Inspirational challenges: One step closer to Santiago de Compostela

Eric Violle and Francis Steen, Electrical Project Designers at ArcelorMittal Liège, share a common passion for walking. But this passion goes beyond traditional walking: it crosses borders, and is now bringing them to the Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela!

“Our pilgrimage started last year,” they explain. “Every Sunday, together with our wives, we would walk 25 to 30 km towards the city of Santiago de Compostela. The following Sunday, we would resume our journey where we had stopped it the week before.”

Where did they draw their incredible discipline and motivation from? “It is the desire to break the everyday rhythm and to come back to simple things, in entire harmony with nature.”

“Due to the current economic crisis, we are being asked to take our holidays to make up for our extra hours. To take full advantage of this opportunity, we have decided to resume our pilgrimage as early as April 6 and to complete the 2,600 km we still have ahead of us by the end of July.”

To achieve their target of 25 to 30 km per day, good preparation is key: “We have done a lot of research on the possible routes and accommodation opportunities, and have talked to people who have already made the pilgrimage… The most important is to lighten our bags as much as possible, anticipating all we will require.”

As we speak, they are pacing up and down the Spanish landscapes with their tent on their backs. Congratulations to Eric and Francis for this bold, inspirational initiative!

Collaboration: Marianne Peters, ArcelorMittal Liège