Édouard de Perrodil

Born in Albi in 1860 and dead in Ambrus in 1931, Édouard de Perrodil was a French journalist, man of letters, and cyclist. Bibliographic records identify him as a contributor to major newspapers including Le Petit Journal, Le Figaro, and Le Moniteur universel, while reference sources also note his full name as Édouard Casimir Marie Gros de Perrodil.

He is especially remembered for travel writing tied to the bicycle boom of the late 19th century. His books include A vol de vélo: De Paris à Vienne and A travers les cactus: Traversée de l'Algérie à bicyclette, works that turn demanding journeys into vivid, readable adventure narratives.

Contemporary reference pages also describe him as an active long-distance rider, with notable trips such as Paris to Madrid in 1893 and a record-setting ride from Perpignan to Marseille in 1894. That mix of journalism, sport, and firsthand travel gives his writing its distinctive energy.