In the north-south direction, we recommend starting after May 15 and before July 1. Snow accumulations in the Alps are still very high until early July.

Leaving before June 1 exposes you to snow difficulties as soon as you arrive in the Alps.

In the South-North direction, the best departure time is between June 1 and July 15.

➡️ Read our full article

Heading north-south (SOBO): With a gradual start in the Vosges mountains, hikers will have time to build up their physical fitness and arrive in the Alps well-prepared, once the passes have been freed of their winter snow. Bonus: magnificent sunsets over the Pyrenees, and a more symbolic arrival at the Atlantic Ocean!

-Heading south-north (NOBO): Starting from the Pyrenees, you'll need to be in better physical shape at the start.

After a few years' experience, we increasingly recommend this direction to avoid snow problems in the Alps.

By the end of your hike, the Vosges will never be so snow-covered as to block your way, so you can go at your own pace.

With a departure in June, you'll cross directly into the Pyrenees in June and the Alps in September, two great periods outside the school vacations to enjoy the best of both ranges without the tourists and full refuges.

At a rate of 25km per day, with one rest day per week, the trek will take an average of 120 days to complete the entire thru-hike.

Feedback from previous years indicates a duration of between 90 and 150 days.

For those who don't have the time to do the whole trek in one go, we've divided the trek into 6 sections, so that it can be achieved in several stages over several seasons.

25km per day is an average, but some sections will be much more physical than others. Remember, the HexaTrek represents some 139,000m of cumulative ascent; 15 times Mount Everest!

➡️ Read more information about the trail

Over a distance of more than 3,000km, you'll cross some of France's most beautiful mountainous regions.

74% of the HexaTrek is in areas where bivouacs are permitted.

To find out where these are, you'll need to pay close attention to the signs on the trail, or you can download the official HexaTrek mobile app, which lists all areas where bivouacking is prohibited.

➡️ See our article about wild camp

This answer varies widely according to hiker profile.

10 € per day: Almost exclusively bivouacs, less than one night in a refuge per month and one restaurant per week. Your only expenses are your supplies and any breakages.

25 € per day: This is the average, i.e. €3,000 for 120 days.

This includes 1 refuge per week, several midday or evening meals in the refuges and a few small pleasures during your 4-month walk.

+ 40 € per day: You regularly stay in half-board accommodation, sleep in refuges very often and buy quality groceries, freeze-dried food, sometimes sleep in hotels or treat yourself to other, more expensive pleasures.

The HexaTrek is a long-distance trek that can't really be organized in advance. It's hard to book a hut several weeks in advance, or deal with the unexpected on such a long trek.

Along the way, you'll find regular water points, and the distances between 2 ressuply point are never more than 5 days of food carry.

In the HexaTrek mobile app, you'll find all the water points, refuges, resupplies and other information you need to organize your day-to-day activities.

The entire HexaTrek is a made only of Hiking Trail.

This is a challenging route, reaching many peaks close to 3000m elevation.

Demanding physically and mentally condition, the Alps and Pyrenean stages include a lot of elevation gain.

They also include some tricky passages, but no mountaineering skills are required during the summer season.

If you set off outside the recommended periods, special equipment such as crampons or ice-axe may be required.

The HexaTrek also includes alternatives paths, more demanding routes in the high mountains. A full list of the 11 alternative routes can be found on the mobile app, along with all the points of interest indicating where the difficult sections are.

Good physical preparation is recommended, but long-distance hiking is an endurance activity accessible to all.

It is not always easy to know the regulations limiting access to dogs. Between reserve and heart of national park, the official HexaTrek route is only 80% passable with your dog. We have published a complete guide to preparing for the hexatrek with your dog, the route we recommend as well as feedback from the first person to have hiked this trail accompanied by the now legendary dog : Thrall! ➡️ See the article in the Complete Guide

If you have any further questions, we invite you to join our DISCORD channel.

thousand hikers have joined us on this forum, and we regularly answer any questions people may have. ➡️ Join us on discord