Frenchman Charles Attonaty On The Road In Down

Attonaty plans to walk through all the countries of the world

On the Northern Ireland leg of his global walk, Charles Attonaty (29 ), a Frenchman from Le Harve in Normandy in France, took a break to chat about his walking tour around while passing through County Down writes Jim Masson.

I met and chatted with Charles Attonaty while he was staying with Tommy and Cynthia Smyth beside St John’s Point near Killough.

This hardy Frenchman carries a rucksack weighing around 40 Kilos containing his worldly goods. He exists, literally, on the goodwill of the people he meets on his Voltairean journey. He is an optimist, seeking the good side of human nature when it presents itself and is enjoying the freedom he finds without the limitations of modern day materialism.

I asked Charles about why he gave up work and decided to opt for a hard life on the road. He said: “I am a graduate in Human Resources, and also qualified as a nutritionist. I tried a few jobs including working for Delivero in France.

“Just before the Covid-19 epidemic in 2020 I had planned a break in Thailand, but that was cancelled due to the health scare. I was disappointed as I was looking forward to the adventure. It was very frustrating having my flight canceled. My three month trip was cancelled so I just spontaneously decided to go for a very long walk on the 27th July 2020. I just grabbed my rucksack and started walking.

“I didn’t tell my parents of brother. I just left at 7.40pm one evening. I had no understanding how I would survive on this journey without a clear end or direction. I cast off as much material connections as possible.

“I did not take my bank card with me. I had the basic kit to live on such as three changes of T-shits, socks and underwear, sleeping bag, and a small tent and stove for heating food in colder countries. It was basic. I had no plan, just living for the moment. And surviving. It has certainly re-shaped my sense of self. “

Charles explained that he did not know where he was heading each day. It was as though an unknown hand pointed him in a particular direction and said ‘walk!’.

He said: “I walk between 5 and 10 hours a day depending on where I am. I am particularly keen to experience life on the edge, surviving on a knife edge, depending on the goodwill of people I meet on my journey.

“The first leg of my walk took me through France, Monaco, Italy, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey.

“The next leg took me to Belgium, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark. It was always tough being alone, not having any money, and many times not having anything to eat or drink. Most of the time I am alone, and in the outdoors.

“Quickly I found I had to give up the simple pleasures of life and live ascetically. It is very liberating. I’ve turned my back on a materialistic way of life.

“The third stage took me through Finland, Sweden and Norway. I had to survive in temperatures of -32 degrees. At one stage in Finland, I was trying to keep warm and the wind was blowing. I came near to death through exposure there but was saved by a passing driver passing along on the very uninhabited road I was on. I felt my body shutting down. She called me ‘crazy’ and gave me proper outdoor clothes to wear is that freezing weather.

“The driver took me to the nearest small town about 50 Km away. This saved my life as I did not realise how cold it could get and I was not prepared for it.

“Also, while I was in Turkey, again I was in a temperature of 40 degrees and dehydration, exhaustion and I was generally starving. I hadn’t eaten for a couple of days. I felt myself collapsing. I really needed help.

“Then along came a couple of local people and very kindly helped me with food and water. I recovered and thanked them for their kindness. I found the Turkish people very friendly and helpful to travellers such as myself.”

And then the conversation took a rather deep and philosophical twist. Charles was particularly interested in the concept of synchronicity. When I stayed with a Swedish family for a couple of days, I eventually headed a few hundred kilometres south and had an incredible experience.

On the road a car passed me and the lady driver asked if I was ok as I had been walking for hours. It turned out she was the sister of the woman in the family I had stayed with many kilometres away. There is something about the inter-connectedness of events that just amazes me.”

It was the emminent 20th Century psychologist Carl Jung who conceived the term ‘synchronicity’. Basically is refers to linked events or coincidences that occur that prove to be very meaningful when they arise. These happenings seem more than just pure chance or luck, which Charles does not believe in. These experiences he says are fundamental, profound epiphanies.

“When I start walking each day, I don’t know where I was heading. Usually I don’t take any breakfast and just start walking. Part of what I’m doing is not asking to be accommodated, fed or watered etc. But the good nature of people comes to the fore. I am always amazed at the charitable and caring nature of people.

“Also I don’t look for work. I depend of people and their giving nature which I find amazing. And every route I take through my own choice can bring danger or an experience of the best kind. I am not afraid for myself

“I just want to be challenged, and I’m finding it all very philosophically interesting. I am not a religious person. But I am learning so much about myself and people on my travels. It is very enlightening.

“I’ve had lifts in sleighs, cars, tractors, lorries, taxis, boats, and even on the top of a military tank!

“Sometimes I have nothing, and sometimes I have everything I need. It brings me close tio helping to understand how other people in other parts of the planet subsist. All of the time I am learning something new.

“So far I have avoided countries that are at war and where there are conflicts. One day I might right a book about my travels.

“When I was in Scotland I was on TV, and I’ve even been interviewed by a writer from the Sunday Times. People are interested in what I am doing. I want to tap into people’s real sense of genuine humanity.

“When I arrived in Killough I met Tommy and Cynthia Smyth and stayed with them for a break. Their genuine hospitality was very much appreciated. And I went to Margaret and Stephen Smyth’s Munchbox in Ardglass where I was treated to a delicious scampi and chips. It was superb.”

After a soft drink in the Green Heights Bar in Ardglass with myself, Charles headed back towards Downpatrick, wherever the road took him. He will probably see a bit more of the North of Ireland and will head South, unplanned, with no direction, only guided by the goodwill of the people he meets on his journey living on the edge.

Charles is a remarkable and brave young man, and I am sure when he comes to write his book it will not be just about his travels through different counties, but about his personal journey through the human mind and his own thoughts and struggles as a human being, much of it against materialism.

A quote from 18th Century French Philosopher Voltaire: “Don’t think money does everything or you are going to end up doing everything for money.“

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To find Charles Attonaty on the Web or On Social media channels :

search for : #Tour Du Monde Sans Argent (Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagramm, TickTock, and YouTube).

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Extra note on Synchronicity

Last night just after I wrote this article, I was listening to some old Scottish ballads, and one my late father used to sing. As it was ending my phone pinged. It was a What’s App. A musical friend had sent me a great song he had composed and sung as a tribute to his own late father who passed away not so long ago.

For me to have just finished this lengthy article which touches on synchonicity, and be pinged about a tribute to a friend’s late father whilst listening to a song my father loved, is amazing.

Now that to me is synchronicity.

Enjoy the read!

JIM MASSON.