MEG & YANN - A world tour with a 100% French suitcase.

Meg and Yann, a sporty couple who loves ocean and trips. Passionate about Surfing, Kitesurfing, Wakeboarding…. Gliding sports will punctuate their journey.

Since November 2019, it's the trip of a lifetime, a year-round trip around the world with the watchwords: Respect for nature, solidarity and sports. In parallel, the objective was to constitute a suitcase 100% made in France and / or eco-responsible.

They decided to bring to light through their photos, companies, French artisans, to highlight their know-how, as well as companies concerned about the environment and who want to rethink the consumption of today.

Megyann_autourdumonde allows you to travel, share, and convey values that are important to them.

"This suitcase is above all a human adventure, we are fascinated by the know-how, but also the entrepreneurial side that we find in each of our meetings during the suitcase filling. 50 Liters bag each for a one year trip: a fine selection! "

What gave you the motivation to travel the world ?

What is sure is that we were not forced. Haha! I (Meg) have always dreamed of this trip. Like many of you, I spent some time drooling on Instagram travel accounts. Yann had it in mind for a long time because he knew he’ll had one year between two jobs. Let us say that it presented itself to him fairly easily. For my part, I did not hesitate for so long, I made my dream possible by leaving my work to go with Yann. I didn't think it would happen so quickly in my life but an opportunity like that, you don't have one every day … and then realize your dream by sharing it with the person you love, what more could you ask for?!

Chilling in love in New Caledonia

What is your traveling itinerary? Where are you ?

Our route, we never really planned it, we knew that we had to be in New Caledonia from mid-December to the end of January for Yann's work. To choose others steps in our trip : we put Google flight and we looked the best surf and kite destinations, living prices, culture aspects… One day, we found a cheap ticket for Australia, we took it and then we had our two first destinations. We knew that there were destinations where we absolutely wanted to go like Tahiti and Guadeloupe. In the end, the itinerary was a bit of a feeling and depending on the opportunities. And currently we are in Tahiti, and with the coronavirus, we will have to delete Hawaii in May, we are losing the only tickets that we took in advance. For the moment, we have done: Australia, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tahiti. Tahiti for how long? We don't know yet, but we're pretty good here !

Corsica will stay wild forever

What are your days? Do frenchies ride 24/7?

Our days, there is not one that looks alike except since we are confined ... Our time is rich in session, as soon as the spot and the conditions allow it!

We try to stay at least several days on the spots (Surf and kite), just to get used to it and meet people ... What a joy to be in the water every day! Each destination has its favorite sport.

Australia: we surfed on the west coast with the jitters of sharks but in very clean and powerful waves!

Yann foiling in Australia with its Noé 2mm neoprene top

New Caledonia: the beginning of an unconditional love between Meg and kitesurfing! We Kited almost every day, wind, wind and wind again! Perfect spots to progress and jump. Special mention for the Méridien spot in Noumea, ultra flat, my favorite (Yann) at sunset, when I get out of work.

Here is the ultra flat spot !

Meg vs. Caledonian fishes, wearing Jade as a swimsuit

Vanuatu: windy and small surf, a beautiful local culture, welcoming people and lots of chill (lots of rain and a cyclone passed nearby ...)!

Local surfers make you think twice before buying a new board

Fiji: our surf Eden, our best sessions. A corner of paradise. And then, we can now say that we surfed Cloudbreak (laughing) ! We also discovered a real passion for freediving, we left France with small snorkeling fins. We bought giant fins to take advantage of the richness of the seabed, have fun with turtles, mantas, and sharks ... Now freediving, rhythm part of our days, despite sometimes the fear it provides, the immersion happiness is extraordinary.

Yannshredding with its Saint Jacques Lycra and boardshort

You paid big attention before your trip to what you put into your suitcase! So why did you select Saint Jacques?

Saint Jacques, finally a French neoprene brand! Saint Jacques met all our criteria to join our suitcase: French brand, an original French design idea, a company on a human scale. The Headquarters is located next to Montpellier, our heart city in France (Cocorico !). We also walk by feeling, and we always been well received in your office ! At Saint Jacques headquarter, we smell neoprene but above all, we feel good vibes emanating from the passionate and dedicated team. Today, we cannot do without our wetsuits, neoprene tops… it is part of our sports, and we are happy to bring our French touch in the water. We also encountered an Australian wearing Saint Jacques in the water! Absolutly classy!

In view of all the disciplines you practice, what types of neoprene do you take for your trip?

Very very hard to choose. You should know that south of Australia is quite cold (even during summer) compared to other destinations that we go to. For me (Meg), I took the LISA 3/2 completely adapted in cold weather and Saint Jacques neoprene is very stretch, therefore perfect for the oar. It has served well, and it has had an effect on Australian girls. 2nd selection, my JADE 3/2, shorty Superwomen fashion, my favorite of the Saint Jacques collection. So elegant, and pleasant. It goes everywhere! Indispensable for freediving sessions !! On the other hand, I send back to France my LISA, from New Caledonia, the water no longer drops below 25 degrees (laughing). So its back to France but it will be very useful when we’ll come back and hit cold water ! As for Yann, a shorty long sleeves for Australia, and freediving sessions. He also has his Neoprene top Noé for the slightly windy sunset, or if you want to stand out in the water (laughing) !! He is less skittish than me, and especially not enough place in the suitcase to take more. On the other hand, he never leaves his Saint Jacques lycra t-shirt for surfing, kiting, swimming and running (And even sleeping, yes!) We are pretty well equipped! Thank you Saint Jacques !

LISA QUICK DRY AVAILABLE HERE

The essentials for a trip like yours?

First of all, our wetsuits! Thanks to which we have inherited the affectionate nickname " Frenchies" on the spots! Essentials for Meg: my swimsuits, our Saint Jacques Wetsuits, our Seventyone Percent sunscreens (authentic and organic sunscreens) and , sunglasses (after 3 keratites, I surf and kite only with glasses). And riding gear for complete freedom ! We spend our time in or on the water, in the sun. I hope we will soon find a Saint Jacques one-piece long sleeve swimsuit !!!

Essentials for Yann: my camera, my Saint Jacques lycra t-shirt, a bob (I start to assume it after 6 months of travel…), boardshorts and my 2 surf boards of course !! We realize that even when we left with a 50L bag, we still took too much stuff….

Looting against the sun ? Learn more about organic sunscreen.

What are the "original / responsible / reusable" products used by the locals you meet?

The main one is coconut oil which is used as a moisturizer, hair oil, cooking oil, deodorant and so on. Responsible products include solid soaps and shampoos. In original and reusable products, empty coconuts are used as a plant pot, bra (true haha), pearls for jewelry, aperitif bowl, Kava glass (traditional Vanuatu drink), fuel for cooking ... Beautiful discover this coconut!!! In the Pacific, the land is very fertile, many people cultivate it to feed family and friends. They thank her every day! We sometimes think that in our current society, we have lost this truly feeling of gratefulness that deserves mother earth.

Your best travel experience?

Without hesitation and from afar, while the sun was slowly going down, in Polynesia on the island of Huahine, at an improvised freediving session, an unexpected and majestic Manta ray appears from nowhere, we witnessed a magical spectacle… She seemed to want to play with us, she left, came back, doing somersaults at less than 1 meter from us. breathtaking !!! We have no words ... an unforgettable 20-minutes performance (but we had to take a bit of air sometimes !!)

Ps: Yann also wanted to add his "big" tube to Cloudbreak (laughing)

Ps 2: He dare not say it but he was congratulated on the water by Benji Brand !

Your worst moment of loneliness at the world’s end?

One night on the Isle of Pines in a local hut, a “Faré”, infested with rats, even going so far as to bite Yann’s finger in the night… a horrible night, nobody around, no other alternative for sleeping, a big moment of solitude…

Are you affected by the Coronavirus? How is it going at the moment?

And yes ! (Un)fortunately… We are in Tahiti, Yann works in the morning but there are few patients. We are stuck in an apartment with all our toys, it is 28 degrees outside and Windguru predicts swell… We feel however happy to be here rather than in France where the situation is more complicated. The only positive aspect we see, is the ecological respite that we give to the planet! We should establish rules for the ecology and the future of our planet. "When a country has reached its CO2 emission rate for the year: Containment until next year ..." In short it is a long debate ...

Check our Surfer To Do list for this lockdown time !