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06 10 44 73 02
guide@traversees.earth
@traversees_
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Walking in the reliefs of the landscape is a metaphor for our lives. The path is the place where they unfold in its ridges, its valleys, its chasms, its passes and its summits.

The visible and invisible landscape is its habitat, its mirror. It surpasses us, inspires us, possesses us.




- Can you go back over your journey?

I was born (1988) and grew up in Provence and in the Southern Alps, where the watershed of the Durance and the Rhône meet, within the massifs of Alpilles, Ecrins, Queyras, Vercors and Dévoluy. As a child, I was marked by numerous experiences and stories of climbing, ascents and bivouacs in the mountains, distant journeys and workshops. My parents were artisans and farmers. 

After a long walk alone across the Alps just after I came of age, I made a series of photographic self-portraits in these landscapes. During these performances an intense sensation invades my body, as if dissolved in the space covered by the rocks, the ice, the beings that inhabit it. In the following years, I explored the path mainly by walking and terrestrial means, first with an initiatory journey departing from Gare de Lyon. On foot and by train to the distant lands of South Asia, the return via the steppes of Siberia two years during which the journey shaped me. 

What followed were wanderings across Asia and Africa, where I developed several artistic projects guided by chance encounters in the landscape, which led me to the volcanic areas of Danakil, the Sahara, the Rwenzory massif (Congo/ Uganda). I produced several photographic series there, and explored other mediums such as painting and video. 

After these long and distant projects, a closer page where the scale is reduced, a workshop on the edge of the forest in Avon, m opens up to what is there, which surrounds me on a daily basis. I spent several years traveling through the Fontainebleau Forest, where installations were born in the natural environment, shared during joint walks.

- When and how was this project born?

Recently, during a crossing of the Pyrenees, it was obvious to have this approach of sharing now, and to lead a group to survey the landscape, to spend time there together, to live it, to inhabit it, together.

“Traversée” unites this intention and my artistic approach. A deep desire to share these moments, to walk together in the landscape for a while, exchange there, receive and build relationships, observe it, let ourselves be invaded and listen together, how to be within the world.



- Where does your interest in walking come from?

Walking has always marked my daily life, whether from a few hours to several years, it constitutes the rhythm of my days, of my years. Its relief is a metaphor for our lives. 
The landscape is the place where the walk unfolds, its ridges, its valleys, its chasms, its passes, its summits. Visible and invisible, it is the habitat and the mirror of our lives, it surpasses us, inspires us, possesses us.

- Do you offer walks in all seasons?

Each season opens a monthly cycle of unique walks through the landscapes of France, from the high passes of Queyras in summer, to the autumn lights of the Cévennes, or to wrap oneself in the forests of the high plateaux of Vercors in spring, until crossing the Fontainebleau massif or being carried away by the brilliance of the coves in winter. 

The landscape and its inhabitants always have to tell us, each season is an opportunity to go walking. 

The paths are possible for all ages and all levels. The necessary equipment varies, and you take the path with a light bag for nights in lodges, or a slightly heavier backpack for roaming during nights under the stars.


- How do you imagine your routes?

They are a line to be walked ephemerally. Anchored in the season, the route envelops the group who travels it, carrying a dialogue between surveyors and landscape. 

The routes are shaped by the places they pass through. From a walk of a few hours to a journey lasting several days, walking invites you to yourself and especially to the encounters that the path offers us, an invitation to be in the world. Each route also invites the stripping that walking suggests, the bag on our back made up of only the necessary things.


A dialog with Margault Antonini, for Regain Magazine, may 2022.







Levels


▪︎ Contact
_you’ll find here the levels, Ruben is available by email : guide@traversees.earth or by phone : +33 (0)6 10 44 73 02
to discuss.

_Traversées offers wlaks for all, levels are of three sorts.

_ 🪶, 🥾 and 🔥 all rated 1 to 5.


🪶 ⇢ the sentiment of“inhabiting, being a part of”

Meeting of several elements of our walks, the place of the living in the landscape crossed, the isolation of the paths taken, the dimension of the landscape which surrounds us during the journey. Encounters with the living always offer fascinating views at all scales and in all places, the clue here highlights the feeling which can interfere in us to inhabit the path, sometimes called “oceanic”, the one which takes us towards the All.

🪶/5 ⇢ Trails still very close to a metropolis, a city. The landscape already offers numerous encounters with the living, they are embedded in the mosaic of urban people.
🪶🪶/5 ⇢ Trails one or two hours walk from an urban area. The landscape speaks to us of the intimate links between the living and humans, the geological forces are visible.
🪶🪶🪶/5


⇢ Trails half a day's walk from a village, the horizon sometimes offers distant views, the landscape is largely shaped by the living and the telluric, geological forces, the feeling of “being part of, of to live”, slips into us when walking.
🪶🪶🪶🪶/5 ⇢Trails a day's walk from a village, the landscape is increasingly shaped by the living and the telluric, geological and cosmic forces, the feeling of “being part of, of living”, diffuses in us during walk.
🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶/5 ⇢ Trails several days' walk from a village, the isolation is very great. The landscape is shaped by living things, telluric, geological and cosmic forces. Isolation is important. The feeling of “being part of, of living” permeates us during the walk.

🥾 ⇢ the physical effort of a traversée

It is established by the hours of walking per day and the positive elevation changes (d+) carried out.

🥾/5 ⇢ less than 2h, heigth difference ≤150m
🥾🥾/5 ⇢ from 2h to 4h, heigth difference ≤400m
🥾🥾🥾/5


⇢ from 4h to 6h, heigth difference ≤750m
🥾🥾🥾🥾/5 ⇢  from 6h to 8h, heigth difference ≤1200m
🥾🥾🥾🥾🥾/5 ⇢  + 8h, heigth difference ≥1200m


🔥⇢ the comfort of a traversée

Depending on the accommodation encountered along the way, each place, whether for a bivouac, in a lodge, or in exceptional accommodation, are encounters and are an integral part of the crossings.

🔥/5 ⇢ all nights are under tents, or under the stars, washing is done in the water of rivers or lakes, the crossing is in places far from any permanent habitat, a luxury in itself.
🔥🔥/5 ⇢ a large part of the nights are in tents or under the stars, washing is done in the water of rivers or lakes, the crossing meets a small part of the nights with cabin or refuge type accommodation and allows a little comfort , a hot shower.
🔥🔥🔥/5


⇢ Accommodation is entirely provided in a bed in a guest house or gîte, the toilet is with hot water, the rooms are not necessarily separate.
🔥🔥🔥🔥/5 ⇢ the guest house, gîte or hotel are very comfortable, the toilet has hot water, the rooms can be separated.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥/5 ⇢  exceptional accommodation, guest house or hotel offering high-end comfort.


Conditions



▪︎ Contact
_you will find in the conditions many answers to your questions if this is not the case, Ruben is available by email:
guide@traversees.earth or by phone : +33(0)6 10 44 73 02
_Ruben may be in the mountains offline but will do its best to respond to you quickly, Traversées is a small structure.

▪︎ Reservation
_for each reservation a deposit of 50% is required, it commits you to making the trip.
_the remaining 50% is due three days before departure.
_a technical sheet will be sent to you with details of the outing, its progress, a map and the necessary equipment.
_confirmation for each payment is sent by email.
_for certain Traversées reservations, we use collaboration with portage structures.
_an invoice can be issued

▪︎ Weather
_Ruben Brulat constantly keeps an eye on the weather.
_For your outing, a weather report is communicated three days before, allowing you to adjust the equipment and the itinerary.
_in the different Traversées environments, conditions can vary quickly and differ from forecasts, Ruben Brulat is not able to control these conditions.

▪︎ Gear
_
the recommended equipment and clothing will be indicated when providing the technical sheet.
_Ruben Brulat may refuse a participant if the material is not suitable.

▪︎ Cancellation
_weather is not a reason for cancellation.
_Ruben Brulat can, in a case of force majeure which will affect the safety of the participants, modify the itinerary or even cancel it up to 12 hours before departure. In the event of cancellation, it will propose a later date, and if the date is not suitable it will undertakes to reimburse the sums already paid.
_no refund is possible in the event of difficult weather conditions, Ruben Brulat undertakes to do everything possible to adapt.

▪︎ Insurances
_Ruben Brulat as DE AMM has professional civil liability.
_the courses often take place in an “isolated” environment, called “at risk”, the participants become aware of the specific nature of this environment and undertake to follow the advice given by Ruben Brulat. He does everything possible to ensure the outing runs smoothly.
_Ruben Brulat cannot be held responsible for other services, lodgings, hotels, restaurants, transport.
_Ruben Brulat is the provider of the day trip, for stays a portage company takes over.
_Should the client come from abroad, he must provide a valid travel and health insurance

▪︎ Health
_
Participants undertake to read the level of the output
_each participant or organizer will communicate to Ruben Brulat any specific health conditions or treatments in advance


 


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Thanks and credits



Thanks to the living in all forms and presences, visible and invisible who guides my steps along the paths.

Thanks to Alix, to Rose, Christophe, Samuel, to Blanche, to Nico, Victoria, Charlie, to Misha, Tom, Cezar, Pablo, Léo, Thomas, to Gian, Sophie, Marie, to Nathanaël, Lubna, Anatole, Sophie, Zen, Shauna to Raphaël, Maélis, to David, Félicie, Agathe, Laure, Victor, Adriana, Audrey, Nicolas, to Sophie, Sven, Niels, Anne, Clotilde, to Clotilde, Emmanuel, Letizia, Iris, to Paul, to Francois, Bernard, to Fanny, Edith, Sebastien, Romain, Florian, Xavier, Nelly, Jerome, Fabien, Francoise, Michel, André, Nicole, Michel, Elisabeth, Michéle, Berne, Gerard, Michel, Jacques, to Jeremie, Nicolas, Nicolas, Loic, Francois, Elsa, Didier, Pascal, Isabelle, and all candidates of UF and DE AMM, to all wanderer of trails, met here and there.


Images in their almost entirety were done by Ruben Brulat, some by Zen Lefort, a few by Alix Thomsen and one by Lubna Playoust.

All content of this site is underlicence, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, you can share everything in all its form, without commercial and without modification, and with attribution to Traversées- Ruben Brulat.






















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