Meet Guillaume Rivest

“For me, adventure is an opportunity to push your limits and learn. The difficult moments of an expedition reveal people’s true nature—their strengths, but also their flaws. It’s the best way to get to know yourself and to grow,” explains Guillaume.

His thirst for adventure pushes him out of his comfort zone and leads him to live new experiences—most of the time outdoors:
“Whether it’s living in a tent for four months in the Yukon or paddling down a river in Abitibi, the moments I spend outside are what make me feel alive.”

“Choosing adventure is choosing to live 100%.”

Guillaume is one of those individuals. Passionate about the outdoors, he engages in camping, climbing, and kayaking. He excels in swimming and holds a certification as a whitewater lifeguard. He has also swum competitively for the Vert & Or team. Additionally, he practices cycling, cross-country skiing, and volleyball.

You might recognize his face from television. Guillaume was among the few brave individuals who participated in “La Grande Traversée” in 2016. This show, broadcast on Radio-Canada, followed a crew of about ten people who embraced 17th-century conditions to cross the Atlantic on a three-masted sailing ship. Together, they completed a 5,100 km journey in nearly 55 days.

Originally from Rouyn-Noranda, Guillaume holds a bachelor’s degree in applied politics and is completing a master’s in environmental studies with a focus on policy at the Université de Sherbrooke. During his studies, he lived for four months in Peru as part of an internship and served as an observer at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris in 2015.

After spending a year as a journalist at Radio-Canada, Guillaume recently chose to become a freelancer. He writes for magazines such as Beside, Rando-Québec, and Oxygène.

In the medium term, Guillaume intends to continue sharing his passion for adventure and the great outdoors with as many people as possible: “I have numerous topics swirling in my head, and I want to actively pursue them. Fields like communication, digital creation, and particularly adventure documentaries appeal to me greatly. I also have several outdoor projects for the region that I’d like to work on. We have an immense playground and wild spaces that, I firmly believe, deserve to be explored and appreciated!” he explains.

Because he loves his region, is an adventurer at heart, and isn’t afraid to take on great challenges, Guillaume Rivest is a worthy representative of the people of Abitibi-Témiscamingue!