“Between June and September 2011, to walk the whole Via Alpina Red Trail, between Monaco and Trieste, in order to set up a geophotographic inventory of this route. At regular intervals (5 or 10 km), I will take photographs, georeferenced by GPS, towards the four cardinal points – North, South, East and West. In order to extend the knowledge on Via Alpoina, I will film short sequences either around a particular spot (border crossing, remarkable site), or with people met on the way to find out who they are, what they are doing there and what Via Alpina means for them. Communication around this project will use several ways: managing of a blog before, during and after the journey, communication towards pre-schools and primary schools in order to raise awareness on Alpine issues (environment, tourism etc.), publication of a daily roadbook illustrated with pictures.”
Romain walked from 16 June to 31 August 2011, from Monaco to Leuk in Switzerland. Juggling between his hike, his family and unforeseen professional obligations, he progressed slower than anticipated. He also had to review his project’s concept, realising that programming photographs at set intervals and in the four fixed directions often amounted to collecting pictures of slopes, or fog. However he already brought back more than an thousand images to be integrated in the Via Alpina website. And, better prepared to the ups and downs of walking alone, he will take to the road again in the summer 2012.
