Hello Cédric, would you please introduce yourself for us?
My name is Cédric Tassan, 47 years old. I'm married with two children, and I live in the south of France, in Saint-Pierre-sur-Mer. I'm an engineer by training, but I've never practised... I set up my own publishing company, Véthopo, in 2005. We produce mountain biking, climbing and road bike guidebooks.
Then I created photo and video content, and shared all my cycling adventures on social networks. Sponsors came, and side projects were set up, such as film and documentary production, and partnerships. Today, I live off my work as an editor and the funding from my sponsors.
"I want pure exploration, untrodden paths".
In recent years, you've been involved in a number of high-profile adventures. Can you tell us about them?
It's mainly thanks to my travels in Central Asia that I've become known. I think they appealed because I went off on my own to Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Adak... places where I filmed myself alone, carried my own equipment, and had experiences of intense resilience.
"What I'm looking for is an encounter".
These adventures are pure exploration, with no organization behind to support me, film me, and give me food in the evening, as some adventurers would have you believe. I really don't like this kind of lie, which consists in selling a dream without any authenticity, and I think people liked that I was transparent and true.
Are you always alone on your adventures?
No, of course I meet people. What really interests me is meeting and sharing with others. I don't go looking for destinations like Antarctica or the Arctic, where encounters are rare. I prefer to pass through villages, meet shepherds, and sometimes even cross paths with trekkers. But I can go two days without seeing anyone.
I also have a **support team** that drops me off at a point and picks me up at the exit. So I've got contacts, and I sometimes get help if a stage is too difficult. For example, in Tajikistan, for the first few days when I had to be self-sufficient for five days without food or a stove, I hired a guide with a horse to carry hot water and food. This help is punctual and targeted, part of the adventure.
"In Tajikistan, I found myself faced with colossal difficulties".
Was driving there complicated? I imagine desert plains...
Kazakhstan is a fairly flat country, with long distances to cover. But it's not always easy, because I plan my routes myself, without relying on pre-existing information... there's often little data on the ground, and I don't try to follow routes already done by others.
What interests me is exploration with a capital E. Even if, today, it's difficult to find unexplored territory, I try to create my own paths. For example, when I crossed the Mangystar desert in Kazakhstan, I covered over **600 km **following tracks I'd spotted from an aerial view. I create my route without knowing what I'm going to encounter, whether it's sand or anything else, so there's no predictable information...
Has there ever been really hostile territory, where you wondered how you were going to get there?
Yes... In Tajikistan, it was totally different, even if I used the same method to create my itinerary. I found myself confronted with colossal difficulties, where being on a bike was almost heresy.
My bike quickly became a dead weight to lug around for days on end, in an ultra-hostile environment at altitudes of up to 5,000 meters.
There were no paths, only blocks the size of cars, sometimes smaller, to cross for days on end...
It turned into a real test of resilience, where I had to **imperatively work on myself **and accept that I no longer had a choice.
"In adventure, mental strength is essential".
What have been your greatest fears during your adventures?
I don't really have any fears, but moments of intense doubt. In Kazakhstan, for example, I found myself alone in the desert, with 600 kilometers to cover.
My team had dropped me off on a rocky outcrop, 80 kilometers from the first town. Once I was alone, I felt an enormous emptiness. I had to concentrate and adapt, taking photos and looking for my starting point to calm my doubts.
Another difficult situation was crossing a river in Tajikistan. Rivers there are unpredictable and extremely dangerous. I spent an hour looking for a safe spot, to no avail. Finally, I found a less powerful branch of the river and managed to cross. These moments of doubt are intense, but they're part of the adventure.
How do you work on your mental state in these extreme conditions?
Every action is meticulously planned to avoid accidents. I have to master every detail, because I'm alone and far from everything.
To work on my mind, I focus on resilience and the ability to live in discomfort. Many people focus on their physical condition, but in adventure, mental strength is just as essential.
You have to learn to push your limits, whether it's resisting the cold or the pain. For example, I often choose to stay in shorts and a t-shirt in cool weather to build up my tolerance to extreme conditions.
The important thing is to develop a hardy mentality capable of adapting to any situation. Unlike those who train like Formula 1 racers and break as soon as they leave their optimal environment, I strive to remain flexible and resilient. This enables me to keep going even when the going gets tough, by not letting the discomfort stop me.
What has been your greatest encounter?
The people I've met in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan share an incredible kindness and generosity.
It's both cultural and religious, thanks in particular to their practice of Islam, which is very open to foreigners. The Ismailis of Tajikistan, for example, are exceptionally tolerant of women, nature and foreigners, without proselytizing. Their approach is linked to Zoroastrianism, with a deep connection to nature and fire. It's quite extraordinary.
What differences have you noticed compared to our Western cultures?
I think the main difference is their sense of transmission. They welcome and share everything they've learned, like people who pass on knowledge. We've lost this openness here, where individualism dominates.
But I believe we can regain this quality by communicating more. Human beings need to share their experiences and knowledge, like an open house with windows where the air circulates freely...
You train young people in mountain biking and often take your children on bike trips. Why is it important to pass on the love of movement to your children?
Passing on a love of movement to my children is crucial for me. Movement is essential to life, keeping the body healthy and promoting regeneration.
In our modern society, we are often sedentary, spending long hours sitting down and using the car for short journeys.
Encouraging my children to walk or cycle enables them to develop healthy habits and discover the world in a different way.
For example, we often go on adventures on foot, with a light backpack and no phone, which teaches them to appreciate physical effort and shared experiences.
These moments strengthen our family bond and take them away from technological distractions, helping them reconnect with nature and their own bodies.
