On the road, a slow-tourism story just the way we like them
Slow tourism: traveling on the back of a snail? A slow that makes your head spin? Mmh, that’s almost it. We met two travelers who take their home with them so they can take the time to appreciate the places they visit. It’s the story of a loooong journey: doing in 24 months what could be done more quickly, leaving big (carbon) footprints in the wake of our big seven-league boots.
The caravan, the perfect companion for slow tourism
Alexis and Aurélie are two free spirits from Réunion, a magnificent tropical island in the Indian Ocean. Alexis is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and events, which he reveals and enhances through his artist’s eye.
He took off with his wife to travel the roads of Europe in a caravan. And this is only the beginning.
A kiss on the road
@alexisgilli_ feat the custom-made gray polo shirt
@aurelie__robert wearing the summer bodysuit and the Gypsy skirt
@oiainthevan naked and comfortable in his fur #iamwhatIwear
Their road trip began in early 2019.
Alexis first prepared the caravan he bought from a traveling couple: he tinkered with the interior to turn it into a cozy, practical nest. A true maker, he turned it into a top-notch eco-caravan: it is digitally equipped while running on sunlight and collecting water from the clouds.
In short, this dream caravan really exists. Come on, we’ll show you.
It’s still 18 m²: there is a driver’s area where the passenger seat can be removed to enlarge the living room, yes, like Lego; a kitchenette, a raised bed, a bathroom, and storage space for sports equipment and so on. Yes, minimalism frees up space! Especially since they spend their time outdoors.
Their mini mobile home is almost energy self-sufficient thanks to the solar panels installed on the roof. It’s quiet and doesn’t consume oil, unlike a generator. In winter and in northern regions such as Norway, which they fully intend to visit, energy will be produced by wind turbines.
The itinerary
They set off from Val d’Allos, a municipality in Mercantour National Park between Nice and Lyon. They began by visiting Spain. Aurélie spent a month on an organic farm under construction in the Basque Country and met other volunteers, locals, Germans, French people, and more...
After that, they headed to Morocco, but entry was refused to Oia, their little dog, even though he is very cute. There are other fairly unpredictable reasons why you may be prevented from crossing a border: for example, in Rwanda, customs searched the caravan of one of Alexis’s fellow adventurers and confiscated... plastic bags!
Rwanda takes the problem of plastic very seriously, and it shows. It’s clean!
After spending some time on the Iberian Peninsula, they headed back up through France along the Atlantic coast. A chance to wake up to a view of the sea and admire the beautiful Dune du Pilat in the Arcachon Basin.
The next stage: drive north to Lille, then enjoy July in Norway.
Slow tourism in a caravan, a shared project full of daily surprises
They get water from camping areas, service stations, or rainwater collected with an awning wherever the sky is clear. When you live in a caravan, you adapt even more to the rhythm of the seasons (you have to avoid ending up in Norway in December) and become more aware of air and water quality. In a polluted city, the air is thicker and you can’t drink rainwater. Finding drinking water requires organization, and it doesn’t taste the same everywhere. In case of shortage, they can filter their gray water, the water used for showering and washing dishes. Our adventurers are full of resources! They also have a nettle cannon and spiderweb guns in case of emergency.
Their dashboard tells them how much fuel and electricity they are using. The challenge is to keep enough fuel to keep moving while heating with diesel in winter. Since sunshine is not constant, they pay attention to what they consume (darliiiing, there’s no more hot water, are you serious?).
It’s all about making do without giving up comfort: naturally, it adds some spice to the relationship!
Woke or not?
Actually, Alexis and Aurélie are inspiring because they respect the environment without making a big deal about it. They don’t even claim it as an identity.
It’s instinctive: since they are nomadic, they are minimalist.
Since they like tinkering, they make what they need or salvage second-hand objects, which reduces waste.
Since they love nature and spend time around it every day, they take care of it. You could even say they are natural in the sense that they don’t view nature as something external to themselves: they are right in the middle of it.
All that’s left is to run on eco-friendly fuel! But without even reaching for a calculator, we can say they already have a positive impact on the world, judging by their infectious joy and open-mindedness. On top of that, they’re incredibly nice, so we say, see you soon!
