The European Tour by bike! - Episode 1
2022-04-22
📍 Sèvres - April 2022 - the big departure!
Since at Extia, it is “First Who, Then What!” it is quite natural that we decided to support the European Bike Tour project of our Belgian consultant, Fabien.
Passionate about cycling since his childhood, Fabien set off to meet all the Extians from our 20 agencies across 6 different countries.
An ambitious challenge
The watchwords of his trip are spontaneity and improvisation. Fabien is eager to be free and to discover new people and cultures. Therefore, it is without any doubts that Fabien left for this new adventure!
"I don’t know where I am going to set foot, and I don’t really want to know, because I like this way of moving forwards.” said Fabien, an Extia Consultant and adventurer."
This isn’t the first time Fabien has gone on a long-term trip. In 2013, he explored Eastern Europe for two months on his bike. In 2016, he visited Southeast Asia in duo for six months, before ending his trip prematurely due to health issues. Nevertheless, Fabien the globetrotter is back on the road again!
From a practical point of view, Fabien embarked on an ambitious journey, equipped with his bike and only a few things. Deciding to bring only the bare minimum with him, Fabien presented his equipment to us during the Meetup® Event of our Comet' Feel Good Belgium. In total, between sleeping, clothes, hygiene and spare material, his equipment weighs 35 kg! Gone for one year, he estimates that he will travel between 100 and 130 kilometers per stage. For those who are curious, he has also described his journey, which you can find here.
A CSR and intrapreneurial approach
Fabien's project is also part of the company's CSR approach. Indeed, Extia attaches great importance to sustainable growth. Here, two aspects will be rigorously considered: ecology and local development. In line with his thoughts, Fabien will limit his carbon footprint as much as possible, use a bicycle he already owns, but also limit his daily expenses to the strict minimum.
Moreover, Extia has always had a people-oriented intrapreneurial approach, highlighted through Fabien's project:
First, who? Fabien and his manager Valentin. Then, what? A meaningful and value-added project, Valentin continues to accompany him in this extraordinary adventure, offering him a break in his contract!
The journey
On April 12th, Fabien departed from Sèvres! Equipped with his "Extia" jersey and his "Paris" badge, to begin his journey towards our agency in Rennes, more than 430 kilometers away.
His journey has only just begun! So, see you soon for the rest of the adventure!