In the days of overtourism, selfies and Airbnbs there are still hardcore travellers who want to leave the comforts of home and explore new places, people and cultures, even if it often means sleeping in a tent in a remote mountain village. This is what Olivier Meissel has done. He cycled across Bulgaria three times to make a documentary inspired by his father. The senior Meissel, a retired history and geography teacher, had become a tour guide. In 2001 he was asked to organise tours in Bulgaria. He did this for ten years, developing a deep passion for the country. Then he became too frail to continue, and stopped. In 2022, Olivier decided to see and film the country his father talked so much about.

After studying visual arts and photography, Olivier produced reportage in the 1990s and exhibited in numerous venues in Paris before moving to the south of France, where he worked as a journalist for the daily newspaper La Provence until 2008. Then he switched to video, shooting and editing commissioned films, recording shows, reports and documentaries.

How did you decide to cycle around Bulgaria?

The idea of ​​traveling to Bulgaria was inspired by my father. He was so passionate about this country and its history, giving numerous lectures in France, while remaining attentive to the evolution of Bulgarian society within the EU. He made many friends and spoke about it so frequently that at home we affectionately called him The Bulgarian!

Church in Arbanasi

How did he react to your idea?

When I told him about my desire to travel by bike in this region, in 2022, he offered to map out a route for me while I recorded his testimony, which would serve as a voiceover for the documentary I was preparing to shoot. Ten years after his last trip to Bulgaria, I was going to retrace his steps... and bring him back images of the places he had visited and loved.

How did you plan your trip?

I divided my project into three parts. The first trip was to the central area and the Thracian plains. I was supposed to return in the summer of 2023 to the north and cycle along the Danube, but my father, battling illness, died in August. So I didn't return until December. I went through this period of mourning with the twilight light of the Bulgarian winter... Which didn't stop me from fully enjoying it. After that, I had to go south along the Greek and Turkish borders, which I was able to do in September 2024.

Burgas fishermen

The routes my father mapped out met several requirements. First, as I couldn't envisage stages of more than a hundred kilometres per day (due to possible elevation changes, my load, and my need to stop regularly to film), I had to find points of interest that didn't exceed this distance. And there was no shortage of them! And then, since I wasn't making a tourist film but still wanted to allow viewers to discover as much as possible, I chose to regularly interview people along the route. Here an archaeologist, there a tourism official or a journalist... This was to allow the viewer not to be limited to my point of view. This, of course, does not neglect the emblematic places: the unmissable monuments of Sofia, the Valley of Roses, the Benkovski House in Koprivshtitsa, the sandstone hoodoos and mesas of Melnik, the shores of Varna, the Rhodope mountains, the site of Pobitite Kamani, the Rila Monastery... the list is too long to be cited here! But I had the pleasure of stopping in many villages that would not be mentioned in a tourist guide. Because I received a special welcome there or because they possessed a discreet charm I was awed by very good impressions too!

Dospat Dam

What surprised you the most about Bulgaria?

Beyond the landscapes, magnificent in some regions, the architecture of the houses in others, and the rich heritage that is offered everywhere to visitors, what surprised me was the knowledge that Bulgarians have of the history of their country. They are capable of speaking with fervour about a battle that took place 150 years ago, or of being moved by the Thracian heritage as if they were speaking of a period in their family history. I am hardly exaggerating... but I doubt that the French have such a good knowledge of their own history! There is also a very strong attachment to traditions, both in the cities and in the countryside. Something that perhaps contributes to a form of national cohesion that other European countries have abandoned or lost over time.

The author biking by Panagyurishte

What was the biggest challenge you faced during your trip?

The biggest challenge for me was, above all, trying to memorise Bulgarian words and phrases! I'm not particularly gifted with languages, but I was keen to reach out to people by making this effort. Fortunately, the Bulgarians I met were always kind – or amused – by my attempts at communication!

What was the most memorable experience during these trips to Bulgaria?

Knowing that I was planning to visit what is known as "the tomb of Orpheus," a Bulgarian friend had advised me to stop there long enough to "get a feel for the place." I was the only visitor that day at the Tatul site. I set down my camera and surrendered completely. Usually not very sensitive to "energies," I had an experience there that is difficult to describe. Perhaps exacerbated by the endorphins released after the effort to get there, I will never know but I had a pretty extraordinary time there!

Village in the Pirin mountain range

Another memory comes to mind: I arrived at Troyan Monastery on December 24th. I didn't know that they didn't allow overnight visitors in winter. Despite this, everything was done to ensure I could stay there. Attending the ceremonies and sleeping in this magnificent place was undoubtedly my most extraordinary Christmas present!

And the most unpleasant one?

I have a few bad experiences about certain busy roads where I feared for my life several times!

Oh, and the dogs too! Many wander along the roads and while they are harmless to pedestrians, they love to chase cyclists!

Pobiti Kamani nature phenomenon

Which three places in Bulgaria would you recommend to other foreigners?

If I had to choose three places to recommend to a tourist, I would recommend going to Belogradchik (which I discovered under the snow, it was wonderful!), going to the archaeological site of Perperikon, and I would probably send them off to get lost in the Pirin Mountains, it's so beautiful!

What is your advice for fellow cyclists?

The only advice I could give to cyclists is: remember to buy a rearview mirror; it's an essential accessory! A small ultrasonic device against overly aggressive dogs too! And above all: take your time! Bulgaria is a small country, but there is so much to discover!

The abandoned seminary at Cherepish

Were there moments when you would tell yourself: "Thank you, Dad, for the advice and recommendation!"?

Every morning as I set off on the road, I thanked my father for the desire he had instilled in me to discover this country. In Plovdiv, during my first stay, I called him to give him news, and with his prodigious memory, he could still show me the way to the house frequented by the poet Lamartine, the ancient theatre, or the statue of Milyo. He had preserved the memory of the entire journey intact... in what is the second largest city in the country! The title of the documentary I'm finishing is Mersi! – a word that Bulgarians borrowed from the French merci, thank you. It sums up the gratitude I have for my father and the gift he gave me by making me curious about this country he loved so much.

Road encounters

Do you plan to cycle around Bulgaria again?

I obviously hope to return... to screen the documentary film I'm finishing editing, but also because I want to return to the Strandzha, where I should have stayed way longer. And to the northwest of the country, where I still have so much to see! In short, my love affair with Bulgaria isn't over! And perhaps, in turn, I'll inspire my children to go there. It would definitely be a family affair! 

A Bulgarian and his bike - a monument to Ivan Hadzhiyski, founder of Bulgarian social studies, in his birthplace, Troyan

Tatul ancient Thracian rock sanctuary

Folklore festival