If you were going to travel the world, who would you bring? Your partner? Your best friend? Or what about a pet? If your name is Guirec Soudée, then you’d bring your pet chicken along. Wait, what?

That’s right, Guirec from Normandy in Northern France, is travelling the world with his pet hen Monique. Initially, he planned to bring a cat along for his round the world trip, but settled on Monique as hens need little looking after.

I thought about a cat, but decided it would be too much effort to look after it.

Plus, there’s the added bonus that they lay eggs.

However, a hen is hardly the most obvious choice, considering Guirec’s plan was to sail around the world.

At the beginning, I was very worried,” he said. “There would be huge waves and she might stumble, it would look for a second like she might go overboard, but she would always regain her footing. She’s very brave.”

Fortunately for Monique, Guirec has brought a hutch along to keep her safe in rough weather.

The unlikely pair have already clocked up a large number of miles, having departed from the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, heading across the Atlantic to the Caribbean, before sailing north to the Arctic.

How do you like your eggs in the morning?

As far as travel companions go, Monique asks very little and rarely complains about travel conditions. Plus, she lays an average of six eggs per day – impressive considering the potentially stressful conditions – giving Guirec a daily choice between fried, scrambled, poached or hard-boiled.

Fortunately Monique isn’t a fussy eater, mainly living off grain, corn, and the occasional fish. “She’ll eat absolutely anything”, admits Guirec.

So far, the couple have got on well, despite the odd argument, however…

"She can get on my nerves sometimes."
“She can get on my nerves sometimes.”

Follow Guirec and Monique on their adventure

After exploring the Arctic, Guirec and Monique are planning to travel down the Bering straight to Alaska, and from there, who knows where else?

We’re not sure yet,” Guirec says. “We haven’t talked about it yet, but we will.

“We talk a lot, Monique and I.”

Follow Guirec and Monique’s adventure on their blog Voyage D’YvunecFacebook and Instagram, or catch up on some of the highlights from their trip so far in the video below!

Photo credits: Guirec Soudée

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