The Ravanas Family, who set out on a world tour by bicycle with their three children, shared their experiences with the students of Arkas Piri Reis Private High School.
In August, mechanical engineer François Ravanas and his kindergarten-teacher wife Maud Ravanas set out on a world tour by bicycle from the French Alps with their children Colombine (14), Brune (12) and Eloi (10). After passing through 11 countries, they arrived in Türkiye. Following their visit to the Ancient City of Ephesus, the family made a short stop in Izmir and was hosted by Arkas Piri Reis Private High School.
Answering the French and English questions of Arkas Piri Reis Private High School students, the family members shared their journey and experiences. Explaining that they set out to meet people from different countries, discover their ways of life, and help their children form a broader sense of the world, François Ravanas said, “the main reason we chose bicycles was to minimize ecological impact; we wanted to travel slowly, taking in the scenery and nature.”
Stating that they cycle an average of 50 km per day, Ravanas said, “Since the beginning of our journey, we have pedaled 3,700 km. we have two tents. When we see a place with a beautiful view or when we don’t want to stay in a city, we sleep in a tent. In bad weather conditions, we find a place to shelter. So far, we haven’t had any safety issues, but since we will continue our journey in Asia from now on, this concerns us a little.”
François Ravanas added that they will cycle from Izmir to Istanbul. He stated that they will then fly from Istanbul to Thailand and plan to return to France in June 2026 after visiting Laos, Vietnam, China and Japan.
