The Nordic Dolce Vita

For the past few weeks, we’ve been experiencing a wonderful sense of well-being, a kind of Nordic dolce vita...

This may be becasue of what is called Allemansrätt in Swedish, allemannsrett in Norwegian, jokamiehenoikeus in Finnish, and igameheõigus in Estonian. In each language, the word refers to the same concept: the right of public access to nature. This legal right allows everyone to enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings and their bounty, even on private property (under certain conditions, of course). Not only is nature accessible to everyone, but great care has been taken to organize and equip places so people can enjoy it to the fullest. For nomadic travelers like us, it’s a little paradise. It’s easy to find wonderful places to settle without restrictions, sometimes even equipped with a lovely picnic table, a small barbecue for grilling, 

and a supply of firewood along with an axe and a saw available for use—everything needed to build a campfire. Absolutely fantastic! 😃 

These sites are free, camping is allowed without any problems, and everything operates on respect and trust. The dry toilets are impressively clean, there’s no litter lying around, trash bins are available on site, and people clean up after themselves. It just goes to show that civic-mindedness is a matter of culture and can be learned...

The Nordic dolce vita also means setting off to explore the many islands along the Estonian coast, discovering charming colorful houses, 

and treating yourself to a little sweet thing...

Even the cows take it easy! 😅

The dolce vita can also be found in the city. Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is a very pleasant human-scale city with its medieval old town, one of the best-preserved in Europe.

We visited the Museum of Occupations and Freedom, a museum dedicated to the Nazi and Soviet occupations, as well as to freedom itself. Freedom regained in the early 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union raised complex questions: What political system should be adopted? What official language(s) should there be? Estonian and Russian, or only Estonian? Who should be entitled to Estonian citizenship? Ilze told us a little about the difficult transition of the Baltic States toward this “new” freedom after more than fifty years of occupation. “Overnight,” she told us, “we were told: ‘That’s it, you’re free, you can do whatever you want!’ But we didn’t know how. Our entire lives had been organized for us, all the time, so we didn’t know where to begin or how to proceed. It was difficult for my parents to find work again and rebuild their lives.” The museum raises interesting questions about the meaning of freedom—where it begins and where it ends—questions that truly make you think.

From Tallinn, it takes about two hours by ferry to reach Helsinki and Finland. Helsinki is very different from Tallinn. It developed much later, so there isn’t really a historical city center. Its architecture is quite eclectic—a mixture of styles that isn’t always particularly aesthetic. Nevertheless, it’s a city where you genuinely feel good. The atmosphere is laid-back and the people are relaxed. 

One place that should absolutely not be missed is the Oodi Library and its unique architecture.

Built on three floors, it offers much more than books. The ground floor is a meeting space. There is a café, chess tables, and areas where people can organize all kinds of events free of charge. The first floor is dedicated to creativity. There are 3D printers, laser-cutting machines, sewing machines, and several open and closed workspaces where people can work quietly. You can also play video games and relive some childhood memories 😆

The book collection is located on the top floor. There are books for both adults and children, in several languages. You simply pick up a book and settle into one of the armchairs to read quietly in front of the large windows. Even though there is a section at one end of the building where children can play and run around, and a conference area at the other end, the atmosphere is surprisingly calm and relaxing.

It is a truly pleasant place (though difficult to photograph), we stayed there for three hours! Jérôme has probably never spent that much time in a library 😂.

Lisa’s house is located in the small town of Kirkkonummi, about 30–40 km from Helsinki. We spent a week with her and her son Thure (pronounced “Too-ray”), who is three and a half years old.

Born in Germany to a Finnish father and a German mother, Lisa moved to Finland with her parents and siblings when she was about twelve years old. She bought this house around five years ago and has been renovating it little by little with the help of family, friends, and helpers like us. Located about 5 km from the town center, it is a small haven of peace just a few minutes’ walk from a protected area with several lakes and beautiful hiking trails. The scenery is beautiful and peaceful and reminds me of my native Quebec... 

Like any respectable Finnish home, Lisa’s house has a sauna, and we certainly didn’t miss the opportunity to enjoy a few sessions 😉.

To help Lisa out, we did some gardening, stacked firewood (that sauna has to be fueled 😅), and, as the main project, built a porch in front of her front door.

Jérôme was, of course, the construction foreman, but he was assisted by an outstanding team!!

We spent a wonderful week with Lisa and Thure, full of sharing, and discoveries—everything we were hoping for from this experience. We very much hope to see them again one day! Since Lisa’s sister lives in France, not very far from us, we’re optimistic 👍😊. Otherwise, we’ll simply have to come back to Finland to enjoy the dolce vita of the far north once again...

To view the map of the entire journey along with all the photos: click here

Jérôme and Sophie