A French cyclist on an international biking adventure to raise awareness about global warming has arrived in Türkiye and plans to cycle across the country from the scenic northeast to the dazzling Mediterranean in the south.

Nabil Ennasri, 41, a French citizen of Moroccan descent, began his biking trek in Paris and is due to finish his journey in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Entering Türkiye from Edirne, a Turkish city in the west of Istanbul, Ennasri said he was excited to retrace the traditional journey of Muslim pilgrims.

The cyclist told Anadolu Agency (AA) that he got on his bike on April 22 and reached Türkiye after crossing through 10 countries. He added that he sleeps in a trailer that his friends drive behind him and has already traveled 2,850 kilometers (1,771 miles).

"My goal is to warn people, particularly the Muslim community, about global warming and about the fact that we have to face this most important challenge of our generation," he explained.

Ennasri described his feelings upon arriving at Edirne as follows: "As a young boy, I was highly interested in the history of the Ottoman Empire – especially, Fatih Sultan Mehmed, also known as Mehmed the Conqueror (Fatih), who is famous for his 1453 conquest of Istanbul, which became the Ottoman capital, and is now a major metropolis and commercial hub."

Praising Edirne's Selimiye Mosque, he called it "one of the most beautiful mosques in Türkiye and an important Islamic heritage site."

"So, history is going to speak to me now personally. Hence, I am living every moment of the historical Ottoman Empire, which played a great role in Muslim history."

Ennasri will continue to the Mediterranean province of Antalya in the south before boarding a flight to Jordan to continue his journey.