“Over one thousand men have climbed Everest, twelve have walked on the moon, and only six have crossed the Atlantic from west to east. No woman has yet to accomplish this feat.” Until now, that is. Maud Fontenoy was the first female to row across the North Atlantic Ocean, and Atlantique face nord combines an insightful psychological portrait of a woman pushed to the limit with a thrilling adventure tale. Beginning with her extensive preparations, Fontenoy recounts every gripping detail of the incredible journey. Casting off from the islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon in mid-June and arriving on the coast of Spain in October, Fontenoy spent close to four months living in her 24 foot long boat on her harrowing journey across the open sea. She set off to show that a woman could accomplish this feat, but it proved more difficult than even she could imagine. Fontenoy relives all the hardships of the trip: violent storms and crashing waves, bouts of intense hunger, sheer exhaustion from hours of rowing, months of solitude, near-freezing waters, and a map that constantly reminded her how far she was from her ultimate goal, not to mention the danger of colliding with giant ocean liners or being attacked by sharks circling below. The adventure, however, did have its share of wonders. Fontenoy describes in breathtaking detail her up-close encounters with dolphins and whales, the serenity of a quiet night in the middle of the ocean, the comfort of reaching the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, and the overwhelming feeling of accomplishment when she finally reached the shore. When asked upon arriving whether she was tired of the ocean, she replied: “No, of course not. From the beginning, the sea accepted that I was following my path…She helped me to define myself.”