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Home > The By Land Podcast > EP 154 Thru-Hiking France with Thomas Bouïssaguet of Hexatrek
Podcast: The By Land Podcast
Episode:

EP 154 Thru-Hiking France with Thomas Bouïssaguet of Hexatrek
Category: Sports & Recreation
Duration: 01:23:25
Publish Date: 2023-03-08 15:35:00
Description:

The Hexatrek is a 3000 km long-distance trail that begins at the border of France and Germany just northwest of Stuttgart and runs through France across the Pyrenees mountains to the Atlantic ocean where it ends at the Bay of Biscay located at the Southwestern tip of France on the border with Spain.  Thomas works for the Hexatrek organization and spent the summer and fall of 2022 hiking and documenting the trail.  

The focus of this episode is to get to know what the trail is and how it works so if you’re interested in hiking it one day like I am, you’ll know what to expect.

Thomas is a regular guy like you and me who just so happens to love backpacking and the outdoors.  He has an interesting backstory that allows him to reflect on his experiences in a way that’s honest and real.

Thomas has the ability to recognize the realities of hiking a long trail like the Hexatrek and share all sides of that reality.  He’ll describe the trail as an epic adventure that includes vineyards, castles, mountains, and stopping into a small village for a baguette or espresso,  but he’ll also tell you how mentally complacent you can become when all you see are mountains and castles day after day after day.  One view blends into the next and before long you’re not even noticing them anymore and you begin to feel bad about it

This is what I appreciate about Thomas, he gets it.  He understands that the beauty in backpacking and life is about contrast.  

If you’re dreaming of backpacking through France one day like I am, you’re going to love this episode and if you want to see the trail, Thomas is now beginning to upload a documentary series of his hike to YouTube so I’ll leave a link in the show notes for you to check that out when you have a chance. 

Enjoy!

Show Notes

  • Introduction to the Hexatrek
  • Hexatrek backstory
  • European hiking culture and trail experience
  • Thru-hiking popularity in Europe
  • The importance of having a beginning and end
  • Hiking the Hexatrek vs an American long trail
  • Daily life and cadence of the trail
  • Making the hike your own
  • Visa considerations
  • Camping along the Hexatrek
  • Food along the Hexatrek 
  • Experiencing France by foot
  • Thomas’s backpacking story
  • The highs and lows of thru-hiking
  • Thoughts on losing reverence for an experience 
  • Life after the Hexatrek
  • Finding balance in life is actually finding contrast
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