Muriel Bittar- Single woman, 70 years old, first bicycle trip camping in the wild, South Korea, Japan

Muriel, cycling adventurer for 57 years in Quebec

Egyptian, Sudanese, Franco-Quebecker, Muriel has lived in Quebec for 57 years. An inveterate cyclist, she takes to the streets of Montreal on her bike in summer and winter alike, driven by an unshakeable passion for freedom on two wheels.

A great traveler at heart, Muriel has long dreamed of touring the world by bicycle, panniers full and bivouac under the stars. For years, she waited for her friends, enthusiastic in word and deed, to decide to follow her. All in vain.

One day, she took to the road alone.

She began with a few days' escapades across Quebec, discovering a new, freer, more personal rhythm. Then, at the age of 70, Muriel took the plunge: she dared to set off alone to the other side of the world, cycling through South Korea and then southern Japan.

A lesson in audacity and perseverance, against the grain of conventional wisdom on age, gender and limits.

La Maison des cyclistes: a unique cycling hub

The Maison des cyclistes is located a stone's throw from Parc La Fontaine, where two of Montreal's most important bicycle paths intersect. In addition to Vélo Québec's offices, it features a bicycle travel agency, a boutique and a café, where Vélo Mag conferences are held.

The Maison des cyclistes is a space for services, exchanges, information and troubleshooting for cyclists, and is a project financed under the Agreement on the cultural development of Montreal between the Ville de Montréal and the Government of Quebec.