Valvèdre

A young scholar, freshly released from his father's careful tutelage, embarks on a year of wandering through the Alpine valleys and Italian ruins that have long haunted his imagination. His journey is less a travelogue than a quest to dissolve the boundaries of self, a theme his father has urged him to explore through both science and poetry. Along the way he encounters a kaleidoscope of landscapes—some breathtaking, others bleak—that echo the turmoil stirring within his own heart.

The narrative unfolds as a reflective meditation on the contrast between the comforts of a patriarchal upbringing and the chaotic freedom of the open road. As the protagonist grapples with his yearning for art, nature, and a deeper understanding of existence, his encounters with strangers and forgotten places begin to shape a fledgling, restless passion that will linger long after the first miles have passed.