A performer throws molten iron to create sparks during a show on the Bund promenade along the Huangpu River, before the Lunar New Year of the Horse in Shanghai on February 2, 2026.
Two French tourists arrived in the city of Shanghai in eastern China on Saturday, after a year and a half of continuous walking, during which they crossed sixteen countries, on the final leg of their journey that began from France in 2024.
Benjamin Humblot (27 years old) said upon arriving with his friend Loïc Voisot, who is a year younger, at the tourist Bund Boulevard adjacent to the Huangpu River in Shanghai, “We thought about this moment almost every day for over a year, so our feeling is indescribable.”
A Commitment to Environmental Conviction
The two friends had set off from the city of Annecy in the French Alps in September 2024, determined to reach the financial center on the Chinese coast on foot to fulfill their dream of undertaking a “fantastic adventure,” and out of a desire to visit China while avoiding air travel in adherence to their environmental convictions.
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Their journey ended after 518 days, during which they covered approximately 12,850 kilometers, except for a small part in Russia where they used a bus for safety reasons.
About fifty people gathered at the starting point for the last ten kilometers of the trip, where they were joined by journalists and French residents of Shanghai. Loïc Voisot said, “If your dreams seem crazy, start them step by step; sometimes you won’t be able to achieve them, but you will succeed at other times.”
When asked what he would do first after the journey ended, he jokingly replied, “I want to sleep as long as I want.”
Shanghai
Shanghai is a major global financial hub and port city on China’s east coast, which grew from a small fishing village into a treaty port opened to foreign trade after the First Opium War. Its iconic waterfront area, the Bund, showcases colonial-era architecture, while the Pudong district across the Huangpu River features modern skyscrapers like the Shanghai Tower, symbolizing the city’s rapid 21st-century economic development.
Huangpu River
The Huangpu River is a 113-kilometer waterway flowing through Shanghai, historically serving as the city’s main commercial artery since the Ming Dynasty. It gained prominence in the 19th century as the heart of the foreign concession areas and remains a vital transport route, famously dividing the city into the historic Puxi area and the modern skyscrapers of Pudong.
Bund promenade
The Bund promenade is a famous waterfront walkway along the Huangpu River in Shanghai, China, built primarily during the city’s colonial era in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is lined with historical Western-style buildings that once housed major banks and trading houses, showcasing Shanghai’s historical role as an international financial center. Today, it offers iconic views of the modern Pudong skyline across the river.
France
France is a Western European nation with a rich history dating back to ancient Gaul, later evolving into a powerful medieval kingdom and a leading center of the Enlightenment. It is globally renowned for its cultural influence in art, philosophy, cuisine, and fashion, and is home to iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Palace of Versailles. The country played a pivotal role in world events, including the French Revolution, which established foundational republican principles.
Annecy
Annecy is a picturesque town in southeastern France, often called the “Venice of the Alps” due to its canals and Lake Annecy. Its history dates to the Roman era, with significant development in the Middle Ages when it became the seat of the Counts of Geneva and later the Dukes of Savoy, leaving landmarks like the Palais de l’Isle and Annecy Castle.
French Alps
The French Alps are a major mountain range in southeastern France, renowned for their natural beauty and as a premier destination for skiing and mountaineering. Historically, the region has been inhabited since prehistoric times and was later shaped by the Duchy of Savoy before becoming part of France in the 19th century.
Russia
Russia is the world’s largest country by area, spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. Its history is marked by the rule of the Tsars, the rise and fall of the Soviet Union in the 20th century, and its establishment as the modern Russian Federation in 1991. It is renowned for its vast landscapes, rich literary and artistic traditions, and globally influential cities like Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
