Long-term Travel and the Notion of Home: The Case of Alexandra David-Néel

Discussions around the notion of 'home' have been sparked by the surge in displacement, migratory movements, and travel, leading to a rethinking of 'home' as a construct. Whether leave-taking is voluntary (long-term travelers) or enforced (political exiles and refugees), the question of home becomes problematized. This article examines Alexandra David-Néel's Voyage d'une Parisienne à Lhassa (). Having chosen to remain on the road for four decades, David-Néel provides an excellent case for the exploration of the notion of belonging. The analysis leads to a new paradigm of the home, upending the categorical distinction home/mobility.