Belgian explorer Louis-Philippe Loncke is set to break a new record and cross the French Alps unassisted in 25 days from Tuesday, he told Belga on Monday.
The explorer would set a 14th world first on his 19th expedition, if he reaches his destination on 11 August. The Belgian will set off from Nice, in the south of France and reach Lake Geneva, on the Swiss border.
To complete this expedition and achieve a Fastest Known Time (FKT) record without assistance, the 46-year-old Belgian has decided to travel lighter than on his previous journeys. He will be carrying a 32-kilo rucksack for the 623 km journey. Usually, he would carry 40 or even 60 kilos in the most extreme cases.
Credit: Belga/ Marie Dosquet
“I’ve taken a risk, I know I don’t have enough calories, but I’ll be light. It’s not the toughest challenge, but the number of days is still impressive,” explained the explorer, who has also limited the number of bandages and spare clothes.
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Internet users will be able to follow the explorer’s expedition via a “tracker” that will trace his route live on a dedicated web page, and he also plans to post photos and videos regularly on his social networks.
“There’s a certain purity to this project. There’s a beauty in walking through a place and being left to your own devices,” he adds.
The explorer’s last record dates back to 2021, when he became the first person to walk the Kungsleden, a trekking trail around 425km long in northern Sweden, completely autonomously. He also points out that this year’s expedition will be the latest FKT on a Grande Randonnée (GR) trail.
