Practical tips for successful hiking

Do you want to enjoy the fresh mountain air and be amazed by our landscape? Whether it's your first hike or not, here's everything you need to know to start your hike on the right foot!

The 10 practical tips before going hiking :

1. I check the description and the path of the circuit (duration/km) to see if the path is well adapted to my level. Our sheets can be downloaded online, they are also listed by colour level : Green : EASY | Blue : MEDIUM | Red : DIFFICULT | Black : VERY DIFFICULT.
2. I plan to wear clothes that are suitable for hiking. 3 layers to stay dry and warm: one layer to wick away sweat, one layer to provide warmth and one layer to protect from wind or rain.
3. I bring appropriate footwear for hiking.
4. I take poles to help me on the way up and also to cushion the weight on my joints on the way down.
5. I find out what the weather will be like on the day, so I can anticipate what to wear and how long I will be walking.
6. If I go alone, I inform a relative.
7. I plan a backpack, and adjust the weight of the backpack so that it is not too heavy.
8. Je prévois de l'eau : un litre d'eau par personne pour deux heures de marche, et plus, par temps chaud. Je ne bois pas l’eau des cours d’eau et ruisseaux sans la filtrer avec des filtres chimiques. Je prévois de la nourriture, barre de céréale ou des biscuits pour éviter les coups de fatigue.
9. I bring water: one litre of water per person for two hours of walking, and more in hot weather. I don't drink water from rivers and streams without filtering it with chemical filters. I take food, cereal bar or biscuits to avoid fatigue.
10. I protect myself from the sun: cap, sunglasses, sun cream.
11. I prepare a first aid kit: survival blanket, bandages, blister bandages, sterile compresses, gauze, a roll of plaster, some safety pins, disinfectant, a pair of scissors, splinter forceps, an anti-venom kit. 

Number to call in case of emergency: 112.

The 9 golden rules on hiking trails :

1. I respect wildlife, keep quiet and keep my distance from wild animals.
2. I respect the flora, I don't pick the flowers.
3. When I come across herds, I close the gates and fences.
4. My pet must be kept on a leash so as not to frighten the wild animals. Dogs are not allowed in the nature reserve (Réserve Naturelle de Passy).
5. I use the marked paths, and therefore I stay on the paths to avoid trampling fragile species. 
6. I keep my waste with me, I don't leave it in nature.
7. I don't light fires, and I don't throw away my cigarette butts.
   
8. I don't go wild camping.
9. I don't swim in mountain lakes, and the same goes for my pet.

Our 5 recommendations to avoid tick bites :

During a walk in our mountains, ticks can attach themselves to your skin, and can potentially be infected with the Borrelia bacteria, and therefore transmit Lyme disease. How can you avoid this risk?

1. I wear light-coloured, covering clothes, a hat, closed shoes (socks blocking the bottom of the trousers).
2. I pack repellent, bug spray and antiseptic disinfectant in my backpack.
3. I walk in the middle of the paths, avoid high grass, low branches, ferns, etc.
4. After leaving my backpack on the ground, I examine it before putting it back on my back.
5. Several times a day, I do a quick 30-second inspection of the clothes, to remove any ticks that have latched on.

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See also  :

• Our essential hikes in flaine
  
• Checklist for going to the mountains this summer
• Our relation and picnic areas in Flaine
• What to do in Flaine when it rain?