The European Divide Trail in 80 Days | With Nicolas & Julien
It all begins with a phone call, ideas on where to go on holiday become plans for riding adventures rather quickly. One week is good, we say, but three months better. The desire to go long grabs us without warning. The obvious choice is there on the horizon; this journey will be the two of us bikepacking in Europe, from the Northeast to the Southwest, off-road. After a few months of physical and mental preparation, it's decided that our route will follow the European Divide Trail from the top of Norway down through Finland and Sweden into Denmark, Germany, France, Spain and the southernmost tip of Portugal.
We take a plane to Kirkenes in Norway. Packing the bike (and the stress that comes with it) is no small task. Upon arrival, Julien's box has been flung wide open due to rain damage, his belongings scattered all over the hold. The Norwegian staff are lovely and manage to retrieve everything. No need to panic. We head towards the easterly point of Grense Jakobselv, in Finnmark, along the border with Russia.
As we ride our gaze is drawn to views of the Arctic Ocean. We appreciate the vastness of this landscape that contrasts with the cityscapes of everyday life. It's six degrees here, and from now on, we will only be going south… We quickly leave the Norwegian tundra for the Finnish lakes. We discover a marshy ecosystem; beautiful bodies of water to reflect upon whilst turning the pedals. At the same time, we encounter our first mosquitoes. We were warned, and yet, when it's time to pitch our tent, we are under much duress. Hundreds of them have formed a welcome party, all over us within seconds.
We choose to keep riding and make the most of the absence of darkness provided by the ‘midnight sun’. In the end, we will knock on the door of a kind Finnish grandmother just before bedtime and ask for accommodation. This is a lucky lesson in ensuring we plan sleeping arrangements better, now knowing that every stop is a sacrifice of time (and potentially blood).
We leave the accommodation around 3am and learn that wherever we are up here, we need mosquito protection. During the first break in Jokkmokk, Sweden, we buy head mosquito nets. And then a day or two later, we'll have pizza and a burger each for lunch. We've clearly entered a new dimension of survival tactics. But this life is still full of pleasure. Every day, we make progress while enjoying the extended hours of daylight in the polar regions. But mosquitoes aren’t the only foe of the bikepacker, there's also the wind. And after the wind, there's rain. Our shoes are no longer dry, but our spirits remain high. And the rain makes the few river crossings feel more immersive. Don’t ask nature questions if you can’t handle the answers.
To finish our time in Sweden, the route arrives in Gothenburg, the country’s second-largest city. This dose of civilization is good for us, and we celebrate completing this northern section of 2800 kilometres (about twenty days) with a good beer. We also toast to the end of our battle with the mosquitoes. But who won? We will remember this as the ‘Land of Gravel in an Endless Forest’, where encounters with life are rare, but beautiful. Denmark is flat, with a gorgeous segment on the northern seaboard. The Danish shelters are numerous and well-maintained, although sometimes fully booked. Friends join us for a week, and we camp, cook and have drinks by the fire. Special thanks to Max, who brought Alpine Comté sausage. In Germany, big breakfasts. This section allows us to discover cities such as Hamburg, Hamelin and Cologne.
The next day, a special day, we tackle the Grand Colombier. We take great pleasure and enjoy yet another coke at the summit, along with a crepe. We take advantage of the mild temperatures at high altitudes because down in the Culoz basin, a heatwave is waiting. Riding under 42 degrees to Valence is a memorable moment of the journey. The sun delivers heavy blows as we reach true southern France. We hear crickets, smell pine trees and figs, and the roads are dry and the wind is warm. France has a magical and comforting aspect for us; discovering the profoundness of the Ardèche and Hérault.
The diversity of landscapes is impressive. To reach Perpignan, we endure the Tramontane and ride against 30-knot winds.Into Spain and a particularly hilly stretch. Our efforts are quickly rewarded; each passing day surprises us, the unexpected greenery of Catalonia and picturesque villages where we can always find a café and a bocadillo. We encounter some wild boar and deer. Our bodies are now extremely tired but accustomed to the effort, and the 10km ascents with an average gradient of 10% are eventually appreciated.
Etienne Hubert | From Kayak to Gravel: Traversing the Alps.
The summer months are synonymous with heavy training loads for the kayak racers of the French national team. 2023 was no exception to the rule.
Ultra Spirit & Anomadventures | A Human Adventure.
A unique trail running event, Ultra Spirit takes place in the Haute-Savoie Alps and consists of teams of three runners accruing points rather than the average race against time.
