Julien Roux, the extreme tightrope walker who fights vertigo at an altitude of 4,832 meters

Move forward, step by step, whatever the cost. Ignore the bitter cold at -12 degrees and the unbalancing gusts of wind. Above all, try to breathe well, despite the lack of oxygen, with your eyes fixed on the basket in front of you. And, the golden rule, don’t look into dizzying space. Never. On November 15, 4,255 meters separated Julien Roux’s silicone socks, sliding gently on a strap 20 meters long and 2.5 centimeters wide, from the lush grass of Switzerland.

In the air over the canton of Fribourg, this Lyonnais broke the world record for highline altitude, a fashionable discipline consisting of connecting two points on a taut, suspended strap. The Sunday tightrope walkers who flourish in the parks, arms outstretched horizontally between two trees, treat themselves to a few thrills a few centimeters from the ground. Julien Roux’s altimeter showed, a little over a month ago, 4832 meters (from sea level)…