“It was my son Timothée who told me: quickly you have to go to Pouilley-les-Vignes (Doubs), Mehdi is passing by!
“says this mother leaving her home in the car at short notice.
Like her and her son, five young people and a father and his child stop in the middle of the street to intercept Mehdi.
Everyone wants their photo with the one who "gives hope" and who is nicknamed "Paris-Algiers", in reference to the incredible challenge that this young Parisian of 26 years has just launched.
Indeed, Mehdi - @DabbraahWorld on social networks - embarked on May 5 on a five-month journey to reach Algiers.
And all that… on foot.
4,000 km that he crossed alone, passing through eastern France, Switzerland, Italy (as far as southern Sicily), then Tunisia and finally Algeria.
It is certainly not his first walk: he has already traveled Paris-Marseille in seventeen days at the age of 19, then Paris-Venice, Paris-San-Sebastien, Paris-Copenhagen... But the particularity of this this is that in addition to doubling the distance, he shares his journey on social networks.
And behind their phones, thousands of people are following him.
In just twenty days of walking, his Instagram and his TikTok exploded: he is followed by more than 500,000 subscribers.
And this is felt during the journey.
We went north of Besançon for a day to walk with him for about thirty kilometers, and the excitement is real.
After five minutes of walking, cars were already stopping to support him - even if it meant leaving the vehicle, door open,
in the middle of a country road - or bring him organic eggs, his main fuel during this trip.
"It can be a bit perverse but we looked for you to see you" says a woman who came to "give her strength", and who was able to leave with her selfie.
And that was just the introduction to a crazy day of honking, selfies, stories and shaking hands.
Until the finish line, at more than 11 p.m., in Besançon, which Mehdi nicknamed “Besac” and close to the Swiss border.
“This march is really important to me.
I lost my father in December and I want to pay tribute to him by walking.
It also allows me to clear my mind, to mourn,” says Mehdi, with a heavy heart.
He, who was a waiter in a Parisian restaurant and who was promised career prospects, chose to take a break to do what he loves: walking and discovering new landscapes, new people.
“I took my savings, prepared for this for a few months and quit.
My bosses have been understanding and supportive.”
Alongside his itinerary, the young Franco-Algerian has also planned a few detours to get to mythical viewpoints, discover monuments and historical sites.
And with the anecdotes that this generates.
“I took a detour to see a Roman site and look what I find!
he films in Bar-sur-Aube (Aube) on his Instagram, showing a site that looks like a simple pit.
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each time they manage to cross paths with him.
As for the others, too far away to intercept him, they support his action by donating money directly to the kitty created for the project.
“Each person who gives, it pushes me to walk.
The kitty is in partnership with the LIFE association, and with the amount collected, we can dig a water tower in a country in need.
It will be a nice tribute for my dad,” explains Mehdi, enthusiastic.
When asked how his mother welcomed his intention to walk for five months, he smiles.
“She's a mom, so she's obviously worried.
But she supports me and that's the most important thing.
She follows all my stories.
Like all my family.
All his family, except his grandfather who lives in Algiers and who has no idea of the crazy project of his grandson whom he has not seen for a few years.
Eyes sparkling with the magnitude of his surprise, he announces: “My journey will stop in front of his door”.