Kev’s Top Tip
Don’t make all of the .GPX tracks visible on your Garmin at the same time. Pick the one or two relevant to your current location and only make these visible.
With lots of tracks, my Garmin (Oregon) took so long to check the files and load them on power-up (several minutes) that I thought it was broken.
I have spent many hours seeking .GPX files from websites to find the ones that were best for me on my Garmin Oregon GPS. Unfortunately, now I am not sure where all of these GPX files came from!
I renamed most to be better for my trip, which also means I can’t work out where I got them.
A couple of sites I definitely used are
Some stages required me to make my own GPX files. The resource used was
Bikehike is primarily of use for the UK as it allows routes/tracks to be created on UK Ordnance Survey (OS) maps. But it does also allow you to create them on Google maps for other countries. It also has the useful feature of providing a simple way to convert Google KML format to and from GPX – you load the route/track in and then simply save it out in the other format.
The final GPX files I used are below. My route generally follows the GR5, but deviates in the following areas
- I use my own route via Vlaardingen to avoid using the ferry on day 1.
- I use a route via the Balcon du Leman, around Lake Geneva to avoid using the ferry from Nyon to Thonon-les-Bains/St Gingolph.
- I have chosen to follow the GR52 from St Dalmas to finish at Menton, rather than follow the GR5 to finish at Nice.
All of my route plus the GR5 route are:
COMPLETE SET OF GPX (zip file)
Part 01 – NL Hook of Holland to Bergen op Zoom
Part 01a – NL via Vlaardingen avoiding ferry
Part 02 – NL BE Bergen to Eben
Part 04 – LU Ouren to Sierck les Bains
Part 04a – LU old route (Remerschen to Scy Chazelles)
Part 05a – FR Sierck to Scy Chazelles
Part 05b – FR Scy Chazelles to Vic Sur Seille
Part 06 – FR Vic Sur Seille to Ribeauville
Part 07 – FR Ribeauville to St Hippolyte
Part 08 – FR St Hippolyte to St Cergue
Part 08a – FR alternative route La Cluse et Mijoux
Part 08b – FR alternative route detour to Mouthe
Part 08c – SW St Cergue to Nyon (GR5)
Part 09 – FR St Cergue to Reyvroz (Balcon du Leman)
Part 10 – FR Reyvroz to Les Houches
Part 10a – FR Thonon les Bains to Reyvroz (GR5)
Part 10b – FR St Gingolph to Col de Bise (GR5)
Part 11 – FR Les Houches to Bessans
Part 12 – FR Bessans to Montgenevre
Part 13 – FR Montgenevre to St Dalmas-le-Selvage
Part 14 – FR St Dalmas-le-Selvage to St Dalmas
Part 15 – FR St Dalmas to Menton GR52
Part 15a – FR St Dalmas to Nice (GR5)