Two young Frenchmen — 27-year-old Benjamin Rene and 26-year-old Loic Michel — arrived at the Bund in Shanghai on Feb 7, completing a 519-day transcontinental journey covering more than 13,000 kilometers on foot.

Their adventure began in September 2024, when they quit their jobs in Paris and left their hometown of Annecy with an ambitious goal: to walk all the way to Shanghai, China.

During the journey, they trekked along the ancient Silk Road, crossing 16 countries and wearing out six pairs of shoes before entering China in September via Khorgos in the Ili Kazakh autonomous prefecture of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

In the following months, they walked across provinces including Gansu, Shaanxi, Anhui, and Jiangsu before finally reaching their destination — Shanghai.

The journey was fueled by a strong desire for change.

“We wanted to live a big adventure, feel closer to nature, and discover ourselves by facing the unknown and overcoming difficulties,” Rene recalled.

Before setting off, Rene and Michel carefully planned their route to avoid unexpected challenges in unfamiliar regions. However, they soon realized their worries were unnecessary — China exceeded their expectations in every respect.

They were deeply impressed not only by the country's diverse and spectacular landscapes, but also by the modernity of  cities and the hospitality of locals.

"We experience kind gestures every day, with people offering us something for no other reason than to welcome us," they said, noting that such warmth felt especially precious after being away from home for over a year.

This hospitality inspired them to learn Chinese as they realized that speaking Chinese would allow them to better express their gratitude and respond to the kindness they were receiving.

To sum up their experience along the journey, the two believed it has made them braver and more open-minded.

"We have achieved things we once thought were impossible, and we've broken through many psychological barriers," said Michel. "That so many people have helped us along the way has made us believe that as long as you're willing to speak up and open yourself, you will have beautiful encounters."

"Now, the fear we once had toward the 'unknown' has changed a lot. We've grown more confident and have learned to trust others," said Rene.

That final stretch, however, was anything but solitary. What began as a personal pilgrimage turned into a spontaneous public procession.

When Michel and Rene set off from Changfeng Park in the afternoon, they were already accompanied by about 50 people who had answered their online call for a joint city walk.

But as they made their way along the Suzhou Creek promenade, the group seemed to multiply. Curious onlookers became participants; passers-by with smartphones became part of the parade.

By the time they reached the Bund, the crowd had swelled to over 100 people — a mix of nationalities, generations, and backgrounds, all walking together.

There were Shanghai locals like Auntie Zhang, who had never explored this particular route before, and international students like Mohammed Saleim from Niger, who joined after a French classmate told him about the walk.

For Rene, looking back at the growing crowd stirred emotions he hadn't expected. "Until today, this was a very private journey. We shared it online, but we never got to see the people following us," he said. "To finally meet them, to walk with them — it made everything feel real in a way it hadn't before."

Sources: Shanghai Morning Post, China Daily