MARTIN TRAHAN / adventurer and long-distance canoeist
At Granola Extra, the food is as good as the company you share it with. And we are in very good company! Discover our ambassadors and athletes. Just delicious characters!
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— Photos provided, Yan Kaczynski and Marie-Hélène Veilleux
Well-known in the world of outdoor expeditions, Martin is an adventurer and long-distance canoeist residing in Montreal. For several years, he has embarked on often ambitious adventures that have led him to visit impressive and spectacular regions of the world.
Martin's reputation now extends far beyond the country's borders, as he is currently supported in his adventures by manufacturers Esquif, Kokatat, and Bending Branches. In 2025, he also joined the Pagaie Québec family. A matter of the heart, a natural choice to partner with a local, human-scale company.
This is where the association with Granola Extra comes from. Martin shared his passion for eating well during his adventures. He introduced us to his favorites. He will share his adventurer tips with you!
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In 2015, Martin first gained public recognition when he participated in the Canadian expedition of the year, an award given by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. His team traversed a vast portion of Canada by canoe. This adventure began on April 25 in the icy waters of Lac des Deux Montagnes, near Montreal, and ended 7,000 kilometers later, on October 16, on the coast of the Mackenzie River in Inuvik, in the Arctic Circle. This 175-day journey included 117 portages and was a true human and logistical challenge.
From May to July 2016, he took part in the Pull of the North expedition, which involved traveling the 3,200 kilometers of the Yukon River in 70 days, from Lake Bennett in British Columbia to its mouth in the Bering Sea (Alaska). Ian Finch (England) and Caroline Côté (Canada) produced a documentary highlighting some of the impacts of the modern world and environmental changes on the traditional lifestyles of the indigenous peoples living on the banks of the Yukon River.
From April to November 2018, with teammates, he traversed a large part of the United States by canoe, from the Pacific Ocean in Astoria (Oregon) to the Atlantic Ocean, at the southern tip of Florida, in Key Largo. As one can imagine, this 7,500 km journey in 191 days was grueling both physically and psychologically.
In May and June 2023, accompanied by a French teammate, he crossed France by canoe, from the Swiss border in Geneva to the Atlantic Ocean, near Saint-Nazaire. Accustomed to several-month crossings in America, it was his first major adventure on European soil. A magnificent journey where he covered 1,500 km in 40 days, discovering a country rich in history and architectural beauty, while meeting its inhabitants.
More recently, in August and September 2024, with a Finnish teammate, he completed a superb journey in Finnish and Norwegian Lapland: a 350 km adventure, spread over 21 days, in the Arctic Circle at latitude 69°N, through one of the wildest and most preserved landscapes in the world.
It is with his Finnish friend that Martin set off again on the Yukon River at the end of May 2025.
As for the adventurer's next big adventure? "Heading for 2027…" he simply drops without giving more details.
To not miss anything until then, stay in touch with him on his networks.
Instagram: @martin_trahan_canoeist
Do you think you should be part of the family as a Granola Extra ambassador or athlete? Write to us and explain why your application should be selected as chief gourmand!