--- title: "#52 Hexatrek: 3034 km on foot across France through the Alps and the Pyrenees – Nikola Valentová" description: "Hexatrek, the new European alternative to the PCT. Nikola Valentová walked it probably as the first Czech woman. We talked with her about gear, logistics and sleeping in the mountains. 🥾" canonical_url: "https://gramino.com/blog/hexatrek-across-france-nikola-valentova" last_updated: "2026-07-08" --- # #52 Hexatrek: 3034 km on foot across France through the Alps and the Pyrenees – Nikola Valentová Authors: Barbora Vrátná Date: 2026-07-08 Hexatrek, the new European alternative to the PCT. Nikola Valentová walked it probably as the first Czech woman. We talked with her about gear, logistics and sleeping in the mountains. 🥾 What makes you pack your life into a backpack and set off on foot across all of France? 🎒 Nikola Valentová knows the answer – she's probably the first Czech woman to complete the entire Hexatrek. The baby of the long-distance trails – 3034 kilometers long and running along the ridges of the Alps and the Pyrenees, among other places – aspires to become the European PCT. 🥾 Nikol didn't set out as a seasoned thru-hiker. All she had behind her were shorter pilgrimages that can't compare with the Hexatrek in difficulty. She'd never cooked on a stove, never been above 3000 meters, never trekked in the Alps, and was seeing the Pyrenees for the first time in her life. So the Hexatrek was essentially her first long-distance trail in every sense – and a leap straight into the big leagues. 🏔️ Originally, she was drawn to America and the famous Pacific Crest Trail. But the push to finally set off came from an unexpected direction: a lump she found in her breast and the fear of cancer. That's why Nikol combined the trek with a charity fundraiser for Bellis, a project supporting young women with breast cancer. Over 141 days on the trail, she went through it all – fevers during which she had to climb a 3000-meter peak while sick, fording rivers, technical descents, and a lesson in humility in the form of a 20-kilogram backpack. 🤯 🎧 This episode is both a short, practical guide for anyone tempted by the Hexatrek and an honest conversation about fear, pushing your own limits, and the reality of long-distance trails. If you enjoy it, we'd love a subscribe, a like, or a comment. 😉 ## 🎧 Listen to the podcast on - [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@Gramino) - [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/episode/1I5jMX6uRc0aBgsezuiOXH) - [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/cz/podcast/52-hexatrek-3034-km-pesky-napric-francii-pres-alpy/id1612950422) [Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSABi4wzxmE) ## 👧🏻 Nikola Valentová - Instagram – [@nikykiwi_cz](https://www.instagram.com/nikykiwi_cz/) ## In this episode, you'll learn 🥾 - 🇫🇷 What the **Hexatrek** is – where it goes, how long it is, what the total elevation gain is, and which stages it's divided into. - 📅 When the ideal **start date** is and how long the crossing takes. - 🥾 Why Nikol chose the Hexatrek as what was practically her **first long-distance trail**. - ❤️‍🩹 How a lump she found and **fear of cancer** nudged her to set out. - 🤒 How to deal with **illness on the trail**, when you simply have to keep going. - 🎒 Why she didn't set out as an ultralight hiker and what it was like walking with **20 kg in her backpack**. - 🏕️ How **sleeping** in national parks and **resupplying** on the trail work. - 🚶‍♀️ What it's like to set off on a long-distance trail **completely alone**. ## 📖 Chapters - **00:00** – Nikol and the nomadic life - **2:31** – Why the Hexatrek - **4:48** – The charity fundraiser - **6:18** – Previous experience - **7:10** – How France was different - **9:15** – The Hexatrek in numbers - **12:44** – Stages of the Hexatrek - **14:40** – A detour to Switzerland - **15:37** – The Hexatrek as the European PCT - **16:44** – Logistics on the trail - **17:56** – Sleeping outdoors and national parks - **20:15** – Trail markings - **21:09** – Traveling alone - **22:10** – Fear on the trail - **23:20** – Trail buddies and sharing experiences - **26:06** – Community and trail angels - **30:49** – Cell coverage - **31:35** – Change of plans - **32:30** – Health on the trail - **35:05** – Moments of absolute happiness - **37:15** – A total crisis in the Alps - **39:30** – Gear and weight - **43:52** – Favorite piece of gear - **44:22** – Where to save weight - **46:07** – The first Czech woman at the finish - **47:29** – The ideal trail length - **48:29** – Post-trail blues - **49:22** – Future plans (Transcaucasian Trail) - **53:33** – Where to find Nikča ## This could come in handy - [CNOC Vecto 2 L 42 mm](/p/cnoc-vecto-2-l-42-mm.md) - [Katadyn BeFree AC 1 L](/p/katadyn-befree-ac-1-l.md) - [Darn Tough Men's Hiker 1/4 Midweight](/p/darn-tough-hiker-1-4-midweight-mens.md) - [Darn Tough Women's Hiker 1/4 Midweight](/p/darn-tough-hiker-1-4-midweight-womens.md) - [DexShell Ultra Thin Crew](/p/dexshell-ultra-thin-crew.md) - [Liteway Pokkie Pack](/p/liteway-pokkie-pack.md) - [Sea To Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Bag](/p/sea-to-summit-ultra-sil-dry-bag.md) - [Kula Cloth](/p/kula-cloth-pee-cloth.md) - [Gramino SagiFlow](/p/gramino-sagiflow-ultralight-bidet.md) - [Gramino AURA Pouch](/p/gramino-aura-pouch.md) - [Gramino Ultralight Waterproof Backpack Liner](/p/gramino-ultralight-waterproof-backpack-liner.md) This post is also available as [HTML](/blog/hexatrek-across-france-nikola-valentova). ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.