Posted on 05/12/2012 7:57:41 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A climber dubbed the French Spiderman is attempting to scale the tallest skyscraper in Paris tomorrow.
Alain Robert, 49, from the Bourgogne region, will be scaling the 231 metre First building in the capital’s business area, La Défense, without safety ropes.
But he had better have his spidey senses about him – weather reports predict thunder and lightning tomorrow.
Famed for climbing buildings without permission, this stunt is an officially-sanctioned challenge with the aim of raising awareness of good heart health.
But the French Spiderman, who learnt to climb as a child in the boy scouts, has suffered for his adventures.
He was in a coma for five days after one 15 meter fall in 1982, and has fractured and broken several bones. He also suffered from vertigo.
The French government have assessed him as 66% disabled.
Poor health hasn’t stopped Roberts from climbing. In March last year he climber the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubaï, which is 828 metres tall.
I keep expecting to hear that “Spiderman” has become “Deadman” one of these days. Still, the guy has cajones.
The last time I was in Paris, in 1966, the two tallest structures were the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame cathedral.
231 meters equal 750.75 feet
Lol. Never thought the comics character Deadman would ever make his way into FR. Thanks for the smile.
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