Hervé Barmasse launches the "Endurance - Italia - Italia" project

An extreme test of physical endurance, a performance never attempted before, and a mental resilience pushed to its very limits: this is, in short, Hervé Barmasse’s extraordinary new project, setting off on 4 June.  A sporting challenge combining three disciplines – mountaineering, cycling and trail running – that translates into truly impressive figures: over 6,000 kilometres of route and 90,000 metres of positive elevation gain in just 30 days (weather permitting).
The endeavour will also see an exceptional partner in Giovanni Soldini, who will accompany him on the sailing legs linking the islands to the mainland.
But as is always the case in Hervé’s DNA, the purely sporting side of the venture is interwoven with the construction of a coherent, contemporary narrative from someone who is passionate about sharing the beauty of the land. This is why the mountaineer from Valle d’Aosta has chosen the Italian peninsula as the setting for his first great project of 2026.

The aim is twofold: to push athletic limits and to act as an ambassador for the country’s extraordinary biodiversity, visiting villages, monuments and the mountains that form Italy’s backbone. An undertaking of this scale requires impeccable logistics and top-level technical support.
It is against this backdrop that the strategic partnership with Giottiline was born, the prestigious Italian motorhome brand belonging to the Rapido group. The Tuscan manufacturer has placed the flagship model of its range at Barmasse and his crew’s disposal: the Giottiline Toscan 74 NF.
This low-profile motorhome will serve as a genuine logistical base camp, a restorative refuge and a mobile studio for the entire duration of the tour. The Giottiline Toscan 74 NF: a home on wheels exploring Italy
The model chosen for the expedition, the Toscan 74 NF, is a 7.42-metre low-profile motorhome designed to offer maximum space, structural comfort and functionality. Featuring an internal layout optimised for professional crews, it offers 4 homologated seats and 4 berths.
The rear sleeping area houses a comfortable central (island) bed, complemented at the front by an electric drop-down double bed, ensuring the restorative rest so essential after days of extreme exertion.
Interior liveability is enhanced by a spacious “face to face” dinette, ideal for route-planning meetings and for editing multimedia footage.
The layout includes a shower cubicle completely separate from the bathroom compartment, optimising usage times for the team.

Space management is essential to the expedition’s self-sufficiency: the Toscan 74 NF low-profile motorhome boasts a spacious variable-volume garage, fitted with garage rails to securely lock down bicycles and technical equipment, alongside remarkable internal storage capacity for materials and food supplies, supported by a generous 167-litre three-way fridge. Thanks to the powerful Truma Combi 6000 gas heater, the Toscan 74 NF will ensure perfect internal temperatures and hot water even during stops at the foot of the highest Alpine peaks. The large rear skylight (700x500 cm), together with the Truma Combi 6000 heater, will allow Hervé to manage the motorhome’s internal microclimate to perfection, both during hot summer days and during high-altitude stops. The technical and driver assistance equipment – which includes an HD reversing camera, steering wheel controls and 16” alloy wheels – will ensure quick and safe transfers along the peninsula’s challenging roads.

The project, which enjoys the prestigious patronage of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI), will officially set off from Cala Gonone, in Sardinia, and conclude in Trieste.
The journey will be undertaken entirely on foot or by bicycle, taking in the highest peaks of each of Italy’s 20 regions.