Going on a microadventure!

DON'T CONFUSE HIKING WITH MICROADVENTURE

"For a proper microadventure experience, you have to be aware that this is not just a hike – albeit off the beaten track. I see hiking as a way to explore a country while avoiding conventional tourist routes. Hikers seek out special places that few people will have the chance to discover because they don't think about, or don't want to reach, or can't reach, them. Microadventures take place over a longer period of time: a weekend. You start from your own home! And finish there too. You explore your region with your backpack on for several days, but not just by walking. You might cycle, canoe, etc."

GIVE YOUR MICROADVENTURE MEANING

"If hiking is a means, then microadventure is a real approach. It's a responsible approach from an economic and environmental point of view because a microadventure involves seeking out and experiencing a change of scenery close to home. Giving yourself the chance to be surprised by your local surroundings with delights of which you may not be aware. Reconnecting with nature, with your local area and with your roots. Being part of thinking about the climate at your own scale and doing your bit... It's also a little challenge you set for yourself: a physical and mental challenge because you're slightly out of your comfort zone. Test yourself to feel alive. If these projects don't go alongside a search for meaning, however small, then we obviously take much less pleasure in them."

CAREFULLY PREPARE FOR YOUR MICROADVENTURE: 

"You might not be too worried about preparation, thinking that you'll get advice when you're there: basically, go on an adventure and see what happens! This is not the way to do things. Microadventures are mainly about careful preparation, with a little room for improvisation.

I decide on the destination a month in advance. Then, two weeks before departure, I find out about the route to take and look for as much information as possible about logistics, shelter, water sources, dining options, etc. I go through guidebooks and online forums to do this. Finally, the day before I set off, I finish packing my bag after buying the last few things on my required equipment list."

HAVE A PLAN B

"Throughout the weekend, it's important to keep an eye on the weather forecast so you can adapt as needed. This is why I always find out about escape routes, a plan B, nearby shelter, shortcuts for the route and other prudent options just in case... These are things I can have up my sleeve if conditions become too difficult. Knowing I can use them makes me feel better. Similarly, I always tell someone where I'm going before I leave."

AVOID BEING TOO HOT TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE COLD

"It may seem a bit paradoxical, but on your first few expeditions, you often tend to wear too much. This is understandable: we would all rather be too hot than too cold. But the result is that we regularly see hikers arriving at the summit completely soaked in sweat. A few minutes after they stop and rest, the moisture in the layers closest to their body becomes a serious enemy that cools them down faster. So, it's better to stop on the way up to take off a layer and let your body breathe than risk hypothermia on the way down."

KIT YOURSELF OUT AGAINST THE COLD

"In the mountains, while the heat is "just" unpleasant but manageable, the cold is actively dangerous, so it's an issue worth paying close attention to. Your equipment must be faultless and comprehensive. There are three key elements to combatting the cold during my microadventures:

• My heated vest: My jacket is light, compact, versatile, lovely to wear because it fits so well and more... It's already very warm in itself, but in freezing weather I can turn on the batteries which instantly warm me up.

• My thin gloves that convert into mittens: Ideal for me as a photographer! I can adjust my camera without having to take these thin gloves off. When I start walking again, they can be turned into cosy and water-repellent mittens.