Other travels
On a roulé sur la Terre
A year-off around the world with a thousand dollars in the pocket. (1993-1994) From Paris to Paris via Dakar, Valparaiso and Lhassa. Never leaving the ground with their bicycles but for crossing Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, through 35 countries, in 25000 km. Within a year sharp. Sonia, Alex’s fiancee at the time, told him the day of departure : “I’ll be faithfull to you 365 days, but you must be back by the 366th…” She joined the two friends to cross the Andes with them. For the rest they survived with playing tunes with their recorders and juggling in the villages. This story is a best seller that launched hundreds of young Frenchmen around the world in the quest of true life, adventure, and themselves, on a path that goes beyond the borders of our shallow perceptions of the world and our materialistic society. In France, they did it ten years before it became normal in young westerners curriculums. It was published in 1996 by Robert Laffont pub.
This book has not yet been translated in english. It was translated in german bei Bastei Lubbe verlag under the title : “Paris-Auckland und Zuruck”
La marche dans le Ciel
Inspired by the Crane brothers that had run the Himalayas from Darjeeling to Srinagar (from a tea garden to another...) this journey was a mad walk, across the entire length of the Himalayas by the best friends in the world. They sneaked in and out nine countries, crossing the borders illegally, without visas or trekking permits, without guides nor accurate maps, bolted through high passes packed with snow in tights and running shoes. An ultra-light approach to high altitude for an awsome 5000 km in six months from Bhutan to Tadjikistan, via Sikkim, entire Nepal, Tibet, Zanskar, Kashmir, Pakistan, Hunza, and Afghanistan. The longest trek ever made along the ridge of the Himalayas, staying always between 3000 and 6000 meters high, without even a tent or a stove... The aim was to link all these lost Valleys and mythical mountains in one sweep, and meet it’s extraordinary people, isolated and pristine, hospitable and peaceloving.
This book, published in 1998, has not yet been translated in english.