They are called bike packers, those who set off by bike for long journeys independently. Antoine Grasset, a young 22-year-old from Pommerayen, is one of them. Having left at the beginning of March 2024, he returned to La Pommeraye (Maine-et-Loire) at the beginning of June, after having traveled more than 6,000 km, in 84 days, through around ten European countries.
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“I wanted to take a break from my studies, go away, discover other countries, other cultures, meet people. And I am not disappointed. » From France to Monaco, then northern Italy, the Balkans (Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro and Slovenia), then return via Austria, Germany and Switzerland.
A “pain” sometimes
And, as he hoped, traveling through all these countries by bike allowed him to discover their tourist, cultural and historical riches. “But above all, I had great encounters with welcoming locals, particularly in the Balkans, marvels the young adventurer. Even if the language barrier could sometimes harm the quality of our exchanges. »
But the difficulties did not spare him. Starting with the physical pains the first week, notably pain in the buttocks due to a poorly prepared stool. There was also incessant rain for several days in Italy: “But what did I come to do in this mess? » The fear of the many stray and aggressive dogs in Croatia… And a few bouts of blues sometimes too.
“A personal challenge”
“Loneliness which does not allow us to share our emotions can be heavy, recognizes Antoine Grasset. In these cases, the telephone is an easy refuge, but it is a poison because it harms concentration and reflection. » He is proud to have succeeded. “I admit that this adventure was also a personal challenge. I wanted to prove to myself that I was capable of it, physically, but also mentally. »
Returning home, the adventurer finds his student journey where he left it. Because another adventure awaits him, obtaining a master’s degree in sciences and techniques of physical and sporting activities. “I would like to be a physical education teacher. »
So, to keep in shape, he left in August, backpacking, to cross Corsica on the GR20. And will prepare a marathon for the end of 2024.
