Interview with an affiliate: Les Deux Pieds Dehors

Having arrived in Polynesia in 2015, Sylvain and Mélanie, the creators behind Les Deux Pieds Dehors, launched their blog in 2017. They then joined the Manawa adventure in 2019 at the launch of our affiliate programme. Our collaboration began in Polynesia, then in 2021 they moved to Guadeloupe. Since then, we've been working together in different destinations!

Why did you create Les Deux Pieds Dehors?

It all started with a desire to share and combine our passion for photography and travel. When you think about it, being able to share your passion is pretty cool!

When we started the blog, we simply wanted to share our passion for photography. We were doing a lot of photography at the time and we were already travelling quite a lot, so it came quite naturally that we wanted to write about the trips we'd made to Polynesia, and also to New Zealand, the United States and Canada.

Why did you join the Manawa affiliate programme?

I remember that you contacted us at the time. We were giving advice on photography, both practical advice and advice on photographic equipment... As for the travel section, we were sharing our experiences and recommending hotels. However, we hadn't yet planned any activities, so we thought, why not! Especially as we were living in Polynesia at the time, and there are plenty of activities to try out, such as jet-skiing, diving, hiking, microlighting and helicopter flights. So we thought it would be a good idea and a good fit with our blog.

What are your favourite destinations for outdoor activities?

A favourite destination? That's a difficult question. We started in Polynesia, and I have to say that it's really top for outdoor activities. It's more 'sea' orientated, with boat trips, water activities, diving, etc. We also love Guadeloupe, and for outdoor activities, it's really good. We love Guadeloupe too, and it's very well developed for outdoor activities, especially hiking, forest walks and getting lost in the tropical forests! In Guadeloupe, you have several types of activity: on Basse-Terre, you have the nature and forest side, and on Grande-Terre, it's more water-based activities (boat trips, paddle, kayak, etc.).

We also like the United States and Canada for their nature, hiking, walking and discovering places. I'm also thinking of Mayotte, where we've also lived, and for diving, it's extraordinary! We've dived in Polynesia, Asia, Madagascar and Tanzania, and Mayotte really is one of the most beautiful diving spots we've ever seen underwater!

You've visited and even lived in a number of different places. What's your favourite destination and why?

We loved Asia ten years ago, when we toured Asia for a year. Burma, where we spent three weeks, was really great. Madagascar was incredible, culturally speaking, and it was a real eye-opener. We went on safari in Tanzania, and it was one of the craziest things we've ever done! The sunrise over the Ngorongoro Crater is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, and you have to experience it at least once. When you see all the wildlife inside, it's truly extraordinary.

In 2010, I spent a month in Nepal trekking in the Annapurna and discovering the area. It was magnificent and culturally it was a blast.

In the end, what interests Mélanie and I most is the combination of beautiful natural landscapes and cultural experiences.

Which of the Manawa activities you've tried out is your favourite? Why or why not?

One of the most incredible activities I did was flying over Bora Bora in a seaplane. Unfortunately this no longer exists - well, by seaplane - but it is possible to do it by microlight or helicopter, which offers a similar experience as it is still an aerial activity. In fact, we often recommend it on the blog. If you get the chance to take an hour-long helicopter flight over Bora Bora, it's an extraordinary experience. The colour of the lagoon and the views from the sky are absolutely crazy! Here in Guadeloupe, in Saint-François, Mélanie was able to try outmicrolight flying and she loved it!

Secondly, we love everything to do with paddling and kayaking. Here, we went paddling in the mangroves and that was really cool. In Tahiti, I did some canyoning and that was extraordinary too. At first glance, when you go to Tahiti, you don't immediately think of this type of activity, but it was great, a great mix of thrills and discovering the forest. You have to do some jumping, the water is freezing, but with the wetsuit it's great, and there's no better way to discover the forest from the inside!

What do you think are the advantages of the Manawa affiliate programme?

The fact that your offer is geared towards the outdoors and nature fits in perfectly with our blog, and this must be the case for other travel blogs. For those of you with a travel blog who particularly enjoy the outdoors and nature, I think it's a great fit. In my opinion, the big advantage is that you can try out the activities, which is really interesting. What's more, your proximity is reassuring, because not all programmes are the same.

What's your next travel destination?

We're off to the Yukon, in north-western Canada, for a month. We wanted a change of scenery and to discover a cold climate, as we live in the heat all year round. We also wanted to try something a bit original, so we'll be travelling in a camper van! I think it's going to be an excellent nature destination, a place to get lost in, not very touristy, and a great opportunity to recharge our batteries.

Thank you to Sylvain for taking the time to answer these few questions. We hope this has helped you learn more about Les Deux Pieds Dehors and the Manawa affiliate programme.