Jean-Noël Roche
Acting
Biography
Jean-Noël Roche, born in Annonay, France on December 14, 1949, was a renowned mountaineer, high-mountain guide, and paraglider. He distinguished himself through his pioneering role in Himalayan mountaineering and paragliding, and was considered a major figure in the mountaineering world. During his career, Jean-Noël Roche participated in numerous prestigious Himalayan expeditions, where he climbed renowned peaks such as Jannu (Nepal) in 1983 and Dhaulagiri in 1984, notably contributing to first ascents. His expertise and daring also allowed him to explore and climb challenging routes in various mountain regions, thus establishing his reputation as an exceptional guide. A thrill-seeker, he passed on this passion to his son, Bertrand Roche, nicknamed "Zébulon," who followed in his footsteps in both mountaineering and paragliding, achieving feats such as the early ascent of Mont Blanc, Himalayan traverses, and a career in free flight. He shared his adventures in several books, including "Pap's and Zébulon, or The Extraordinary Adventures of a 12-Year-Old Mountaineer," written with his wife, Claude Roche. This book illustrates the relationship between Jean-Noël and his son in their alpine and aerial adventures, sharing their passion for the mountains and paragliding. Jean-Noël Roche died on August 18, 2002, at the age of 52, in a rappelling accident on the Matterhorn in Switzerland, one of the iconic peaks of European mountaineering. Jean-Noël Roche remains an iconic figure in French mountaineering, having left his mark on high-altitude mountaineering and paragliding, while inspiring new generations through his family legacy and his exploits in the Himalayas and beyond. His commitment to the mountains lives on through tributes such as the climbing wall at the Rives de Faya gymnasium in Annonay, which has borne his name since December 2020.
Known For
“Roche” from father to son… Bertrand Roche, nicknamed Zébulon, the spring-loaded character from The Magic Roundabout, comes from his inability to stay still. At 11, he reached the summit of Mont Blanc, which he has since climbed more than fifteen times. At 12, he took up paragliding and, in the United States, climbed the famous Nose face of El Capitan in Yosemite with his father, Jean-Noël Roche, known as Pap’s, a renowned Himalayan mountaineer and paraglider. He was filmed during this journey by Philippe Lallet and became the central figure in the documentary film Pap’s and Zébulon, as well as in the book written by Jean-Noël Roche and Claude Roche: Pap’s and Zébulon, or, The Extraordinary Adventures of a 12-Year-Old Mountaineer.
Pap’s et Zébulon
On April 29, 1983, three French alpinists reached the summit of Jannu, having climbed its 7,710 meters via the very steep southwest spur. The success of Luc Jourjon, Jean-Noël Roche, and Roger Fillon echoed that of the 1962 national expedition, which had been celebrated by Lionel Terray alongside the leading climbers of the time, Desmaison, Paragot, Magnone… But in 1983, the goal was no longer simply to wave a French flag on a virgin summit. The focus was already on a more "alpine" style, and there was even the idea of descending from the top… by air!
Namaste
In October 1984, Pierre Béghin, an engineer from Grenoble, and Jean-Noël Roche, a high-mountain guide, completed the Himalayan ascent of Dhaulagiri (8,172 m). The expedition's context: seven people crossed Nepal to Muri, collected accounts from trekkers—including that of the author Robert Rieffel—and attended Sherpa prayers at base camp. Then, the two of them embarked on a rocky and snowy route without supplemental oxygen. At over 5,000 meters, on the mountain of winds, Jean-Noël Roche made a paragliding flight. The climbers brought back footage with their Super 8 camera from 6,500 meters, but only photographs have been able to confirm their presence on the summit ridge of the seventh highest peak in the world.