The mighty Annapurna is as fascinating as it is dangerous, within a second fate can decide life and death. Jean-Christophe Lafaille, regarded as the most accomplished French alpinist, witnessed this as he climbed in 1992 when his ascent loosened, his partner Pierre Béghin plummeted and died. Lafaille, with a broken arm, needed five days to descend the mountain without rope and hook. "It took me years to talk about this drama, and since then, the fear of falling has always been present ... " 

In 2002, after numerous excursions, the mountain sprinter - the speed with which he climbs is his trademark -  stood on the summit of Annapurna. In his career as a mountaineer, Lafaille followed his own principles with each ascension of an eight thousander: always without artificial oxygen on the road, always a supporter of the alpine lifestyle and always moving in the constant awareness of the power of nature.