French Roll

An extraordinary tale of humor, mishaps, and unbelievable achievements on one of the most beautiful paths in Europe.

At age 19, Michael Jarvis is working in the German Alps on a ski job when a letter from his girlfriend arrives, asking him to meet her in Barcelona in a couple of months. Impulsively, he decides to roller skate the path through Southern France from Italy to Spain—alone. A close call nearly costs him his life on day one, but Michael refuses to abandon the route. He has 800 miles to go and a promise to keep…

With introspection, wit, and an infectious love of adventure, French Roll tells an epic story of traversing the French Riviera and explores pivotal moments of love and danger, the struggles from youth into adulthood, and the triumph of one person’s determination to finish a journey against all odds.

This beautiful, fast-paced memoir combines the razor-sharp wit of Bill Bryson and the unfiltered authenticity of Cheryl Strayed as you join 19-year-old Michael on his roller-skating odyssey and witness the exuberance of discovery, the unyielding joy of embracing the unknown, and the vibrant tapestry of European history, art, and culture.