La Traversée Verte by Morgane Lelièvre
A committed ultra-trail runner, Morgane Lelièvre ran across France from north to south, collecting garbage along the way. With 1,547 kilometers on the clock, 428 kg of waste collected, a dozen schools sensitized and countless encounters, she looks back on her adventure dubbed "La Traversée Verte".
Watch the video
Listen to the podcast
Episode summary
Trail and environment: a dual passion that becomes a project
Morgane Lelièvre has been trail running for several years, with a predilection for long distances. After living in the Pacific for 9 years, she embarked on her first eco-sport project in Australia, following the fires that left a deep impression on her: 250 km of running to raise funds for the WWF. On her return to France, she began to dream bigger: to combine her passion for trail running and her commitment to the environment in a large-scale project.
The Traversée Verte: a sporting and civic adventure
She chose the Méridienne Verte, a historic route from the north to the south of France, little known to the general public. She adapts the route to alternate between towns, villages and nature, with one objective: to collect as much garbage as possible. At the same time, she prepares upstream presentations in schools, to raise awareness of pollution and environmental protection among the very young.
Even though her ultra-trail experience gives her a good base of endurance, Morgane leaves nothing to chance. She trains, strengthens her back to carry a 10-13 kilo pack (equipment, food and garbage), and runs with a load to simulate real-life conditions. The result: no major physical problems during the crossing.
Comment soutenir La Sportive Outdoor?
L'une des façons de nous soutenir est de faire vos achats via nos sites partenaires.
L'idée n'est évidemment pas de vous pousser à la consommation: n'achetez que ce dont vous avez besoin mais, lorsque vous le faites, passer par nos liens nous aide car nous touchons ainsi une petite commission sans aucun coût supplémentaire pour vous.
Vous pouvez par exemple en ajouter certains en favoris pour vos prochains achats. Pensez à accepter les cookies de nos partenaires dès l’arrivée sur leur site.
- i-Run: jusqu'à -50% pour les soldes
- Alltricks: jusqu'à -50% pendant les soldes
- Ekosport: jusqu'à -70% pour les soldes
- Intersport: jusqu'à -50% pour les soldes
- Alpinstore: jusqu'à -70% pour les soldes
- Compressport: jusqu'à -50% pour les soldes
- Decathlon: plein de produits en solde
- Tonton Outdoor: jusqu'à -70% pour les soldes
- Lyophilisé.fr: jusqu'à -40% pour les soldes
- Andros sport: frais de port offerts avec le code SPORT24
- Ekoi: jusqu'à -70% pour les soldes
Pour plus de façons de nous soutenir, c'est ici.
Autonomous logistics (or almost)
Morgane sets off alone, self-sufficient, with an almost daily bivouac, water filter, sleeping bag and two bags: one for her equipment, the other for waste. To feed herself, she anticipates as much as possible, favoring bakeries with her cotton bags, but sometimes having to carry several days’ worth of food. She quickly adapts her routines: emptying waste bags as soon as a garbage can is available, optimizing tidying, and adjusting her timetable to meet her school commitments.
Collect, sort, report
In all, she collected 428 kg of garbage. Plastic bags, cigarette butts, food packaging… The volume doesn’t necessarily reflect the seriousness of the pollution, as most of the waste weighs next to nothing. At the same time, she reports numerous illegal dumps via the TrashSpotter app, and alerts town councils. Several have responded positively, encouraging her to continue in this direction.
Striking exchanges in schools
Along the way, Morgane will be visiting around ten schools. For her, this educational aspect is fundamental: ” It ‘ s at school that you learn the right reflexes “. The children greet her with enthusiasm and curiosity, sometimes with drawings or placards. Some exchanges touch her deeply, like this little note from a kindergarten pupil: ” Thank you for what you do for nature “.
Unforgettable encounters and moments
The adventure isalso one of sharing: trailers who come to run alongside her, families who support her, strangers who become friends. The landscapes and the sometimes magical bivouacs punctuate her route, like this evening in the Cher on the banks of a stream. She also recalls the emotional surprise of meeting up with her brother and sister-in-law on a day when she was feeling a bit down, and the final finish, surrounded by her family.
The hardest times
While the body held out, morale sometimes wavered. The passage through the Paris region, with its heavy pollution, was a difficult time. As were certain mishaps in the field: impassable paths, electric fences, fields to cross, or losing her phone in the middle of nowhere. But every time, Morgane hangs on, reassures herself, finds a solution, and keeps going.
A project that leaves its mark… and opens doors
On her return, she confesses to having been profoundly transformed by this adventure. Calmer, more aligned, more determined too: she decided to give up “food jobs” and devote herself to professional projects in line with her values. Her message has also been emulated: some trail runners have written to tell her that they now pick up garbage when they train.
“Enjoy, move, and make small gestures”.
In conclusion, Morgane has a simple yet powerful message: ” Enjoy being in nature, move at your own pace, and don’t compare yourself. And if you care about the environment, do your bit, even on a small scale. Every gesture counts. “