WINTERING & WALK
In rhythm with the seasons
Departure for the North
In September 2024 , the three of us took seven trains and a ferry to Sweden to spend the winter in Lapland and cross
Sweden on foot.
Having arrived in the south of the country, we walked for two weeks to discover Sweden with my dogs before going up to Lapland by train.
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A wintering
After two weeks of walking in southern Sweden, we went to Lapland to work with sled dogs while waiting to cross the country on foot.
For six months, between dawns and sled dogs, we worked day and night, eagerly awaiting Spring.
Across Sweden on foot & paws
Six months of work and a romantic encounter later, we finally set off on foot from Lapland towards Uppsala.
Over 900 kilometers of walking, two months of wandering, and thousands of images captured along the longest journey of our lives.
A TRIO, ONE YEAR, ONE WALK
In 11 months, we will have lived 4 different lifestyles, worked for months and walked hundreds of kilometers like the three vagabonds that we are.
I dedicate this adventure to Iggy & Dante, who followed me without hesitation and gave me a reason to persevere every day despite the difficulties.
2024
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ROAD TO SWEDEN
Their first trip
Having never previously left the South of France, Iggy & Dante were able to discover Switzerland, Germany, and Sweden.
or even Italy.
After some administrative preparation, we left our Toulon Provence by train and then by ferry towards Uppsala, Sweden.
Having left home on Monday, September 16, 2024 at 4 a.m., we took 7 trains over three days.
It was in Rostock, in northern Germany, that we met Emmanuel, a Frenchman travelling alone to Sweden.
We spent one night in Trelleborg before taking two final trains towards Uppsala.
WALK TO THE NORTH
A need to immerse oneself
Rather than heading directly to Lapland to work with sled dogs, the three of us were curious to discover the country.
Having gotten off the last train in Uppsala, we set off towards Lapland, without thinking about when to stop or whether we plan to walk all the way to Swedish Lapland.
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The walk north was gentle, a pleasant way to get to know the country where I was going to stay for a long time.
The landscapes of the Swedish East Coast, although homogeneous, exude a certain calm, a gentleness that makes you want to sit and say nothing.
At the slow pace of an almost meditative walk, I took immense pleasure in stopping, squatting, and observing the beauty of the details that surrounded me.
Always with the same backpacks for 4 years, Iggy & Dante carried their things while I carried mine in my bag and our supplies in the trolley.
Walking, because of its slowness, also allowed me to meet people, especially those attracted by the curious appearance of my friends.
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After more than 2 weeks of walking, we set off towards Lapland after being urged on by the musher who was waiting for us.
WINTERING
In the middle of the dogs
For six months, my daily life revolved entirely around dogs. Or at least more so than usual, because I was dealing with about forty dogs.
that I had to feed, clean, and even care for daily.
On paper, this setting seemed idyllic. But its first part took a completely different turn, which I will elaborate on in more detail elsewhere.
The plan was simple: work in Aspliden at Team Arctic Melody in exchange for accommodation and time for my documentaries.
The landscapes of Lapland, in autumn as in winter, made me forget everything in the blink of an eye; I only had to look at those lakes, rivers and forests to feel my heart calm down.
In the end, I ended up working 7 days a week without rest or a sled and was treated like a nobody, even when I was grieving the death from my best friend Mehdi Ouadfel.
Taking advantage of the little time I had, I went wandering and captured as many images as possible before deciding to leave after three months.
I looked for another musher, Gunter, who took me in under his roof in exchange for work with his sled dogs.
Unlike Aspliden where I wasn't allowed to put my foot on a sled, this time I was able to train with sprint dogs whose speed easily reached 35km/h.
Having more time to wander, I took photos and videos and even had the luxury of making my latest film , Le Las, un fleuve et des chiens .
2025
ARRIVAL OF SPRING
Funghito
After a winter among the sled dogs, it was in Skellefteå that I met the love of my life: Valeria d'Ercole , an engineer working in Lapland with whom I decided to live while I finished my film and prepared for our crossing.
After six months of working without a day off, these almost two months have allowed me to slow down and appreciate one of the things I came to see: the transition from winter to spring.
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The layer of white disappeared over the days, and I noticed it during our romantic walks along the banks of the Skellefteälven river.
Dante, going about his business, discovered an arcade cafe where he made a friend: Totte Aspevind.
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The two months passed slowly, not without adventures, and the day of our departure as well as our return was fast approaching.
2025
THE WALK
A gentle return home
On May 23, 2025 , after spending 8 months in Lapland, we set off again on foot towards the place that had been our starting point 9 months earlier: Uppsala, two months of walking for
over 900km.
Before this adventure, Dante had pierced his throat with a 4cm stick while playing. He was stitched up immediately, but lengthy complications arose during and after this adventure.
The departure was as gentle as the first one in the South, except that the night had disappeared and would not reappear until the middle of July.
The length of the days and the Swedish calm allowed us to walk for longer periods, but also to be deliberately slow in order to take the time to appreciate the walk.
Like every adventure, this journey allowed our trio to strengthen our bonds while having fun and learning about each other.
Although Dante's health was jeopardized by these complications, he remained in incredible shape throughout .
*More details at the end of the adventure.
We walked through sun, wind, rain and storm, taking time to rest when one of us asked.
In these verdant landscapes, we progressed while I amused myself with my camera, capturing many shots of these wonders that the Swedish summer provides.
Between encounters and reunions, I cannot express my gratitude to all these people who radiated their good humor during this expedition.
Our lifestyle was becoming more refined each day, adapting to the weather, our fatigue, and even our mood.
And two months and more than 900 kilometers of walking later, we had finally arrived in Uppsala.
2025
BACK HOME
(Almost) reverse path
And on July 31, 2025 , we arrived in Uppsala to take trains towards Trelleborg, then a ferry towards Germany and finally a train towards... Switzerland!
Because instead of going directly back to my Provence, I was planning to make a detour to honor a very specific promise.
Back in Uppsala and then Trelleborg, I kept revisiting all the places I had been 11 months earlier, without the slightest idea of the year that awaited me.
Another ferry to Germany, this time with my brain full of memories. Having arrived in Rostock, the next destination was Switzerland. Or rather, the next leg of the journey.
Valeria was waiting for us in Switzerland, to pick me up and for us to go to my home in Toulon to see my mother again, who had seen me leave 11 months ago.
After spending a week in Toulon with my sweetheart and my mother, I stayed for another month to make up for lost time before leaving to live in Italy with Valeria.
MEHDI OUADFEL
In memory of
I dedicate this adventure to the memory of the best friend I ever had, who passed away on October 10, 2024 from cancer.
Thank you for everything, my brother.
DANTE'S INFECTION
A journey that began with a stick
On May 10, 2025 , during a completely ordinary outing, I was playing Dante's favorite game: stick throwing.
In the excitement of the game, Dante jumped and impaled his throat with a 4-centimeter hole that a veterinarian immediately stitched up that afternoon. What followed was a never-ending story.
After a few weeks of walking, a superinfection had occurred and we had to find emergency accommodation, first in Örnsköldsvik with Valeria, then in Sundsvall with Sussi Jonsson.
After an overpriced ultrasound and biopsy, we were told it was just an infection without a foreign body.
A few weeks after our arrival in Italy, Dante's infection returned with a vengeance and his throat began to swell again.
A scan was all it took to see that there was a 2cm long rod in Dante's salivary gland.
With the help of Valeria and the veterinarians, we were able to have him operated on and treat the resulting lymphatic reaction.
And after many weeks of intensive care, he gradually recovered from this incident and is now in great shape!
THANKS
To those who supported the adventure
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who supported this adventure, whether through your encouraging messages, your contributions to keeping this project alive, and to those who gave me a helping hand when I was in need.
To everyone, I would like to dedicate this section in memory of the kindness you have shown me towards my foolishness.
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First of all, I would like to thank all the partners in this adventure for contributing to its organization and making it possible!
EXPEDITION CONTRIBUTORS
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A huge thank you to all the donors to this fundraiser for the Ya'aba expedition making this adventure possible:
Anonyme ; Corentin Fremy ; Hervé Chevalley ; Donya Brghda ; Nikolas AUBOURG ; Jimmy Soto ; Sylvie Debord ; Noélie Hodet ; Anonyme ; Lucas Nezzal ; Noura Helye ; Orane Abad ; Anonyme ; Anonyme ; Anonyme ; Murat Murat ; Cristina Brucoli ; Mallaurie Dumortier ; Justine Frederic ; Tiffany Larquemin ; Patrice Sollé ; Lila Ayoldi ; Rémy DELMONTE ; Quentin Lecaudey ; Anonyme ; Anonyme.
