Marc Batard, a French mountaineer, lecturer, and painter, was born in Villeneuve-sur-Lot. He is renowned for achieving the first solo ascent of Everest without oxygen in under 24 hours.
At the tender age of 18, Batard discovered the high mountains, and his fascination with mountaineering led him to begin climbing in the Pyrenees, specifically in Luchon. Despite his relatively small stature, measuring 1.67 meters and weighing 55 kilograms, he possesses an exceptional physique that sets him apart from other great mountaineers.
With only two years of mountaineering experience, Batard impressively ranked 22nd out of 45 places available for the aspiring guide competition, among 200 candidates. His technical skills and remarkable endurance enabled him to achieve this feat.
By the age of 23, Batard had become the youngest mountaineer to climb without oxygen at 8,000 meters, reaching the summit of Gasherbrum II (8,035 meters). He continued to push his limits, achieving a series of remarkable feats, including the first solo ascent of the southwestern pillar of Makalu (8,481 meters) in 18 hours and the ascent of Cho Oyu (8,200 meters) in 19 hours.
On September 26, 1988, Batard made history by climbing Everest alone without oxygen in 22 hours and 29 minutes from the base camp on the South face, earning him a place in the Guinness Book as the first mountaineer to climb Everest in under 24 hours. During this ascent, he lost eight kilograms, weighing a mere 46 kilograms on the descent, which he considers to be the extreme limit of his body.
Batard's remarkable achievements earned him the nickname "Everest sprinter." In the same year, he climbed four peaks over 8,000 meters without oxygen and achieved the Dhaulagiri (8,167 meters) in winter.
At the age of 43, Batard retired from mountaineering, dedicating himself to his children and grandchildren. He later resumed his childhood passion for painting and now focuses on writing and public speaking, addressing themes such as prevention and safety, team spirit, and self-transcendence.
Batard has been delivering public and school lectures since 1975 and has given talks abroad in Washington, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Canada, and Portugal. He has also addressed the business world on topics such as prevention and safety, having a vision in advance, the courage or exemplarity of the leader, and more.
In 1995, Batard co-founded the association "Passing through the mountain" with his friend Maurice André, a trumpeter. This organization aims to help young people and adults facing difficult situations, such as social exclusion, school failure, illness, or disability, find motivation to overcome their challenges through the power of the mountains.
