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Clemenceau, 37, introduced the Vietnamese edition of “From My Home to Yours: Our Spectacular Cycling Journey from France to Vietnam” in Ho Chi Minh City on May 17 as part of European Literature Days 2026.

The book recounts the couple’s journey, which began in April 2019 in the French village of Féole and ended in HCMC in May 2020. It was named Best Travel Book of 2022 at the Cosne-sur-Loire Book Fair and won the 2023 René Caillié Prize, a French literary award for adventure and exploration writing. The book was translated into Vietnamese in 2025.

Before embarking on the trip, Clemenceau had been living in Vietnam and working for one of France’s 40 largest publicly listed corporations.

He oversaw business development in Southeast Asia and was on track for a promotion that would have taken him back to Paris. But he chose to quit his job and pursue the journey, a decision that surprised and worried both his colleagues and his wife’s family.

The biggest obstacle before departure was convincing the family, he said. Speaking at the book event, Tran Van Khiem, his father-in-law, said he had strongly opposed the idea at first, but after hearing the couple explain their plans, he set aside his fears.

“My wife and I spent many nights praying for their safety on the road.”

According to Clemenceau, he and his wife had two main reasons for making the trip.

First, they wanted to challenge themselves, see the world, and meet people from different cultures. Second, for every kilometer they cycled, they pledged to donate one U.S. dollar to Poussières de Vie, which provides free education to disadvantaged children.

Of the two, only Clemenceau had prior experience with backpacking and endurance travel. During earlier mountain climbs in Switzerland, his wife had once been left in tears from exhaustion. But later, toward the end of the cycling journey, Khanh became the one lifting his spirits.

The 395-page book “From My House to Your House”, translated by Lai Thi Thu Hien, edited by Huy Toan and Khanh Nguyen, and published by Kim Dong Publishing House. Photo by Tu Lam

Throughout the trip, the couple always carried Vietnamese conical hats with them.

“People would see the conical hats and our bicycles loaded with gear and immediately become curious,” Clemenceau said.

“They would come over and ask what we were doing and why we were traveling this way.”

The people they met along the way left a lasting impression on both of them.

“Those encounters changed the way we see the world and helped us realize that there are kind people everywhere,” he said.

Of all the countries they passed through, Iran left some of the fondest memories for him after strangers offered them help almost every day.

“They invited us into their homes for meals, gave us a place to sleep, and offered us water,” he said. “In Persian culture, a guest is seen as a gift sent by God.”

Author Thibault Clemenceau at the exchange event on the morning of May 17. Photo by Tu Lam

The couple now live in Hoi An. After more than 11 years of connection with Vietnam, Clemenceau said what he loves most about the country is its people.

“I always feel a positive energy in Vietnam. People are open, cheerful, and welcoming.”

He said he had at times considered giving the book a different title.

“Maybe I should have called it Cycling Home Together. Because to me now, Vietnam truly feels like home.”