Abandoned France (Patreon)

Hi everyone, it’s been a while! 

All through July I was working on a project that had nothing to do with YouTube. Because of that, I didn’t have time to make new videos or go on new trips. Only in August was I able to pick this project back up again. 

Editing this video turned out to be quite a struggle: it was a very different process than what I’m used to since I was less familiair with this type of format. On top of that, I’ve started filming in higher resolution and with new color settings, which caused plenty of challenges during post-production. I think I’ve never tinkered with a video for this long before. But… it’s finally finished! 

In this video, I take you along to a part of the region known as “la diagonale du vide” in France. Some time ago, I drove through this area and was struck by the emptiness, abandoned squares, and quiet streets. When driving trough one of those villages I spotted a freight train between the trees. I did some research and discovered that the route stretched from Givet to Paris. A winding railway line along the Meuse, through a forgotten region, it immediately sounded like a fascinating journey. 

Since it was autumn back then, I decided to wait until spring or summer so the nature would be green. But unfortunately, the quarry contract was canceled earlier this year, and no freight trains run on that line anymore. So, I had to come up with an alternative: walking would take too long, driving felt boring… so I chose the bicycle instead. For 60 euros I bought a second-hand bike from a local repair shop and set off towards Givet. Where I started my journey on La Voie Verte. 

It’s a different journey than usual but I hope you still like it! 

Thanks for supporting me even though I haven’t been very active these past few months. More content is on the way. All the best!