The GR5 – Geneva To Nice
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We’ve now started planning properly our Big Walk for 2009: The GR5 from Geneva to Nice (not the extension from Holland to Nice!).
It all started with a Cicerone sponsored podcast with Andy Howell interviewing Paddy Dillon. We listened to it on the way to Wales for the weekend. By the time it had finished, we were thinking we’d just have to do it. I’ll have to have words with both of them – it’s not cheap this walking in France malarkey!
725km/450 miles in distance, 40,000 metres/130,000 feet of height and inevitably, 40,000 metres of height loss, which is the real killer. So that’s 40km/25 miles up and down, or four and a half times the height of Everest.
The guidebook that Paddy has written was only published late last year so it’s probably hardly been used by anyone so far. Which seems to be true since there are a couple of little mistakes that we’ve told Cicerone about that they’d not noticed before. (Expect an Updates tab on the page for the guide book soon).
At the moment we’re thinking five weeks should cover it. That’s already a week longer than Paddy gives it. But his days are pretty chunky by our standards and we’re not racing here. The longer the better. So it may yet be stretched…
Working as freelancers (IT for me and Translation for LB) certainly has its perks. For everyone else, try The Four Hour Work Week. It’s a great read if nothing else.
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We’re planning on doing it hut-to-hut so I’ve already covered a lot of my ideas on that in the series of postings on the Haute Route.
Though there certainly will be some little improvements to the kit to mention. I’ll be aiming to carry as little as possible to make up for my lump of a camera. |
However the big difference here is simply the fact that we’re away for so long. There are all kinds of odd things to consider.
Most house insurance only covers you for thirty days away from home. Most travel insurance doesn’t cover a trip that long. A pair of Terrocs should be good for 500kms… so even starting with nearly new ones (I’d always try them for a couple of weekends) is going to be pushing a point. How do you carry enough memory for that many digital images? (How do you find the time to develop them afterwards?). Carrying a total of twenty one 1:25,000 maps would weigh a couple of kilos – that had to be re-thought!
As ever, we’ll be walking with some of the usual suspects from previous Big Walks, but only for the first twelve days.
Few other people are free enough from commitments to be able to complete the whole trek. It might seem odd to be starting on a honeymoon with friends – but we’ll have most of the time there on our own. We’d have liked to have been able to invite some more people for the first section, but booking in to the huts in high-season is tricky at the best of times.
So, as we keep saying to people, never mind the wedding, think of the honeymoon!
I really, really can’t wait…
April 4th, 2009 at 22:47
Well Dave – this seems like a fine daunder for your honeymoon. Will you be blogging as you go?
Good luck, fella
Alan
April 4th, 2009 at 22:55
Thanks Alan!
No, no blogging on the trail for me I don’t think.
I have enough of these electronic beasties in my line of work and I can’t seem to unplug from the things when I get home! A few week’s break is probably just what the doctor ordered… ;)
April 8th, 2009 at 10:06
You can keep the cost down by just being careful where you eat! As Jonathan from Cicerone says “just eat less myrtille tarts!”
Mountain sausage and cheese both last for ages in the pack as does bread (if you don’t mind it soft).
Eating in refuges can add up and I tend not to do that too often. That being said the food is good and wholesome and pretty good value for money.
Just watch out for the bars and cafés when in towns and villages!
April 8th, 2009 at 17:08
Sounds like a great trip. So many places to hike so many places to see in the end we choose what is “feels right”. Hopefully, you will provide a report as you have done for Iceland.
April 8th, 2009 at 19:04
Wise words indeed Andy. We were out in the Alps for a very few days last year and as a consequence we didn’t hold back on the myrtille tarts… and so spent an eye-watering amount of money!
Still, proposing on a snow balcony was something to remember.
And Andy – thanks for that podcast. We might have got around to the GR5 eventually, but after you and Paddy went through it there was no missing it for us! :)
April 8th, 2009 at 19:07
Roger – oh yes… there are some preparation postings half written already. I bash them out when the thought strikes me in Freemind and eventually get around to making them readable and attaching some pics.
But there certainly will be a retrospective or three on how we found it all and how the gear worked out…
April 8th, 2009 at 22:38
Fantastic.
That’ll be a story to read when you guys get back :o)
April 8th, 2009 at 22:40
I hope so *PTC – If I ever get done developing the photies that is ;)
April 9th, 2009 at 18:09
It’s a great walk i walked back in 2003 over 6 weeks and it was amazing.did a mix of accommodation,wild camped[the best] stayed in refuges and in a few village campsites and gites.hope you enjoy it as much as me
mke
April 9th, 2009 at 21:20
Six weeks eh? That’s a figure that’s increasingly been in my head…
Paddy’s days really are large from the start. And although I can see us knocking out 25K days + lots of height with relative ease after three weeks of practice, doing that during the first three weeks is not likely.
Or even what we want to be doing! I love meandering through the Alps. I want to spend as much time there as possible.
If we can’t fit in an extension to do the GR20 (hmmmm…) then six weeks it may have to be…
Thanks Mike – great to hear from someone who’s done it!
June 10th, 2009 at 00:05
Hi guys,just found your blog, am flying out to Geneva on July 1st to do the same walk, got to fly home July 31st cos work gets in the way. Its my 1st long hike and am really looking forward to it, am doing it on my own so hope to keep my spirits high by getting good weather.
June 10th, 2009 at 07:34
Hi Dale – glad you’ve found the blog!
A month off work is a tricky thing to organise. But 31 days should fit for the walk according to Paddy.
One tip – I got a stress injury in a calf muscle a after 13 days of walking a couple of years ago. If I’d have been checked out a while before I went by a good physiotherapist, and given the right stretches, then I’d probably have avoided it.
Just might be worth getting checked over (I plan to blog this but thought I’d mention it to you now since you’re not long from leaving!)
Let me know how it goes!
June 10th, 2009 at 22:30
Thanks for the tip, Ive always got back problems and go to a chiropractor every couple of weeks, also got a bit of a dodgy knee at the moment, not great timing, but the chiro’s given me some exercises to hopefully keep it manageable ‘cos it might throw my gait out and lead to more back problems, but hey whats a challenge if its not challenging?!
June 11th, 2009 at 07:45
Ah – glad you’re already seeing someone about it! :)
My knees often “track” badly first thing in the morning. As long as I remember to do the usual “stand on one leg pulling your foot up to your backside” stretch they settle down.
Do let me know how you get on with the route!
August 3rd, 2009 at 20:41
Hi, Got back from France at the weekend, having completed the GR5, via the GR55 high route thru the Vanoise and finishing with the GR52 to Menton, which was probably the hardest part with 400m snowfields just 2 days from the Med, together with the rockiest terrain. Took 29 days in all but with no rest,think your timings will be much more enjoyable. “Paddy-time” as we called it is pretty reasonable once you are walk fit, except for me on steep descents, prob cos at 80 kg + kit I need to watch the inertia more than most. Terra Nova Comp worked brill even in high winds and without hoop cover, just noisy.Knee was really bad for a week but bought a brace and it got better from then on and finished without needing it.Ended up walking with a French guy most of the way who only wore sandals, putting on w/proof socks for the snow.I carried light flip flops for down time and refuges. Had a fantastic time and thinking about the next trip now. If you want any info on any part, please e-mail me, and good luck with it when you go.
August 3rd, 2009 at 20:48
Oh, forgot to say, even though I always get bitten by everything going, never saw a tick, nor did anyone else I spoke to. Mozzies a bit of a problem tho in some places, the natural repellants don’t seem to work for very long and don’t like using deet based ones, but appaently there is a nasty mozzie borne disease around the Nice area so be a little careful down south.
August 4th, 2009 at 17:43
Some great info there Dale thanks that’s really useful!
Very glad to hear you managed to get it all done in the 29 days. “Paddy-time” – I like that.
I’m also 80+Kilos + kit (+ photographic kit which is the killer!) so I’m currently trying to prune a few more grams off here and there…
Very good to hear the Laser Comp worked out well even without the legendary pole hood.
Sandals and waterproof socks? Great! I’m sure Chris Townsend would have approved.
Very glad you mentioned the mozzies. I was toying with dropping the PreVent but that’s certainly coming now.
I don’t suppose you recall the name of the disease being West Nile Fever? In which case there’s no vaccine but at least even if you’re infected the chances are you’ll get away with it…
August 9th, 2009 at 21:58
Hi Dale! Glad to read that you managed to complete the GR5 safely. I must say that I didn’t really expect to make it to Nice/Menton with your bad knee. It looked pretty bad when I last saw you in Les Houches.. The brace was a real life saver, I guess! You and Thierry were really good company (although it was only a couple of days), I had a lot of fun with you guys. :-) I don’t have your e-mail so that’s why I used google, to find your name on this blog..
RedYeti, sorry for using your blog for this stuff!
August 10th, 2009 at 16:14
Glad to see folks are beginning to make it through the walk. One of the great things about Paddy’s timings is that they are very reasonable and most walkers should. not have any real problems with them.
August 13th, 2009 at 17:50
Laurens – no worries on using the comments to contact Dale. Interesting to hear how much trouble the knee was in only at Les Houche (we’re three days from there at the moment!).
I’m pressed for time in an internet cafe at the moment but let me know if Dale doesn’t spot this and I’ll drop him an email…
August 13th, 2009 at 17:51
Andy – yes his timings are pretty damn good. We tend to beat them a little here and fall behind there so a great average.
It’s gorgeous… :)
August 13th, 2009 at 18:05
Hi guys Yes I got your message. It was great to hear from Laurens. We have emailed each other since. We only met up a few times, he is a few years – well decades – younger than me and gained a lead of 3 days over 9 Paddy days. Awesome! Have a fantastic time, wish I was back doing it all again. Take care and enjoy!
September 4th, 2009 at 11:24
Just checking mail for the second time in Briancon – 425K down… 297K (ish!) to go…
October 10th, 2009 at 13:37
And we made it back :)
October 10th, 2009 at 17:34
Welcome home guys. Hope all went well. Catch up some time soon.
October 10th, 2009 at 17:45
Thanks Dale! All went very well barring a leg injury that I picked up (that’s a whole other story!).
I thought of you hobbling onwards, disregarding your knee injury when I was hobbling onwards with what sounds like a far easier calf injury. I used it to keep myself from getting too negative about any possibility of giving up the walk in fact!