- Vincent Colliard
- From: Basque country, Southwest of France.
- Ambassador since: 2019
- Outdoor activities: Skiing
Achievements:
- Skiing across 7 of the 20 largest ice caps in the world together with Børge Ousland, part of our Icelegacy project
- Attempting to sail unsupported (no engine!) across the entire Arctic Ocean via the North Pole, from Alaska to Svalbard together with 2 French sailors 83 days, 2000km, Shackleton Award in Finse
Vincent Colliard is a world-renowned French polar explorer, guide, and environmental advocate who has become a leading figure in modern high-endurance expeditions.
Where do you currently call home?
I call the Basque Country home. Because of surfing and skiing on the same day! I might call Lofoten home one day because “det er paradiset på planeten” (it is the paradise on the planet)!
What do you actively do to cut back on your carbon footprint?
I tax myself 1 EUR each time I come home with something plastic and give it to non-profit environmental organisations. I try not to buy stuff that I don’t really need, I consume local seasonal food, and my latest effort is to plant a tree each time I take a plane.
Was there someone or some event that inspired you to get involved in your sport/activity?
Børge Ousland for continuing the Amundsen and Nansen legacy; and for being such an honest, authentic and skillful polar explorer!
Your favorite place in the world?
- The Arctic Ocean for its beauty and its brutality.
- The Antarctic Peninsula the wildlife and the combination mountains and ocean.
- Alaska, for the Chugach Mountains, the rich ecosystems (I am in love with brown bears and wild salmons).
- The Southern Ice Cap in Patagonia, a precious diamond of ice... melting under our watch though.
- Lofoten, det er paradiset pa planeten!
- And the Basque Country where I grew up.
What advice would you give your 10-year-old self?
Stay humble, listen and think first about the environment before thinking about yourself. Then, be bold and send it!!
If you were stranded alone in the wilderness, name 3 things you would want to have with you.
A nice French glass nicely shaped, a bottle of Saint-Emilion 1er Grand Cru and a corkscrew. A corkscrew because I want to hear the lovely sound of the cork popping out of the bottle and also because without a corkscrew I might die if I end up alone in the wilderness.
What hobbies do you enjoy participating in?
- I enjoy sailing sports catamaran, surfing, skiing, skating, mountaineering and trail running. I like rugby but I'm too scared to get injured.
- Beers & cigarillos with my best mates back home in Basque, but this may not be considered a hobby though.
What would be the theme song describing your life?
Hans Zimmer in Gladiator.
If you could have dinner with 3 people (living or deceased) who would they be and why?
- Nelson Mandela for being Nelson Mandela
- Mikhaïl Gorbatchev for taking down communism
- Michel Colucci because he makes me laugh
What is/are your hidden talent(s)?
Cooking chocolate fondant.
If you could choose a superpower, what would it be and why?
A thermic eye so I can see where the leads are on the Arctic ocean.
What is a skill that everyone should master and why?
We should become more responsible and clean our acts in order to reduce the global human impact on the planet.
Vincent Colliard in action
