying over night in those refuges cost? Are they open in July? Do we have to do reservations beforehand? Can people buy food/meals from refuges? What is the weather like usually on the Alps in July? How cold/warm it could be there? How about water? Can we drink water from rivers and brooks or is it best to use bottled water? ...and of course any other tips are also very welcomed because we have not hiked on the Alps before!

Thanking you for your help and wishing sunshine to your summer!

– A.V., Finland, 1 June '00

– From BLeF - I have not myself made the Mont Blanc walk so I do not have personal experience there. But I can recommend two websites, which should answer all or at least most of your questions. The first is www.southwest100.freeserve.co.uk/ a site which is full of information about your walk—pictures, a day-by-day diary for the 10-day walk, a good map, and hints about accommodations. (For instance, they say that camping is allowed everywhere above treeline in France & Italy but that Switzerland allows camping only in established campgrounds.) The other site is clubalpin.idf.free.fr/index.html the proprietor of many of the Alpine huts (refuges) in France (definitely open in July). By joining that club or perhaps the Finnish Alpine Club you will receive a substantial discount on the price of hut/refuge lodging. During a short search I haven't been able to find exact prices, but by e-mailing the person who mounted the www.southwest100 site you may get more information. (See the site for their e-mail address.)

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JEFF'S GR 5 WALK - Since October 1999 I have been in off-and-on contact with Jeff from Los Angeles who will soon set off on a very ambitious 4 and 1/2 month walk on the Grande Randonnee trail #5 from the Netherlands to the Mediterranean Sea. His trip will start on 1 April on the North Sea and cross the southern end of Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg from north to south and then continue down the Moselle to Nancy in France. From there he’ll cut east to the Vosges mountains and then walk south along the crest. Then along the French Jura before veering east to Nyon on Lake Geneva in Switzerland. The last month and 1/2 will be spent walking the length of the French Alps from Chamonix to the Mediterranean.

Posted on the Clothing & Equipment page is Jeff’s packing list, complete with brand names. In addition Jeff has agreed to send me occasional e-mails from the trail. They’ll be sporadic since cyber cafes are few and far between in the rural parts of Europe, but those he’s able to send should be interesting. I’ll post them here as they come in. Stay tuned.

– BLeF, 29 Feb '00

Jeff finished his walk on the 8th of August and has sent an e-mail, posted below, from Nice. He's taking some time off now to visit Italy and Holland, but promises that, once he's settled, he will e-mail more details about his equipment and his experienceon the GR 5.

– BLeF, 30 Aug '00

Jeff recently e-mailed a great deal of post-trip information about his walk. Much of what he sent is posted at the end of this entry below, but there is also other information on the Clothing & Equipment page and on the Restaurants & Accommodations page.

– BLeF, 14 February '01

JEFF'S GR 5 WALK: 1st INSTALMENT - I am now as far South as Maastricht, Holland. I have been in Belgium for about the last 9 days and just crossed (back) over the (Belgian-Dutch) border yesterday afternoon and came to the city center as it was only about 3km off of the GR5. I think I have walked close to about 400km to this point and will go back into Belgium to Kanne or Vise tomorrow.

I have been on/off walking with 3 others since Diest, Belgium. I met a Canadian in Ouddorp, Holland, who had also started on April 1 in Van Hoek, Holland, and was also going to Nice, France, but then I didn't see him again until Diest. He had in the meantime met up with a Dutch couple who also started in the same place on the same day. It was nice to travel with people for a while. I would have to say you were right about the getting lonely issue as it is setting in much quicker than expected. (I had warned Jeff before he left that one person traveling by himself can get lonely - BLeF.)

But the most difficult part of the trip has not been the walking or the loneliness; it is trying to find lodging. I am now heading into a 4-day holiday weekend and anticipate some problems.

I have actually found more youth hostels than expected. I took an older version of the GR5 and went from Ouddorp, Holland to Brouwershaven, Zierikzee and Bruinisse. I found the cheapest lodging of the trip in a youth hostel that was closed in Bruinisse. The owner lived next door (small town) and saw me walking around. He let me have a private room and bath (opened the place just for me!!!) for 17.5fl ($9!). ....

I am actually, with some pre-planning, finding more hostels along the way than anticipated. Not only do they keep the budget in order, but I am finding them to be mostly empty at this time of year and not so bad as usually (I am able to get) private rooms due to low visitation.

The trail conditions are all good. Only one day of heavy heavy rain, and weather generally better than expected.

I was able to purchase the (FFRP GR 5) guides as far south—and further if I could take the weight—as Colmar. I found them in Amsterdam. The store is at Singel 393, behind Spui. The phone number is 31-20-627-4455.

To make a long story short: I am having the time of my life and have NO REGRETS.

One PM here and time to go see the sights. Maastricht is a beautiful and very old city.

– Jeff, Maastricht, The Netherlands, 19 April '00

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JEFF'S GR 5 WALK: 2nd INSTALMENT - Cyber cafés are proving difficult to find so Jeff phoned me this morning with a short report. He promises to send more info in a snail mail. Below is a paraphrase of his call. - BLeF

My feet are like leather. After 61 days and 1300 kilometers, I'm now high in the Vosges mountains just south of Ribeauvillé in Alsace. I think I'm just about exactly half way through my walk. I saw my first snow today.

As soon as I crossed the French border into the Lorraine region from Luxembourg, I ran into serious blowdowns that, in places, completely destroyed the trail and the trail markings. In one place it took me 2 hours to cover 1 kilometer, and when I emerged from the tangle and again found the trail a sign was posted prohibiting entry. Lorraine in general was difficult walking because the forests were in such bad shape following the December storms (a short e-mail from Jeff on 5 June stated that "basically 95 % of the trail is open in Lorraine."); Alsace is better though there are still signs of damage here. Repairs are evident.

Travel in France has proved to be almost 80% more expensive than I had planned. In contrast, I found the low countries—Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg—quite reasonable for this walker on a budget. Unfortunately I am too early for the cheap alpine refuges here in Alsace to be open, and I have missed some gîtes that I seem to pass at mid-day or first thing in the morning.

Here in the Vosges there's a lot of up and down walking and consequently I'm finding that every day seems to have a split personality: there's 2 to 3 hours of miserable travel due to terrain or, for the past 2 days, rainy weather followed by 3 or 4 hours of great travel.

I'm having the experience of a lifetime!

– Jeff, near Ribeauvillé, Alsace, France, 31 May '00

JEFF'S GR 5 WALK: 3rd INSTALMENT - Yesterday I got a postcard, written on the 4th of July, from Jeff who, after three months of walking on the GR 5, is now in the Alps:

I have now made it 11 days into the Alps. I went up the St Gingolph way—very beautiful but much more difficult. (St Gingolph is near the eastern end of the south side of Lac Léman or Lake Geneva and is the start—after a ferry ride over from the north side of the lake—of an alternate route to Chamonix–BLeF.) I think (I have climbed) over 14,000 meters of gain so far. Today is my first day in the Vanoise National Park (north of Val d'Isere). Surrounded by small cascades.The small amounts of snow higher up have been easy to cross. However, in the Jura (I) still had significant difficulties from Villers-le-Lac to Hopitaux-Neufs. Trees down.

I have been staying in several refuges (Alpine cabins) lately and outside the “TMB” (Tour de Mont Blanc) areas they don’t seem busy yet. Meeting several people who are doing the GR 5 also, but only sections at a time. I have also met a Frenchman who is going the entire route. He started 29 days later than me!—also in Hoek van Holland. Walked together a couple of days and now he and the Canadians (Jean-François and Peter) have passed me. Truly an adventure of a lifetime for me!

Must now sit and look at Mont Pourri....

– Jeff, Refuge Porte du Parc de Rosuel, France, 4 July postcard, posted 20 July, '00

JEFF'S GR 5 WALK: 4th INSTALMENT -I finally made it to Nice from Hoek Van Holland, Holland, via the GR 5 for the entire route. YAY!!!!! I arrived on the 8th of August. It would have been easilly possible to make the journey in less time, but, towards the end especially, I was really taking my time and just enjoying myself. It is good to have succeeded what I had set out to accomplish, but, kind of a meloncholy feeling to know that all those wonderfull places I was fortunate enough to visit are behind me now.

The Canadian and the Frenchman (who) also walked the trail made it here over two weeks in front of me! (And) thanks to Lianne for being such a wonderful part of the GR5

If I was to "do this again" ... I would do it differently, starting with MUCH MORE camping... VERY expensive trip via hotels.

I ... celebrated ... on the beach with a swim and a bottle of champagne at sunset!!!

– Jeff, Nice, France, 11 August '00

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JEFF'S GR 5 WALK: POST-TRIP THOUGHTS:

Favorite areas - Places that really stick out anyway would be the section between Spa and Stavelot, Belgium (approx 18kms), lots of sections of Luxembourg (especially Beaufort to Echternach - approximately 17 kms), Goumois, (in the Jura) France to Villers-le-lac (approx 42 kms-following the Doubs river mostly), Chatenois, France to Ribeauvillé (in Alsace) (approx 22kms) and the Alps! The section between Novel, France (just south of Lake Geneva) and Chappell Abondance...as I try, with the help of my journal to pinpoint more, I realize that mostly all of the Alps was special.

Least favorite areas - Lorraine, France (there were of course exceptions to this but just overall it was my least favorite). Lorraine seemed (to me anyway) to be kind of a depressing area. My least favorite city was Rombas and a close second was two days later having to get off the trail (topo guide lists lodging in Vic Sur Seille, but, there is nowhere to stay there) and go to Chateau Salins. The quiche sure was good though! And, in Lorraine's defense, the most luxurious and extravagant lodging I stayed in throughout the entire trail was there. It was a place called Chateu Altiville. It was built in 1765, very gorgeous rooms, a nice dinner...of salmon and duck with 4 kinds of wine. Everything about it was decadant and I was treated just like anybody else, despite my appearance upon arrival!

Trail markings - I would say that overall the trails were very well marked. It very soon became a walk from mark to mark and, with the use of a topo guide and compass, was usually quite easy to see when there were questionable spots. I did of course get occasionally lost though. It was important to stay alert as the route that seemed right was not always the correct one. The markings change from the white and red markings in parts to yellow. I have unfortunately not taken proper notes on when the change took place and what exactly the new markings were. Unreal that I have already forgotten. I would say that the change happened at the Luxembourg border and went to a (guessing at this) yellow triangle over a yellow dot. I wouldn't make any guarantees on that one though. Then, it changes back to the red and white on the French border. In the areas that had been affected by the storms, the markings were much less as the trees were gone. Well, unfortunately not gone, just not standing anymore! As you might expect, if you knew where you were, there would be a mark every 5 meters; if you were lost or disoriented, there would be a mark every 300 meters. The two main times (I think that was mostly all!) that I got lost was mostly due to me getting lost in thought and not paying attention to where I was going. One time just took a while to back track to where I had last seen a mark and the other time a man (whom I couldn't even communicate with) understood where I was trying to go and gave me a ride back to where I had gotten lost. There are many kind people out there.

Changing money - In the beginning I was mostly using a VISA card for just about anything I was purchasing. I then found out that I was being charged a surcharge for using it in a foreign country (total bull...) and in protest, would only use it when I had to. I then switched methods over to making semi large (say like 2,000 FF) withdrawls with my ATM card. I was charged $3 per transaction, so I wanted to make the most of it when I did use it. I would then keep an eye on the rates of exchange and if it looked especially good some day, I would make another withdrawl. This worked very wellt. I still carried a couple of hundred dollars in American Express Travelers checks with me and a $100 American bill just for an emergency. Always being careful where I would break the larger bills and try and pay with smaller notes whenever possible. I also, before leaving the US, obtained approximately $100 worth of each currency that I would encounter just to put my mind at ease.

Costs - It is difficult to give an overall daily cost. I initially set out with a $40/day budget. This, to many..., seemed in their eyes to be a lot. I would say generally that was about what I spent. Some days I spent $10 some $100. It could be done very cheaply though. I found myself at times being careful about every penny I spent and then on occasion I had the what-the-hell-I'm-on-holiday-attitude and would treat myself to nice food and wine etc. The nights I spent in hotels (too many in the beginning) I was generally always spending $40 plus per day.

Fears of being ripped off - I would say that there was no real fears of being ripped off once I was on the trail. In the busier refuges, I still worried a bit, but I think that was just my American paranoia. As time went on I was less and less concerned.

Languages - This was my biggest downfall. I didn't know really much of anything other than English when I left for the trip and I am not too much more advanced now. I basically could say: Hello, Goodbye, Please, Thank you and the numbers for the countries that I was in. I was able in the end also to at least inquire about rooms and times and meals and understand menus. I was also, after some time, able to at least understand more of what was spoken than I could reply to. The lack of knowledge did present problems on occasion though, and I would have enjoyed myself more being able to communicate with a wider range of people. I would also ask if the person spoke English only after greeting them in their language and asking this question in their language. As a "fail safe" I also carried a French phrase book with me. Seems like every time I encountered someone with a language problem or someone who was loud and obnoxious, they were Americans. I didn't want to be a part of that and I think that—despite my overall lack of language skills—I achieved that by my overall approach. I never expected anyone to speak English. I was just happy when they did. A lot of the tourists that I would see and hear seemed to expect people to speak English and would address people and ask questions in English without even asking if they spoke it or not and actually seem offended when they didn't! This shocked me. What is the use of trying to experience another culture if you just want to sit in McDonalds and listen to everyone speak English?!

Camping - Yes, I would definitely have camped out much more. I don't know what I was thinking to not carry the proper equipment in the first place. There are multiple reasons for this. After a long day of walking, there were often times when I disliked the idea of going inside. There would be such gorgeous evenings and I often wished that I could be outside still. I would say that it is possible to camp out (or refuge hut) the entire length of the GR5.

One hint for anyone walking in France for a month - I would say try to learn as much French as you can before you arrive and if you don't or can't, don't expect people to speak your language. Be respectful of the people that you encounter. After all, you are in their country. If your language skills are not so good then I would also carry a phrasebook. Also (did I say only one hint?!) Bring camping gear! It is a beautiful country and best seen from outside.

– Jeff, Zurich, Switzerland, 27 January '01

AROUND MONT BLANC - I ran acrossa useful web site today that posts a day-by-day diary of a walk around Mont Blanc. There are good pictures and a wealth of other information as well. Anyone contemplating this trip should look up www.southwest100.freeserve.co.uk/

– BLeF, 12 March '00

MORE INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE ALPS & THE GR 5 - MAPS, GUIDEBOOKS, EQUIPMENT & ACCOMMODATIONS - POSTED ELSEWHERE ON THIS SITE:

GR 5 - accommodations
GR 5 - accommodations, more
GR 5 - camping
GR 5 - Cicerone guide to
GR 5 - Engliush-language guides to
GR 5 - packing list for full-length walk
GR 5 - Robertson-McCarta guidebooks
GR 5 - Walklongtravel guidebook
Circuits Pedestre guidebooks to


Alps & GR 5 ** Alsace, Lorraine & Champagne ** Burgundy ** Corsica ** Dordogne ** Jura ** Languedoc & Cevennes ** Loire ** Massif Central & Compestella Trail ** Normandy & Brittany ** Paris ** Provence & Cote d'Azur ** Pyrennees & Southwest


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Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.
– Walt Whitman, Song of the Open Road