Norway holds a special place in my heart. It is where I saw the northern lights for the first time during a trip in 2019. For me, it is one of the most beautiful destinations in the world to observe them, even though they can also be seen above the Arctic Circle in Sweden or Finland, two countries I have also been lucky enough to visit.
At that time, I did not yet own a drone. I was in the middle of my pilot training and I made myself a promise: one day I would come back to discover those landscapes from the sky.
That is exactly what I did in 2022.
As with all my trips, I began by learning about the local regulations and the maps available for drone pilots. But the hardest part was finding an excursion company willing to welcome a drone pilot during an organised tour.
After some research, I discovered Arctic Explorers. From the very first contact, they were open to my idea. We exchanged messages on WhatsApp and I had the immense privilege of joining the very first fjord excursion of the season.
That day, I was the only guest.
So I had the chance to share the day with the driver and a wonderful French-speaking guide, Julien Busseuil. At the time, I was still flying with my DJI Mini 2 and I only had three batteries. I had no idea what landscapes we would discover, or whether the wind would allow me to fly. I was heading into the unknown.
Julien took me to several beautiful places west of Tromsø, especially between Grøtfjord and Brosmetinden. This region, far from the airport and outside protected zones, offered absolutely incredible scenery.
Very quickly, I suggested that he become the subject of my images. The landscapes were magnificent, but for me a video takes on another dimension when it tells a story or includes a person. He kindly and enthusiastically played along.
In November, the days are very short in the Arctic. The sun rises around eight in the morning and already sets around half past twelve or one o’clock. We had to make the most of every minute of light and manage the autonomy of my three batteries carefully.
Fortunately, our driver knew the region perfectly and we were able to make several stops. I came home with beautiful images and one of the videos I am still most proud of today.
I later shared the video with Arctic Explorers, who used it for a while to present their fjord excursions to future travellers. Seeing my images help promote such an authentic experience made me particularly happy.
Two years later, in 2024, I returned to Tromsø and naturally contacted the same company again. Once more, they were open to sharing their excursion with a drone enthusiast.
Unfortunately, the weather conditions were much less favourable. A lot of snow, then rain and above all a huge amount of wind. I still managed to make a few short videos, visible on Instagram and YouTube. You can watch this 2024 video on YouTube, where the group I was travelling with can be seen.
But in the end, that did not really matter. I had already made the video I had dreamed of in 2022.
However, 2024 will remain engraved in my memory for another reason. Solar activity was exceptional, and I think I saw the most beautiful northern lights I have witnessed in five years of travelling in the far north.
And that is also why I know I will return one day.
Because in Norway, between mountains, fjords, northern lights and human encounters, there is always something left to discover.
Below, you can watch my video filmed around Tromsø and the fjords of Grøtfjord and Brosmetinden.