“Nothing is impossible” is the Lasallian motto! Cycling from UniLaSalle’s four campuses to each other in four days is the slightly crazy challenge that Pierre Biscaras and Robin Guichard—both fourth-year students in the Energy and Digital Systems Engineering program (which they’re pursuing through an apprenticeship)—have set for themselves. An initiative that comes at just the right time for the “May by Bike” campaign.
500 km, 4 days of cycling, a little rain, and plenty of lactic acid in our legs. That sums up this “UniBikeTour – 1st edition” in a nutshell.
Behind this sporting initiative are two students from Amiens in search of adventure.
“Originally, our goal was to complete our international mission* in the form of a bike tour of Europe. That didn’t work out, but we still had the idea of a bike road trip in mind, so we thought: ‘Why not tour the UniLaSalle campuses? ”
We talked to Sonia Wanner, the director of our campus, who was immediately won over by our project.”
* A project carried out internationally or with an international component through a host company as part of UniLaSalle’s apprenticeship programs.
An opportunity for cross-campus interaction
Beyond the athletic challenge and the joy of cycling, the two students used this adventure as an opportunity to build connections with the other three UniLaSalle campuses.
“We realized we didn’t really know much about the other campuses,” admits Robin. So, Pierre and Robin contacted the student offices at the Beauvais, Rouen, and Rennes campuses through the DMVE (Department of Educational Mission and Student Life). Each stop on the journey gave the two young men the chance to meet students and student organizations involved in campus life, as well as to tour the campuses and learn about the various programs and courses offered in Beauvais, Rouen, and Rennes.
“We didn’t stay long enough to really get a feel for the essence of each campus, and that’s definitely something to consider for future editions of the UniBike Tour,” Pierre acknowledged upon arrival. However, one thing is certain: “We found that Lasallian spirit in all the students we spoke with: that desire to take an active role in their education in order to contribute to the world of tomorrow.”
“It’s such a blast to be out on the bike!”
Pierre, the seasoned cyclist, and Robin, the lover of long-distance rides, set off on Monday, May 4, at 11 a.m. from the UniLaSalle Amiens campus with the goal of reaching the Rennes campus by Thursday, May 7. Despite the hilly terrain, they covered the Amiens–Beauvais and Beauvais–Rouen legs in just a few hours.
The final leg, Rouen–Rennes, took place over two days. “Actually, we decided to take a short train ride between Rouen and Caen to shorten the cycling portion a bit,” the two students explained.
Why choose to bike? For environmental reasons, but also for well-being.
For Pierre, “Cycling is a way to explore the world a little bit, in a way, by taking the time to discover the scenery. In a car, you go by too fast; you don’t have time to see the villages or the points of interest. Today, I think we saw some beautiful little monuments and lovely landscapes. For me, cycling means that too: sustainable transportation.”
“It’s really a blast to be on the bike, and to be able to talk, think, sometimes just be quiet, listen to the sounds of nature, or even struggle on an uphill climb, for example. It’s all part of the challenge! We had great conversations about what we might do in our future careers, and on all sorts of topics.”
Especially about what comes next for this “UniBikeTour.”
Will there be a 2nd edition?
“We’d really like to see this initiative become a permanent fixture.” One thing is certain: the two students would like to see this event continue. Perhaps in a different form, one that’s more accessible to a wider audience. “Anything is possible: as a relay race involving students from different campuses, which would have a very symbolic dimension. We’re focusing more on the discovery and adventure aspects than the athletic ones, but we could also organize something more competitive. There are so many possibilities!”
Calling all amateur cyclists to take the baton in 2027!
Pierre's anecdote
After finishing our bike ride from Caen to Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët around 5 p.m., we arrived at the campground to set up our tents. When I saw a sign indicating that Mont-Saint-Michel was 40 km away—meaning an additional 80 km round trip—I felt motivated to go there and finally see it for myself. So I removed my panniers from my bike to go faster, planning for about three hours round-trip so I could be back at the campground around 8 p.m. for a comforting meal.
At first, everything was going well on a nice greenway, but after about fifteen kilometers, the path became very muddy and then littered with flint… until I got a flat tire. The sealant didn’t manage to plug the hole, so I had to stop a little further on to put in a spare inner tube. Fortunately, some passing runners and cyclists cheered me on.
After several kilometers, I finally caught sight of Mont-Saint-Michel.
The closer I got, the more motivated I felt. I was almost there, on the bridge leading to the monument… when I got a second flat tire, right in front of Mont-Saint-Michel, at 7 p.m. In the end, I could only admire it from the outside, with a magnificent sunset in the background. The ride back was particularly difficult: I was tired, stressed at the thought of not having anything left to fix another flat tire, and I had almost no energy left. I had to rely solely on sheer willpower to make it back to the campground.
And the story didn’t end there: to make sure I had a spare inner tube ready in case of another flat tire the next day, I started repairing my inner tube at… 4 a.m. Apparently, my repair wasn’t very quiet between the opening and closing of the tent zippers and the pumping to check that there were no more air leaks! Robin was in a bad mood when he woke up...
