SAMAYA x TANGUY DONNARS

 

 

For his dissertation, Tanguy, an industrial design student, is looking at the planning, preparation and retrospective phases of a trip, which are decisive moments of effervescence and decantation. He spent 2 months cycling to the Balkans, investigating the rise of roaming, its impact on the daily life of city dwellers and the sobriety it inspires.

 

"Initially, I had planned to spend six months on the road. However, after some thought and discussion, I realized that setting a duration could create an expectation of me and therefore unnecessary pressure. This trip was more about my research than my personal experience. Leaving without a specific date offers appreciable freedom and lightness. That's why I left alone and without a precise schedule: to be able to adapt to events, connect with people and live in the moment without any extra weight. I wasn't thinking in terms of performance. I watched the world go by around me, which became a way of conducting my research.

 

To give my trip a little direction, I headed for a mountain bike race in Greece, the Hellenic Mountain Race. This race is very interesting because of the journey to it, but above all because I wanted to interview one of the participants, Marin de Saint-Exupéry. I built my journey around this to reach this destination.

 

I had to meet people on the spot. So I varied my modes of travel. For example, I love to take mountain bike trails, but that doesn't really allow me to meet other travelers. So I turned to EuroVélo, the major international cycle paths. Most of the time, when I met someone on the road, I'd soak up their habits and become part of their journey. My journey was built through his and through each person I met. In this way, I experienced customs that I would probably never have tried.

 

The wonderful thing about traveling is that it's serendipitous. I was staying at a cycling hostel, an association where travelers are welcomed by other enthusiasts. It's a wonderful exchange of courtesies, a place where paths naturally cross. And it just so happened that I ran into Marin, the man who was guiding my trip. I was like a kid, completely overexcited. I started chatting to him, letting him know that we had a lot to exchange. He was going to volunteer for the first edition of a mountain bike race in the Balkans, the Accursed Race. And, by an incredible stroke of luck, he happened to be looking for a volunteer, and the start was just three kilometers from where we were. Not only was I fed and housed, but all by pure chance, working alongside someone I admire. It was simply incredible.

 

Throughout my trip, my tent has been the ideal place to spend the night. After a full day's sport, with the chill settling in, I slip inside and hear the surrounding sounds. It was the feeling of well-being I'd been hoping for. It was big enough for me and my stuff, which gave me a feeling of luxury. It was my refuge, especially when I needed to sit down, write and take a step back.

 

Up until now, I've felt comfortable with solitude, it didn't scare me, even at the thought of going off on my own. I tried not to have too many expectations, to let myself be carried along by the journey. Then, in Croatia, I felt exhausted. There were too many people and I couldn't get back to the essence of my trip. I'd lost that curiosity, that sensitivity. I could no longer find what had driven me to leave. The journey had changed. It was no longer a quiet exploration, but rather a quest for physical performance. It was strange, I felt disconnected. Rather than push it, I decided to take a few days to see if it would pass. It was the right time to go back."