Definitely the first question every hiker asks: who am I going to hike with? Who will be my guide in Queyras? Who will accompany me to Crévoux? These legitimate questions invite you to discover me.

I am Nicolas Djerekian [aka Nico or Djé] and I am a sportsman, a mid-mountain guide and a former firefighter. Yes, all that at once in 1.80 meters. To find out more, join me, follow the signs and let me accompany you on a private path.

My life like a hike

My life does not follow a marked path. Rather, it takes shape on an unpredictable route, offering different routes as I take my steps. Track on the right, path on the left, which path could I have taken? What GPS trace could I have left?

Starting point / My childhood

Originally from the Var, very attached to my region, I grew up in Saint Maximin la Sainte Baume. It was in a reassuring and peaceful setting, surrounded by my family, that I spent my childhood. When I was little, I had many options in mind for my future (firefighter, high-level athlete, military). But, already, the family hikes on foot on Sundays in search of mushrooms were a source of emotion for me. I explored with insatiable curiosity the Hautes-Alpes mountains that surrounded me, and vibrated to the rhythm of my steps.

Small detour / Firefighter

In 2000, I hit the road, direction: Marseille. I chose to join the Marseille Firefighter Battalion (a unit of the National Navy) for its intense rhythm and the spirit of cohesion and fraternity that reigns there. After 10 years of service, I took a parallel path and became a civilian firefighter.

Being in excellent physical condition is essential in this profession. So I do sports, a lot of sports and I enjoy it. Kick boxing at a professional European level, swimming, road cycling, running, but also in my free time, mountaineering, climbing, ski touring, ice climbing. Finally, you notice, the mountain is never far away.

The ascent / Mid-mountain guide

But, in my mind, the idea of returning to the Embrun region, this region that I love so much, floats too often. So, big shift in 2018! I'm leaving this firefighter's path. I venture onto a side path, steeper, strewn with pitfalls, but which corresponds more to my expectations. In September 2018, I registered for the probationary tests with a view to obtaining my state diploma for mountaineering guides in medium mountains. In April 2022, I reached the summit and obtained the famous mid-mountain guide diploma. It was then that I definitively left the rescue field and settled in Embrun, in the Durance valley, I created NatureXplore.

Arrival point / NatureXplore

Creating your own business is like walking off the beaten track, heading onto a ledge or walking along the side of a hill. It can quickly become overwhelming and a little stressful. In these conditions, it is better to be well equipped and equipped. Fortunately, I have in my backpack, in addition to my compass, my water bottle and my Gore Tex, a range of useful skills to carry out this excursion: courage, perseverance, good interpersonal skills, blood- cold and a good dose of humor.

I invite you to walk alongside me through NatureXplore, to discover the magnificent landscapes of the Embrun region, Queyras and the Écrins massif, the Verdon; hiking or snowshoeing; in summer as in winter; day and night. To give you a little idea of the magnificent panoramas visited, I invite you to walk up toto my photo page.

In my opinion, hiking is synonymous with…

Freedom.

When you walk in nature, when the stones crunch under your shoes and the wind whistles through the peaks, you forget everything. Personally, I leave behind the constraints, the incessant ringing of my phone, my connection that goes off the rails. Hiking embodies this nomadic dimension, this letting go which breathes a breath of fresh air into our existence, a timeless parenthesis.

Humility.

When you hike in the mountains, when your eyes marvel at these peaks which tickle the sky or get lost in the dizzying voids, you feel infinitely small in the face of these immensities, humble in the face of the power of these colossal giants. How can we not feel this modesty in the face of the grandeur of nature that surrounds us?

Respect.

The mountain opens its doors to us and lets us discover its fauna, its flora, its forests, its valleys, its silence and its intimacy. Like a discreet guest, we owe him respect.

Mountain walking also invites us to respect ourselves, our own limits, but also to consider others, those who hike near you.

Solidarity.

If there is one area where solidarity is clearly expressed, it is the mountains. Faced with those who are struggling, their foreheads sweating, their legs trembling, the famous “rope spirit” manifests itself and translates into kindness, security, friendship, mutual aid and listening.

It's time to put on your hiking shoes, gain height, discover new horizons and share strong human values. Explore the page

So, wearing a good pair of (hiking) shoes, I'll see you soon in the mountains near Embrun.

Nico.