Jean-Marc Boivin

Jean-Marc Boivin (6 April 1951 – 17 February 1990) was a French mountaineer, extreme skier, hang glider and paraglider pilot, speleologist, BASE jumper, film maker and author. He was known for setting several altitude records for hang gliding and paragliding.

Boivin made many first ascents and first ski descents in the Alps. He was also part of a team that broke the record for a sub-glacial dive. One of his most famous achievements was being the first person to paraglide from the summit of Mount Everest.

Boivin was a true pioneer of extreme sports. Sadly, he died from injuries after a BASE jump off Angel Falls in Venezuela, the highest waterfall in the world.

Early life

The Grand Pilier d'Angle. In 1975 Boivin and Patrick Vallençant added a direct finish to the classic Cecchinel-Nominé route. In 1978 Boivin soloed the Bonatti-Zapelli route, which takes the centre of the face.

Jean-Marc Boivin was born in Dijon in 1951. He went to school in Dijon, Belfort, and Tournus, and earned a technical diploma in 1971. He studied mechanical manufacturing in Sens from 1972 to 1973. While working at the Peugeot factory in Dijon, he decided to spend his life in the mountains. He started climbing and skiing when he was 14, exploring places like Cormot, the cirque du Bout du Monde near Nolay, as well as Brochon, Fixin, and Saffres. He also skied in the Jura mountains. By 1972, he was good enough to place fourth in a national skiing competition. In 1973, he earned a guide diploma and finished his military service in Briançon. From then on, Boivin devoted himself to being an adventurer in every way.

Extreme sports

Jean-Marc Boivin was a skilled mountaineer and adventurer known for his daring climbs and first descents in the Alps during the 1970s and 1980s. He made solo climbs of very difficult routes, such as the north face of the Eiger, and was a pioneer in linking several tough climbs together in one trip, often using skis, hang gliders, or paragliders to move between them.

The east face of the Matterhorn. Boivin made the first ski descent of the face in 1980, from the Shoulder.

Boivin was also famous for extreme skiing, making the first ski descents of many challenging mountain faces. He filmed his descents, which amazed people who had never seen such extreme skiing before. In addition to skiing, Boivin set records in hang gliding and paragliding. He made high-altitude jumps from famous mountains like K2, Aconcagua, and Gasherbrum II. In 1988, he became the first person to paraglide from the summit of Mount Everest, setting a record for the fastest descent of the mountain. He also helped set a world record for a subglacial dive by going deep under a glacier in the Mer de Glace.

Death

On 16 February 1990, Jean-Marc Boivin made a very high jump down Angel Falls in Venezuela, the tallest waterfall in the world, while being filmed for a TV show. The next day, he tried the jump again to help someone who had been hurt. During this jump, he hit a tree and was badly injured. When rescuers came, they thought he was okay, but when they returned later, sadly, he had passed away from his injuries.

Films

By Boivin

Jean-Marc Boivin made many films about his adventures. Some of his films include:

Glace Extrême, 1977, 36 min (director and producer).
Au Vent des Cimes, 1978, 36 min (director and producer).
Aventure au Cervin, 1980, 56 min (director). Produced by the Société Française de Production and Antenne 2.
Aventure à l'Aconcagua, 1981, 56 min (co-director). Produced by the Société Française de Production and Antenne 2.
Aratitiyopé, 1984, 26 min (co-director). Produced by Antenne 2 and Riviera Films.
L'Oiseau Rare, 1985, 26 min (co-writer). Produced by Antenne 2 and MC4.
Descente, 1987, 26 min (co-writer with Jean Afanasieff). Produced by FR3 Rhône-Alpes and MC4.
Vents Contraires, 1988 (writer and director). Produced by TF1, FR3 Rhône-Alpes and MC4.

About Boivin

Others made films about Boivin’s life, such as:

Everest 88, 1988 (directed by Jean Afanasieff). Produced by FR3.
Inlandsis, 1989, 26 min.
Jean-Marc Boivin: Extrêmement vôtre, 2007, 52 min (directed by Gilles Chappaz). Produced by FR3 Bourgogne Franche-Comté.

Books by Boivin

Jean-Marc Boivin wrote several books about his adventures. Some of his books include Trois défis au Cervin with Guy Geoffroy, published in 1981, L'abominable homme des glaces from 1983, and L'Aventure jusqu'au bout with F. Boivin and J. M. Parte, published in 1991.

Awards

Jean-Marc Boivin received the International Award for Valour in Sport in London on February 5, 1980. This award was given for his amazing hang gliding flight from a height of 7,600 metres, or about 24,900 feet, off the mountain K2.

Commemoration

Several places and awards remember Jean-Marc Boivin for his achievements.

The Lycée Jean-Marc Boivin in Chevigny-Saint-Sauveur opened on 5 October 1990. There is also the Complexe Sportif Jean-Marc Boivin in Nolay and the Salle Jean-Marc Boivin in the Club alpin français building in Dijon. Additionally, there is a Jean-Marc Boivin footpath in Nolay that is 45 km (28 mi) long with 1,500 m (4,900 ft) of ascent and descent. Every year, the Dijon International Adventure Film Festival gives out the Jean-Marc Boivin award for the authenticity of an adventure, presented by his widow Françoise Boivin.