A French cyclist transformed a demanding journey across his country into a moving symbol of love and hope.
Frédéric de Lanouvelle spent 37 days cycling through France while following a carefully planned route that formed a giant flower when viewed on a GPS map.
The challenge was called “La Fleur de l’Espoir”, meaning “The Flower of Hope”.
It was created in memory of Frédéric’s mother, who died in 2024 following a long experience with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. She had reportedly been diagnosed at the age of 50 and died aged 69.
A record-breaking journey across France
Frédéric began the challenge in Étampes on 20 June 2025 and completed it in Villeneuve-sur-Lot on 26 July.
Reports published when he finished the journey estimated that he had cycled around 5,750 kilometres. Following the official verification process, however, Guinness World Records recorded the final distance as 5,850 kilometres, or approximately 3,653 miles.
The organisation officially recognised it as the largest GPS drawing by bicycle completed by an individual.
The route crossed around 40 French departments and involved approximately 60,000 metres of elevation gain, making it a major physical challenge as well as a fundraising effort.
More than a sporting achievement
Frédéric’s journey was not simply about setting a record.
Along the route, he visited care homes and university hospitals, meeting researchers, healthcare professionals, families and carers affected by Alzheimer’s disease.
His aim was to encourage more discussion about the condition and highlight the experiences of both patients and the people who care for them.
He also collected donations for the Fondation Recherche Alzheimer, a French organisation supporting research into the disease.
His online fundraising campaign passed its original €10,000 target, collecting more than €11,000.
A familiar name in GPS cycling
This was not Frédéric’s first record involving a bicycle and a GPS map.
In 2023, he and his daughter Mathilde cycled 2,162 kilometres on a tandem bicycle to create the shape of a heart across France.
That journey earned them the Guinness World Records title for the largest GPS drawing by bicycle completed by a team. It also raised €26,000 for an organisation helping children with heart conditions.
For his latest challenge, Frédéric rode alone. The resulting flower now stands as both a world record and a personal tribute to his mother.
Behind the impressive distance is a simple and deeply human message: continuing to remember those affected by Alzheimer’s while supporting the search for better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.
