Matthieu Witvoet (@matthieuwitvoet) completed an 11-day 122 km self-sustained swim across Lago Titicaca at 3,812 meters in Bolivia together with Malia Metella and Théo Curin.
It was not the only eco-adventure he has been on over the last seven years, both on dryland and in the open water.
Now he wants to do something really outlandish and ambitious in the Atlantic Ocean.
Together with his wife, Chloé Witvoet (@chloeleger).
Chloé and Matthieu are eco-adventurers. Their 2025 goal is an audacious 3,500+ km transoceanic stage swim, called The Atlantic Swim. Their aim is to publicize environmental issues and to raise awareness among the general public with a transatlantic drift swim from Cape Verde off the coast of Africa to Martinique in the Caribbean Sea beginning in November 2025.
Their Support Team
Their dryland support team includes Stéphane Lecat, a dual ISHOF-IMSHOF Honor Swimmer and head of the French national open water swimming team, Adrien Guibelin, a kinesitherapist of the French National Ski Team and coach, Yann Peltier, a doctor of the cycling team Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, Benoit Nave, an ultra distance athlete nutritionist, and Nadia Sammut, a Michelin star chef.
Their Escort Boat
Their two escort boat pilots are Symilien and Léa who will captain the 3,500+ km eco-adventure that starts in southern France, heads to western Africa, and finishes on the outskirts of the Caribbean Sea. They must carry and store enough water, food and energy while maintaining good personal relationships in a confined space while overcoming fatigue and all the difficulties and challenges that will result from a three-month transatlantic crossing – at the pace of a human swimmer.
Their sustainability goals include use of a desalinator while conserving freshwater via on-board water recycling and imposing daily quotas on the swimmers and crew. They will also use a solar oven and solar engine.
Dryland Goals
Prior to, during, and as a result of their transatlantic swim, they will develop educational programs for French schoolchildren with maps, videos, and information and holiday activity books for children.
Eco-adventure History
Witvoet road of eco-adventures began in 2017 with a 18,000 km global bike ride where he mapped out over 300 plastic waste solutions from bioplastics in Indonesia to recycling in favelas in Brazil. He later joined the Circul’R teams to create a community of exchange between 50 large groups in partnership with the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
Circul’R is a global network of circular economy startups. Its vision is to accelerate the transition towards a circular economy by connecting pioneering startups, NGO, and multinationals worldwide. The Circul’R Club is a quarterly meeting that regroups 40 multinationals, 40 circular economy startups, and the French Ministry of Environment. His role is to organize the event, identify, and coach the most inspiring speakers and facilitate the collaboration between participants. He has worked with L’Oréal, Décathlon, Patagonia, Sanofi, and Engie.
Matthieu and Chloé also did an assisted crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar and Croissy sur Seine where they focused on the removal of cigarette butts across France. In June 2021, he and his partners organized an extensive collection of cigarette butts with 855,000 butts collected in 3 hours by over 1,000 people throughout Paris. Then he swam 380 km down the Seine in a relay to symbolize the journey of a cigarette butt from Paris to the sea.
Matthieu’s next eco-adventure was Défi Titicaca, a 122 km relay across Lake Titicaca together with two-time Olympic swimmer Malia Metella and para swimmer Théo Curin in a self-sustained eco-designed boat recovered from the Plastic Odyssey association.
Eco-adventure Mission
Matthieu wisely pointed out, “Sport has the power to make people experience emotions and when you feel this emotion, you become more receptive to the message. For me, it’s essential to inspire and challenge without making people feel guilty. Then you can say to yourself, ‘If he does it, why can’t I?’ In this way, sports and sports events can mobilize people and contribute to these changes in behavior.”
They already tested out their boat and relay procedures on a practice eco-swim from Marseille and Barcelona. Now waiting for November to roll around.
© 2025 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture beyond the shoreline“
A World Open Water Swimming Federation project.
Please, can you keep me informed of this first transatlantic crossing? Thank you and good preparation to the whole team.
It will be difficult to keep you updated on this swim as I receive too many requests for updates. However, you can visit the Daily News of Open Water Swimming in November and read all about Chloé and Mathieu on their journey. If the Internet connection continues during their journey, I will provide daily updates during their 3-month journey. But, like previous transoceanic stage swims, it has been difficult to receive daily updates due to technical difficulties, storms, boat mishaps, and other unexpected issues and conditions during these long drift swims.