3080 km across France on an Icelandic Horse

A little while ago, we heard about a young French woman, Lucille Manier, who'd decided to cross France from South to North on her Icelandic horse. This journey is no shorter than 3080 km and will take 4 months altogether to complete. Her mother follows her by car and meets her every evening wherever they spend the night.

We reached out to Lucille to learn more about this unique adventure.

Hi there, can you start by introducing yourself to our readers?

Very often, I introduce my horse before myself. My traveling companion is a 12-year-old Icelandic horse named Ckjalar du Langeren. And my name is Lucille. I am 23 years old, and I try to pursue my dreams and passions. For the past 17 years, those have mainly revolved around horses, but also history and heritage.

Lucille and Ckjalar pose in front of the medieval city of Carcassone - Photo: Christèle Goslin Manier

When and how did you first encouter the Icelandic horse?

I met the Icelandic horse, like many other French people I think, at the "

Salon du Cheval

" in Paris in 2014. A French breeder was promoting the Icelandic horse there and you could come and have your photo taken on horseback. At first, I saw big cuddly teddy bears in them, and later, I had the opportunity to go on holiday camps where I could ride them. There, I became particularly attached to one of them and since then, I haven't ridden any other horse breed.

How did you come up with the idea for this trip?

I think it's a combination of things but a former work colleague told me about his trip across France in a caravan and I really liked the idea. In addition, being a history fan, I always dreamed of seeing castles and medieval cities on horseback, like our distant ancestors who also traveled these places on horseback. So the idea for a trip across France to discover it and allow others to learn about the country along the way emerged.

Can you share your itinerary with us and how you prepared it?

I prepared the itinerary by focusing first on "big" points of interest such as Carcassone, Lourdes, the Mont Saint Michel, etc. The places I chose often have had an impact on me in the past: I mainly go places I have already visited as a tourist. I then added museums or noteworthy sites that I felt people should know about. Once that was done, I connected all the dots to obtain a route.

Lucille and Ckjalar's itinerary stretches over 3080 km (~4960 miles)

Have people been welcoming along the way? Have there been places where it's been difficult to find a place to keep Ckjalar?

I have been lucky, I share my journey on social media and my subscribers often reach out to offer to host us. People are very welcoming and happy to talk about my project or share their own passion for horses, donkeys, etc. with me. I often have the opportunity to share a meal with them and these are always warm, convivial moments. And regarding finding "accommodation" for Ckjalar, on the contrary, it is often even easier. The horse brings people together and I prefer to have a perfect place for my horse even if it means sleeping in a not so great place myself. But of course, depending on the region, some places, can be a somewhat more touristy or less rural, and then it can be a little more complicated to find a paddock.

Ckjalar grazing with Lucille's mother, Christèle - Photo: Lucille Manier

Approximately what distance do you travel per day? And how often do you take rest days?

The number of km can vary depending on the weather, the type of terrain or even the sleeping conditions Ckjalar has been in. We do at least 14 km (~8.7 miles). We leave early in the morning to take advantage of the cooler temperatures and so that Ckjalar can rest in the afternoon. But usually, each leg of our journey is around 24-28 km (~15-17 miles). Regarding rest, we have one rest day per week plus all his afternoons, as I explained.

How did you prepare Ckjalar for this remarkable adventure?

I prepared Ckjalar for a year, with periods where we trained a lot and others less. Last winter here was really hellish and I had to skip a lot of training sessions. But other than that, Ckjalar has always been used to go on one or two trail rides of at least 10 km (~6 miles) per week. So I worked in stages, first keeping the two rides per week, one of 10 km and one where we pushed to 15 km (~9 miles), then one of 15 km and one of 20 km (~12 miles). Then three per week with more cardio training at the trot and gallop. Eventually, we rode around 15-20 km every other day, including 7 km (~4 miles) of trot, 7km of walk, 7km of gallop, and so on.

What are Ckjalar's biggest strengths and weaknesses (if he has any) when it comes to undertaking such a journey?

It's hard not to say that my horse is perfect! He has a great mind, he's not afraid of anything. Which allows me to ride him with a sidepull and long reins all the time. He's used to being alone even if I try to find him friends for the night as much as possible. But he's really a true courageous warrior and I'm really surprised by his abilities. We've also grown very close over the past 7 years, so he trusts me completely and we've built a beautiful bond. His only fault is that he's incapable of stopping! He never sleeps and he's hyperactive and can't stay still for more than 5 minutes to allow me to eat!

Lucille and Ckjalar at the 'Moulin des Tours' in Nérac, in the Aquitaine region - Photo: Christèle Goslin Manier

What has this journey taught you so far?

On a human level, this trip has taught me a lot: that people are always supportive of one another and ready to help. I love meeting a lot of different people and learning about their lives and passions. From donkey breeders to carriage drivers... I'm also discovering a new, nomadic, way of life, a life at the horse's pace, much slower, rich in landscapes. It's like rediscovering a world that is somewhat removed from overconsumption, from a life driven by the constant need to go faster and disconnected from human contact. I was told this trip would change my perspective on the world, and I believe it truly has.

The bond between Ckjalar and you must be very strong. Has your relationship evolved through your travelling?

Our bond has always been very strong and fusional. Since I have him, we do a lot of groundwork, we go swimming together, take walks with me on foot, etc. I also have had to move a few times and always take him with me. Over the last three summers, I actually moved into a wooden caravan that I installed in his field to be able to live with him. So I would say our relationship hasn't changed during the trip, it's always been this strong and I am very grateful to him for that.

Would you like to add anything to finish?

Feel free to follow us on social media (

Facebook

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Instagram

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tiktok

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YouTube

). This adventure is the first one but I already have ideas for more in the future and the bigger the community, the more museums and other sites will be open to welcome us and do things with us. And I try to put english subtitles on my videos to reach more people with Icelandic horses. I really enjoy discussing with all my followers and hearing their ideas and opinions. And I love to share knowledge and try to get young people interested in history through a slightly different approach.

I would also like to link history and horses more in the future.

Lucille and Ckjalar visiting a falconry site close to Rocamadour - Photo: Le Rocher des Aigles

We thank Lucille very much for taking the time to answer our questions and wish her, Ckjalar and Christèle the best of luck during the rest of their adventure. We also look forward to what Lucille will prepare next.

Have you ever undertaken a similar journey? Would you like to tell us about it?

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