Back from Manaslu

Hello everyone,

I don’t know how many of you will read this post to the end, but here it is… the expedition is over and I am back safe and sound from Kathmandu.

No summit this time. And yet, this expedition will probably remain one of my favorites.

I experienced incredible moments and met amazing people from all around the world. That’s also what an expedition is about: realizing how lucky we are to share such an intense adventure with people we likely would have never met otherwise.

The conditions were particularly tough this year. Rain, snow, wind, more snow… and above all, an avalanche risk that became far too high. The mountain also reminded us how dangerous it can be. Mountaineers lost their lives this season, and all my thoughts go out to them, their loved ones, and their expedition teammates.

On a personal note, returning to high altitude held a special meaning. During my previous expedition, I had to be evacuated after suffering a High-Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE). Coming back a few months later—with the inevitable fear that it might happen again and that, this time, I might not be as lucky—was not easy.

This past year hasn’t been easy either: months of training, countless personal, social, and financial sacrifices, as well as academic ones. Balancing my medical studies with a high-level sports career and preparing for an expedition like this requires a huge amount of work, and inevitably involves making choices and sacrifices. On top of that came trips to the ER, a bike accident, highs, and a lot of lows… So today, simply being back in Kathmandu in good health makes me extremely happy.

And in the end, what is a summit? A bonus. The icing on the cake. What I’ll remember is everything that came before it.

Together with Tsering, I had the chance to push past 7,100–7,200m in particularly harsh conditions, alone on the mountain alongside the rope-fixing team. Thank you, Tsering, for believing in me, pushing me, and sharing this adventure with me. Without you, this expedition clearly wouldn’t have been the same.

And above all, a huge thank you to the entire Nepalese team: Sherpas, fixing team, porters, cooks, managers… They are the ones who make these expeditions possible. They are the true powerhouses behind all of this. Thank you also to the entire organization for making the right decisions, especially the decision to turn back when continuing became too dangerous. No summit is worth a life.

I had been preparing for this project for over a year, especially alongside Olivier and Mathieu. Today, I can say that every hour of hard work and every sacrifice was worth it.

This adventure doesn’t really end here, though. We filmed a tremendous amount of footage, and a documentary will trace this expedition—focusing above all on the extraordinary people who make such adventures possible in one of the most extreme environments on Earth.

I will return to an 8,000m peak. Maybe one day back to Manaslu. Maybe somewhere else. K2 is still in the back of my mind, too… But that will be another story.

Thank you to everyone who followed, supported, and sent me messages throughout this adventure.

No summit this time. But an adventure I will never forget.

See you soon for the next chapter.