In an age of instant travel and nonstop connectivity, the story of Jean Béliveau proves how a single man’s long walk can change the way people think about peace. On August 18, 2000—his 45th birthday Béliveau left Montreal to begin what he called a walk around the world for peace. Over the next 11 years and two months, he covered roughly 75,563 kilometres, crossing 64 countries on five continents and dedicating his journey to non-violence for children. More than a personal adventure, the trek became a public mission: it was recognised by UNESCO during the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non‑Violence for the Children of the World (2001–2010) and drew global attention to the power of small, everyday acts. Read the timeline or see the map below to follow the route and milestones of this remarkable year-by-year walk.

The Spark to Take a Walk Around the World

Béliveau’s odyssey did not begin as a lifelong dream of exploration but as a response to a personal upheaval. In 1998, a brutal ice storm struck the Montreal region, leaving millions without power and transforming streets into what he later called a “war zone.” At 43, while running a successful neon sign business, Béliveau found himself reevaluating life after witnessing the storm’s damage. To clear his mind and regain his health, he began walking and running daily; during one run across the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, a daring thought entered his head: “How many days until I can reach New York? And why not Mexico? And why not the rest of the world?”

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Planning the Walk

For eight months, he kept the plan private, sketching routes on a world map and calculating a path across five continents that would likely take more than a decade. Nervous and sleepless, he finally told his wife, Luce Archambault, just three and a half weeks before departure. Over breakfast, he said, “Listen, Luce, I’m going for a long walk and run around the world for more than a decade.” Luce encouraged him and proposed a purpose that would give the trip meaning: “Let’s dedicate the walk to peace for children.” Symbolically handing his house keys to Luce—she later called them his “key of freedom”—he set off from Montreal with a three-wheeled buggy packed with essentials: a tent, sleeping bag, first-aid kit, and spare clothes. He planned to rely on strangers’ hospitality for food and shelter as he began this years-long way of life.

First Steps: North and South America

The first legs of Béliveau’s trip mixed welcome and hardship. He began by running while pushing his three-wheeled buggy, but injuries soon forced him to slow to a walk. Within a day and a half, he crossed into the United States—expecting border trouble but meeting helpful officials instead—and discovered that many people opened their homes, offering meals, beds, and encouragement. Not every night was comfortable: when no hospitality was available, he slept in churches, police or fire stations, or even jails. His small tent became a refuge in forests and deserts where he sometimes had to dodge wildlife and navigate safety threats. In a quiet Midwestern town, watching families through lit windows, he questioned his choice but reaffirmed his purpose: “I had something to live and to learn.”

Béliveau spent roughly three years crossing North, Central, and South America—a way that tested endurance and faith in strangers. From the U.S., he walked into Mexico and then through Central America—Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama—before facing the notorious Darién Gap between Panama and Colombia, a jungle stretch known for smugglers, rebels, and dangerous terrain; he navigated it carefully with local guidance. Continuing south, he crossed Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay, eventually reaching Brazil. The Andes presented breathtaking yet gruelling climbs at high altitude. Along the trip, he met extreme contrasts of wealth and poverty that deepened his conviction that simple human kindness and the message of peace for children mattered more than material wealth.

Walking Across Africa

By August 18, 2003, Béliveau had flown from South America to Port Elizabeth, South Africa, beginning the African leg of his way around the world — a continent that brought warmth, hardship, and deep cultural immersion. Starting in Cape Town, he walked north through countries including South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Algeria. In remote stretches of Tanzania and Kenya, he carried pepper spray and stayed vigilant against wildlife and other hazards in the bush. While travelling he shared meals with locals — sometimes foods unfamiliar to him, including insects — and learned from communities’ resilience. In one Mozambican village, children guided him to the chief, who welcomed him despite language barriers; small cultural moments, like asking for a cup to bathe and discovering locals managed without one, provided both humour and humility.

Africa also brought serious setbacks. In 2005, Béliveau underwent urgent prostate surgery in Tizi Ouzou, Algeria — a health crisis that tested his resolve but, with local and international support, did not end his walk. Visa complications led him to skip Libya, and hospitality varied widely from place to place. Still, the generosity of many people across the continent left a lasting impression and reinforced the message he carried about peace and human connection.

Facing Europe’s Closed Doors

Europe introduced a sharper cultural contrast and, at times, more closed doors. After landing in Morocco and crossing into Spain, Béliveau walked through Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, and England—arriving in Lincoln, England, on August 18, 2006. Compared with earlier continents, Europe sometimes offered less spontaneous hospitality, requiring more planning for shelter; still, small moments of local colour kept him going (an Irish villager joked that village size was measured by pubs). In Serbia he joined a peace walk to a school and helped plant a “Tree of Peace,” a moment that illustrated how his message resonated even when responses were imperfect.

The Asian Odyssey

By April 2007, Béliveau had crossed into Asia via Turkey and Istanbul, impressed by the city’s crossroads of cultures. His Asian route moved through Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Iran; an attempt to enter Pakistan was refused amid a state of emergency, forcing him to adapt. He entered India in December 2007 and met a wandering Sadhu whose extreme asceticism humbled him—details like the Sadhu’s reported mileage are striking and should be cited. When blocked from approaching China overland, Béliveau made a rare flight to Chengdu, then continued on foot through China and into South Korea, reaching Seoul by August 18, 2008. He later walked in Japan and down to Indonesia—Semarang by August 18, 2009—and at times travelled under armed guard in places such as Mindanao in the Philippines for safety while still promoting peace.

The Oceanic Challenge

The Oceanic phase tested Béliveau like no other. In Australia, he crossed vast, sunbaked distances — spending roughly three months in desert conditions where daytime temperatures reached about 40–45 °C — and drank 10–12 litres of water a day to keep going. He pushed through heat, isolation, and long stretches between towns with what he called a “good attitude.” By August 18, 2010, he had reached Yarram, Australia, and later continued to New Zealand, where local communities again offered practical support and encouragement. Those months of solitude sharpened his resilience and deepened the sense that this adventure was also an inward journey.

Coming Home to Canada

At the close of the trek, Béliveau accepted help for one air leg: a flight to Vancouver, Canada — his 64th country — which started the final eastward walk across his native land. Back in Canada, he reconnected with family, meeting granddaughters for the first time, even as he mourned his father. By late 2011, he neared Montreal; on October 16, 2011, after 4,077 days on the road, 54 pairs of shoes worn out, and an average budget of nearly $4,000 per year, he completed the journey. A public welcome marked the return, but the last 1.5 kilometres were private—walked hand-in-hand with Luce—before they entered their home together and exclaimed, “Mission accomplished!”

Reintegrating into everyday life proved unexpectedly difficult. Three days after returning, Béliveau described feeling like a stranger in his own kitchen, rifling through cupboards as if they belonged to someone else; months later, Luce gently reminded him to lock the doors again after 11 years of living with open trust. The legacy of his around-the-world walk extends far beyond miles: it inspired people across continents, showcased everyday acts of kindness, and amplified a message of peace for children. Béliveau documented his years on the road in a French book and continues to share the story through talks and media interviews.

Life After the Walk

His journey also captured a technological shift: he left in a pre-smartphone era and returned to a hyperconnected world, proving that an analogue way of travelling can still carry a timely message. Encounters ranged from remote headhunter communities in Borneo to urban neighbourhoods in Europe, repeatedly reminding him that hospitality and shared human values cross borders. In Iran, he found unexpected generosity; in Australia, a solitude taught him inner strength.

Reflecting on danger and rejection, Béliveau said, “This is not my walk but the walk of Humanity. I am only a tool for a collective aspiration.” While other long-distance trekkers—such as Carl Bushby—have completed epic journeys, Béliveau’s focus on peace and children gives his walk a distinctive purpose. Today, Jean Béliveau (age 70 as of 2025) remains a figure whose mapped route and lived experience encourage new adventurers to take meaningful steps toward peace and connection at home and around the world.

FAQs about Jean Béliveau’s Walk Around the World

Q1. How long did Jean Béliveau walk?
He walked for 11 years and 2 months, from August 18, 2000, to October 16, 2011.

Q2. How far did he travel?
He covered about 75,563 kilometres, wearing out 54 pairs of shoes.

Q3. How many countries did he cross?
Jean walked through 64 countries across 5 continents.

Q4. What was the purpose of his journey?
He dedicated the walk to promoting peace and non-violence for children worldwide.

Q5. Who supported him during the journey?
He relied mainly on the kindness of strangers for food and shelter, though UNESCO recognised his mission.

Q6. What was his toughest challenge?
Crossing the Australian deserts for three months in extreme heat, drinking up to 12 litres of water a day.

Q7. How did he finish the journey?
On October 16, 2011, he and his wife, Luce, walked the final 1.5 kilometres hand in hand, privately, to their home in Montreal.

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