In 2019 Gaëlle and her ARISE TOUR bike headed out for a staggering loop around Europe, covering all its countries within. From the heat of southern Spain to the frozen coast of Scandinavia, while traversing the Carpathians somewhere in the middle, home to brown bears and wolves. Crossing the Carpathian and following its mountain curve from south to north this area also holds a little insight for her personally, as this is where her grandad hales from, it is also about the Carpathian’s rough roads and – rain, loads of rain. From what we know of her last movies about Turkey and Great Britain we are already excited about another episode and her skilled eye to put situations in scene as to let pictures talk emotionally.

Cycled, filmed & produced by Gaëlle Bojko.

What to say about Gaëlle that isn’t all superlatives… I could list all that I know and I still don’t think they capture the spirit and determination of someone like her. I first heard of this young French woman touring on her own in the winter, in the cold and snowy mountains to the east of Europe when I was also living a nomadic bike life but in the dry, south of the Iberian peninsula. I felt a little humbled by seeing such strength of character of someone at such an age, as when I was younger it was mostly parties and late nights for me. The pictures and stories that she shares from her adventures tell a great deal about what it’s like to tour on a bike throughout the year, and the small insight she grants us into her experiences are things to be enjoyed again and again. Chapeau Gaëlle, bon courage!

Andy Cox, founder of the European Divide Trail