The GR5, (“Grande Randonnée” meaning Great hiking path), starts in the Netherlands and runs through Belgium and Luxembourg before crossing France from North to South. During August, two Imperial students hiked and camped along the Alpine portion of GR5, also known as a Grande Traverse of the Alps, from St Gingolph by Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean Sea. Their journey lasted 28 days, covering 590km at an average pace of 22km/day, and involved 32,700m of elevation gain.
On occasion the pair did deviate from the GR5, including near the Parc naturel de la Vanoise, they switched to the GR55 route, (from Tignes to Modane), to immerse themselves in the stunning Vallon de la Leisse and witness the renowned glaciers of the Vanoise. Similarly in the final days of their traverse, they avoided the developed urban areas around Nice and instead extended onto the GR52, which led through the higher-altitude Vallée des Merveilles, where they were rewarded with sightings of ibex and chamois, before joining the coast at Menton.
In addition to funding provided by the Exploration Board this expedition was supported by the Lord Mayor's 800th Anniversary Awards Trust.