Where are you from?

We are from France

When did you start your interest in exploration?

We have both always had a taste for travel and a passion for vintage vehicles. And in 2011, we participated in a student humanitarian Rally Raid in Morocco with a 1984 Renault 4 F4. This adventure was the perfect mix between these two passions and made us want to experience more adventures on wheels.

What is a brief understanding of your background story up until you started seeking adventure?

We met in 2008 at Architecture school in France. After long studies and working for ourselves, we needed a break. We wanted to go on a long road trip abroad, but the timing was never right. We realized there were never any good times. So we shut down our business, sold our belongings, gave up our apartment, and bought a one-way ticket to Canada with the idea of ​​buying a VW camper van and exploring Canada and the USA first. We thought we would leave for a maximum of 6 months / 1 year and finally 10 years later we are still on the road. For that we of course had to reinvent ourselves for work to be able to continue traveling and explore more.

What special skills do you have to help with your explorations?

We are both passionate about mechanics and have completely restored several vintage vehicles. It's a big plus on the road. We are also comfortable with navigation, when we get lost it's because we want to ;)

Where have you explored so far?

Canada, all states of the USA include Alaska (except Hawaii), Mexico, all countries of Central America, and almost all countries in South America (we are there at this moment). Of course France (we wrote a guide book about our trip), and part of Europe.

What is a brief understanding of your adventures so far?

Ooooh very long story :) But to make a long story short, we left in 2015 because we really needed a break (very demanding job and personal issues) and after traveling for a year and a half on our savings in Canada and the USA, we had the opportunity to be published by Outside Magazine while we were in Mexico. Photography has always been a passion for both of us but from that moment on we said to ourselves "why not make photography our job". We then started working for different magazines, also writing articles and taking pictures for outdoor brands. We were able to continue traveling in Central America. But we were blocked in the summer of 2018 by the civil war in Nicaragua. We then turned back and went to spend the winter in Canada (we bought and renovated a 1974 Airstream and spent the winter in it at -40°C, it was an incredible experience). In the spring we went to Alaska to the edge of the Arctic Ocean and then decided to go down to Ushuaia in South America. But when we arrived back in Mexico in March 2020, Covid stopped us again. After two years in France and Europe, where we also have two camper vans, we returned to the Americas and continued the road in Central America and then South America. And here we are 10 years later!

What are the top three destinations you hope to explore next, and why?

Very hard question, We planned a world tour in a lifetime, but if we have to answer:

1. Patagonia : we are so close now and very excited to explore this beautiful part of the world.
2. Iceland : We were there for a week for a photographic job and it was amazing. We really dream of going back there with the van for a couple of months.
3. Africa : We know the North part but we really want to see everything.

Where would you recommend others visit?

Depends what you are looking for.

1. For the huge and unique landscape : Western USA for sure.
2. For wilderness : Alaska and South America are a must!
3. For culture and food : Mexico is unique.
4. For complete change : Central America is another world.

We often think about going far away, but often, close to home is just as fabulous. France is a small country compared to others, but it's a dense country rich in culture and diverse landscapes.

How do you primarily travel on your adventures today?

We drive a 1984 2WD Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia (camper). We added a Peloquin LSD which is a great addition to have more traction combined to All terrain tires. We can go everywhere with this setup.

We also added a Front Runner roof rack with a solar panel on a box, jerrycans of water and gasoline and Maxtrax for more space and autonomy.

The last improvement was the engine. We changed the original one (400.000miles) especially for South America and very high altitude, for a 1.4L Turbo gasoline prepared by Boxeer in Nashville, TN. Our record is 5070m with the van at this time. With the original one it was impossible to take the roads that we drive in South America.

What are five pieces of equipment that you always travel with?

We are always on the road with the van so everything is with us but if we had to choose:

1. Cameras and computer: Photography is a passion and it's a big part of our job now.
2. Hiking backpack: We love hiking and trekking.
3. First aid kit: because you can never be too careful.
4. Starlink: It changed the way we travel. Now we don't have to go back to the city to find a network. We love being off-grid but living and working on the road requires being reachable.
5. Insulated water bottles: you have to stay hydrated!

What inspires you to explore more?

We are both very curious and always want to see what is next. Curiosity is our driving force. This world is magnificent, and its beauty lies in its diversity. Diversity of landscapes and cultures.

How do you engage with others?

It's pretty easy when you live on the road. Even if you like being in the middle of nature, you still go to the market where the locals go, people who see you with your vintage van ask you where you come from and invite you to their home, you also sometimes meet travelers like you and who necessarily have the same interests. In short, it's easy to have interactions with people when you travel far.

When we left in 2015, after many disappointments, we had lost faith in humanity. But along the way, we have had and continue to have the opportunity to meet incredible and inspiring people. These encounters and exchanges reconnect us with humanity. On the road, every experience is more intense.

Why is it important to embrace global cultures?

The world is big and beautiful. People are all different and have their own culture. When you travel to a country, it is important to respect the local cultures. It is also a way to immerse yourself more in the traditions of a country. Traveling is also that.

It helps us understand that there is not just one reality; the challenges and constraints are not the same depending on where we were born or where we live. Discovering and understanding other cultures means learning to be more humble and grateful. It is a huge mind-opener.

What are your goals when you explore?

We usually spend the entire time of our Visa in a country. We like to immerse ourselves in the culture and our goal is to discover as much as possible. Also to be able to feel as much as possible what people experience in their own country. The goal is not to check boxes but to be able to say: I lived in this country.

What are some challenges you have experienced?

Living and traveling with a vehicle, especially a small one, for two people in foreign countries, is already a challenge. But I think it might not be one for us. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to live like this all these years.

We've always been aware of the "disadvantages" of a nomadic life exploring in a camper van. The lack of comfort (cold showers outside, for example), the unexpected (the gearbox breaking down several times), the constant unknown (not knowing where we'll sleep that night, where we'll be in two months)...These are things that can be frightening and physically and mentally exhausting. We've learned to manage all of this, and it's part of our daily lives.

This discomfort and the doubts we may have are surpassed by all the experiences we have and the places we discover.

Of course, in almost 10 years, we've had some challenges to overcome. There have been breakdowns in the middle of nowhere. Like in Idaho, where after a night at -23°C the van wouldn't start. We were in a valley in the mountains, in the shade, with no network or heating, in a remote location.

We tried various things without success. Luckily, after several hours, a pickup truck came by and was able to pull us a few kilometers, dropping us off in the sun where the van could warm up. It turned out we had water in the tank because of bad fuel, which had frozen… Or in the Cordillera Blanca in Peru, where the transmission broke down on a dirt road. We had to push the van for miles and spend several days trying to find a way to get it towed and open the gearbox...

But the challenges also include staying calm in the face of a grizzly bear or trying to find a balance between work and exploration, knowing that we can never keep a hike waiting.

The challenges are daily, but they push us to put things into perspective and push ourselves.

Life itself is a challenge; we just add a little more spice to it by living on the road!

What has been your most meaningful moment so far?

Another difficult question, there were so many!

But one thing is certain: they're all linked to moments in nature...We love hiking. When we're not in our van on a small trail, we're scrambling up mountains, backpacks on our backs, always ready to pitch a tent and listen to the silence of the peaks.

Watching the sun rise from the Acatenango volcano in Guatemala after spending the night watching the Fuego volcano erupt is one of those indescribable moments we'll never forget. Just like our 9-day self-guided trek of Huayhuash in Peru, where the weather conditions were a real challenge, but moving between 4,000 and 5,000 meters above sea level every day was unreal. Or our roped ascent of Huayna Potosi in Bolivia at 6,088 meters above sea level—standing up there is a unique feeling!

But if there's only one moment, one encounter to choose... It's without hesitation the time, or rather the times, when we saw, heard, and petted whales in Baja California, Mexico.

Without a doubt, our most beautiful moments and our most magical memories.

Our travels took us twice to Baja California. Where each year, whales migrate, particularly to give birth.

From the shore, it's very easy to spot them.

But the first time, we set out on a small fishing boat in a lagoon. The boat stopped, and the whales approached curiously in the distance. One of them came so close that we felt as if its gaze was locked on ours, or vice versa. Playfully, it rubbed against the boat. A silent, suspended moment.

Since then, we've been able to observe them many times from the various beaches where we camped. Until we put on our masks and snorkels to look at the seabed.

Visibility was poor, but the whales were there.

It was impossible to see them underwater, but we could hear them communicating. The underwater sound is indescribable, but it's so beautiful it gives you goosebumps.

How has exploration changed you?

The more years we spend on the road, the more we realize that it doesn't take much to be happy and that the notion of happiness can have many definitions.

For us, it's not necessarily about possessing. But about living, experiencing, and enjoying our time. Because, after all, it may be time that has the most value. It's not expandable; we don't know how much of it is given to us, and it is, in fact, infinitely precious.

Taking the time to take time means being more attentive and more aware of what and who surrounds us.

What is the number one lesson that you have learnt through your exploration?

There are no problems, only solutions!

How do you explore locally?

We also travel by van; we have a campervan on both continents.

We often head for the Alps, where we swap the van for a backpack. The hiking trails there are magnificent!

What does the explmore mantra mean to you?

Be open to the world, to others, and remain humble.

There is not just one reality, not just one truth!

This world is diverse, and it is this diversity that gives it its strength and its beauty!

What advice would you give to others who are seeking life changing adventure?

Dare!

There's no good time, and it's never too late!

We only live once, so live it, Amigos!