Honestly, the world of bike touring can feel a bit elitist. You’ve probably seen the photos: a lean cyclist atop a $5,000 carbon frame, perched on a mountain pass in the Alps, looking like they’ve never broken a sweat. But then there is Léry Jicquel. If you’ve spent any time in the French-speaking cycling community, you know that name. You also know the lemon emoji.
The Léry Jicquel carnet d'aventure isn't just a set of travel notes. It’s a philosophy. Jicquel, the creator of the wildly popular newsletter Le Concentré Vélo, has spent years documenting what he calls the "silent mass" of cyclists—people who aren't necessarily activists or professional athletes, but who just want to use two wheels to see the world.
Who is Léry Jicquel?
Before we talk about the adventures, we have to talk about the man. Léry Jicquel didn't start as a "bike guy." Originally from Lyon, he spent years in Paris before moving to New York City to work as a Product Manager in Brooklyn. He’s a tech guy by trade, which explains why his "carnets" (notebooks or logs) feel so organized yet deeply human.
He launched Le Concentré Vélo in 2021. It was born out of a simple frustration: there was no good way to keep track of bike news that wasn't about professional racing. Jicquel doesn't care about the Tour de France. He cares about urban infrastructure, quirky bike inventions, and the raw experience of a long-distance trip.
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The Reality of the Carnet d'Aventure
When we talk about a Léry Jicquel carnet d'aventure, we’re talking about a mix of digital curation and personal grit. His travel style is less about "conquering" a landscape and more about surviving it with a smile.
Take his trip on the ViaRhona. He wasn't with pro riders. He was with five friends, three of whom were over 6 feet tall and hadn't ridden a bike seriously in years. It rained. They wore cheap parkas. They got soaked. But in his retelling, that’s where the "adventure" actually happens. It’s that soccer-team locker room energy—solidarity in the face of a headwind.
What makes his logs different?
- The "Ushuaïa Effect": Jicquel often mentions how people are fascinated by bike travel even if they never plan to do it. His writing taps into that. It’s aspirational but grounded.
- Zero Sport Focus: You won't find watt measurements or heart rate zones here. It’s about the culture.
- The Silent Mass: He champions the "regular" tourist. The grandmother on an e-bike in Burgundy is just as much an adventurer as the guy crossing the Gobi Desert.
Navigating the French Cycling Boom
The Léry Jicquel carnet d'aventure has become a touchstone because France is currently in the middle of a cycling revolution. In his newsletter and various interviews, Léry points out a shift. For decades, cycling was for "papis" (grandpas) on racing bikes. Now, thanks to the e-bike, couples are taking week-long trips together.
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This isn't just a lifestyle change; it's an economic one. Jicquel has documented how the Atlantic coast (the Vélodyssée) is becoming almost too popular. His logs serve as a guide for how to navigate this new world without losing the "soul" of the trip.
Practical Insights for Your Own Adventure
If you're looking to start your own carnet d'aventure, Jicquel’s approach offers some pretty solid blueprints.
First, stop overthinking the gear. People spend months debating panniers. Jicquel’s best memories come from trips where the gear was secondary to the company. Second, embrace the "bad" weather. Some of his most engaging content comes from the days when everything went wrong. A sunny day is a nice ride; a rainy day with a flat tire is a story.
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How to Follow the Journey
You can't really find a single "book" called Léry Jicquel Carnet d'Aventure. Instead, it’s a living body of work.
- Substack: This is where the deep dives happen. His newsletter (the one with the lemon) has thousands of subscribers who tune in for his "badin" (playful) tone.
- Podcast Vélo: If you prefer listening, he explores the "why" of cycling here.
- Vélook: His older project focused on second-hand bikes, which is still a goldmine for anyone starting out on a budget.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception about Jicquel’s work is that it’s just for "cyclists." It’s actually for anyone interested in modern mobility and travel. He often talks about the "team sport" atmosphere of a group trip. It’s about the social fabric, not just the miles.
He’s also very vocal about the "futuristic dream" of cycling—like imagining a world where the last carriage of every TGV train is dedicated entirely to bikes. He’s a realist, though. He knows the infrastructure isn't there yet, which is why his adventure logs often include tips on how to manage signage problems or where to find help when your app fails you.
Actionable Steps to Start Your Adventure
If you want to live out your own version of a Léry Jicquel carnet d'aventure, don't wait for the perfect bike. Start with a weekend trip.
- Audit your "Why": Are you riding for fitness or to see things? If it’s the latter, slow down.
- Curate your feed: Subscribe to Le Concentré Vélo to see how he filters the noise. It helps to see what’s actually happening in the world of cycle tourism before you head out.
- Document the small things: Don't just take photos of the view. Take photos of the weird sandwich you ate at a gas station or the way the light hit the spokes of your friend's bike. That’s the "carnet" spirit.
- Look for "Silent" routes: Everyone goes to the Loire Valley. Try the smaller EuroVelo routes or local departmental paths that haven't been "Instagrammed" to death yet.
The real takeaway from Léry’s work is that adventure is accessible. It doesn't require a sponsorship or a death wish. Sometimes, it just requires a bike, a few friends, and a willingness to get a little bit wet.