To transport your belongings
- A comfortable 30-50L backpack with a waist belt to carry your personal belongings and picnic lunch during the day
- One piece of luggage: a backpack, a travel bag in good condition, or a not-too-bulky suitcase. Only one piece of luggage per person; limited to 15kg
For the midday picnic
- Your "kitchen" kit: bowl, plastic box or plate, cutlery (spoon, fork, knife)
- 1 or 2 water bottles (total of 1.5 L minimum) – mandatory
Against the sun and the rain
- Sunscreen (high protection)
- Sunglasses
- Hat, cap or bucket hat
- A rain cape or a waterproof jacket such as a softshell or Gore-Tex, and possibly waterproof trousers
After the effort
- A pair of jogging-style sneakers for the evening
- Spare clothes and personal linen
- Toiletry bag and towel (mini)
- Swimsuit and towel for the fitness areas (if specified) or swimming areas
- A mini pharmacy: personal medications, surgical masks, hydroalcoholic gel, dressings, sterile compresses and bandages, gauze, disinfectant, arnica granules and aspirin etc (note that this list is not exhaustive and should be adapted according to your own medical needs).
For maximum comfort, opt for a layering system: warm base layers (tights + base layer) such as Carline or Capilène (hollow fibers that wick away perspiration) + a fleece or sweatshirt + a mountain jacket and overpants with a waterproof and breathable membrane (such as Gore-Tex or equivalent) for inclement weather. Generally, and outside of hot climates and countries, avoid cotton, which retains moisture close to the body (and dries slowly), in favor of suitable synthetic materials.
- Hiking boots that support the ankle, have a good lugged sole, a reinforced heel counter, and good waterproofing
- Comfortable "hiking-specific" socks (minimum 3 pairs)
- A fleece fur
- Comfortable trousers for walking (quick-drying technical fabric)
- Comfortable and technical shorts
- Technical t-shirts or underwear (quick-drying material)
- A long-sleeved shirt
- Trekking poles (telescopic), very important for making walking easier. Discover all the advantages of trekking poles in our dedicated article or how to choose your trekking poles
Note: Synthetic technical clothing performs very well. New merino wool garments have also appeared; they are very high-performing and comfortable to wear, and have the advantage of not developing perspiration odors!