Un "SPRING" Culturel: From Vezelay to Saint Jean-Pied-de-Port

My name is Ms. Claude Tranchant. I was born in Aix-les-Bains – Savoie – France.

I have two children and four adorable grandchildren.

In 2010, at the age of 64, though I was not a long distances walker, I left Brisbane with a backpack and walked, 2,500 km, alone, along the Saint-James’ Way, commonly known in Spain as the Camino, from Vezelay,  Bourgogne region – France, to finish 100 days, at Muxia – Galicia – Spain.

On my return to Australia, I could not fit into our world. After soul-searching and with the kind and wise words of a friend, I wrote Boots to Bliss.

Boots to Bliss is among the Best Sellers in Brisbane, Australia. It has been nominated as one of the books to read if you want to walk the Saint James’ Way – Camino and is sold all around the world.

In 2015, I had the honor to meet Monsieur Francois Hollande at the Opera House, in Sydney.

In my seventies, I trekked in Australia and Nepal. At 72 years of age, I walked the Camino, France, Spain, for the second time, with the group “Camino Skies” for a filmed documentary. At the end of the filming, I kept on walking alone in Spain, and in Portugal.

In 2020, I launched my second book: Boots to Freedom.

For the past, 14 and 16 years, I have been volunteering in two different hospitals in Brisbane, in Palliative care – end of life and in cancer wards.

Recently, I won the award “Francais.es de l’Annee en Australie, 2021” in the category: Sport – Culture, in Le Courrier Australien’s competition and in collaboration with The Consulat General de France in Sydney.

I have done many presentations, and Q&A’s over the years in Australia; videos interviews in Australia, America, Spain, Portugal; and radio interviews in Australia, France, and Brazil.