Adventure is the promise of pleasure in discomfort
One of Jonathan's specialities, ice climbing ©️ Alex Buisse
Hello Jonathan! You can't escape the famous résumé 😂? Could you please introduce yourself briefly?
My name is Jonathan, I'm 30 years old, and I've had a lot of different professional experiences: in the army, as a manager at Décathlon, as a fireman and then as a training manager. Finally, I took up mountaineering with the dream of becoming a mountain guide.
It was this latter training that led me, in 2021, to want to become a professional adventurer.
Today, my ambition is to make a living from my expeditions, by creating content about them for brands, but also by offering conferences, workshops, survival courses...
Where does this somewhat utopian desire come from?
First of all, a need for meaning. To meet that need, I had to combine work and passion. I'm passionate about adventure in the great outdoors, the sporting aspect and the challenge of surpassing oneself.
My first break came when I read the book "Antarctica, the dream of a lifetime", by Swiss and South African explorer/adventurer Mike Horn, in 2018.
When I read it, I said to myself: "Okay, this is what I want to do". I then went on to read all his books... and then a whole host of incredible books on the polar environment, notably by Børge Ousland, the legendary Norwegian explorer, and Alban Michon, our French polar explorer and extreme diving specialist. This environment fascinated me more than ever. I absolutely wanted to find out what it was like to be all alone in the middle of nature, with no outside resources.
"What scares me is doing a job I don't like".
Aren't you afraid of this hostile environment?
You know, fear is different for everyone. What scares me is being locked into a job I don't like. It would kill me slowly to see my life go by like that.
In the mountains, I've had a few scares, adrenaline rushes and moments of stress. But that's exactly what you're looking for when you're an adventurer. What you want, precisely, is to tickle your comfort zone.
Alone in the world, in contact with this icy nature that intoxicates him ©pihoqahiak
How do you overcome your fears?
I've reached a good level in the mountains, but for a long time I was afraid of heights. At first, I couldn't stand 3 metres above the ground; I was terrified. It took me a year to overcome that. I went metre by metre. I started by climbing, 5 metres, then 10 metres. With repetition, I finally felt comfortable. It's difficult, but you have to beat evil with evil. After that, I was able to climb walls several hundred meters high.
What was your greatest adventure?
The first time I set off alone to cycle across Europe. That kind of trip gives you time to experience both the effort and the discomfort. It' s a mixture of suffering, pleasure and joy. It's meditative. You're alone with your thoughts and it makes you think a lot about yourself. I evolved a lot during this adventure. I really loved being out there for four months.
On his first bike trip across Europe ©pihoqahiak
How did you cope with your return to reality?
It took me a few months to get used to sleeping in a real bed, in a house, with people. I'd found a seasonal job for eight months, but after three I couldn't take it anymore!
Aren't you afraid of being marginalized from society?
No, we're all different, and that's precisely what's interesting. There's no point in trying to be like everyone else. Besides, I'm clearly not marginalized. I've kept my social circle, I see people all the time, I do lots of things.
I just prefer to live a bit further from the city center and go to the stores less than I used to.
On the contrary, I think I'm making very strong connections. The proof is that I even met my girlfriend on my bike trip to Europe. It was 15 days before the end, but we kept in touch, saying we'd never see each other again. Improbably, I was offered a job a few weeks later in the same town where she lived, in Norway.
It wasn't long before we were both off on an expedition. Kari was a psychotherapist, but dreamed of living differently. We share the same passion for adventure and nature.
"When you go away as a couple, you don 't deal with your fears in the same way
. But you have to adapt to each other's pace.
With his partner, Kari, during one of their expeditions ©pihoqahiak
What changes when there are two of you on an adventure?
You don't deal with your fears in the same way. You know that the other person is always there to reassure you. You don't have the same rhythm either, so you also have to adapt to the other person. It's much more comfortable, because you share everything with the other person.
Can you tell us about your trip across Europe by bike?
I was preparing for the probationary exam for my mountain guide diploma, during which I had four "accidents", notably in ice climbing, because the ice was collapsing. Honestly,** I'm lucky to be alive**.
My mental state took a beating and I needed to rest. One day, I came across a report by a German who had cycled around the world, Pedal the World. It made me want to tour Europe.
At the end of the summer of 2021, I set off to cover 7200 km without really following a route, taking lots of detours. It was a magical journey, full of human encounters and landscapes.
I passed through Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and finally Norway.
When I arrived in Stockholm in early October, my mother joined me for a weekend to bring back my winter gear, as I wanted to cross Norway in winter. The nights were getting colder and colder (down to minus 25), and the days were getting shorter. In the end, it was night H24. I loved it.
"Today, everything is served to us on a platter
. But the nature of human beings is to adapt, learn and discover.
The bivouak on ice, sublime isn't it? ©pihoqahiak
What was complicated on this trip?
The cold! It got down to minus 25°. Before long, it was dark H24 and I didn't have the sun to warm me up. I suffered from frostbite on my feet, it was very hard on my morale and at the end of the trip, **I often wondered if I should stop or continue. **
I had good equipment, a great tent. I melted snow for water. I organized myself to eat my 6,000 calories a day, with freeze-dried food, cereal bars, and added butter for extra fat.
I had a military organization, but it was sometimes difficult. Some weeks, when I'd been riding for 10 days, I'd run out of motivation. I didn't feel like getting up in the morning and following that discipline.
But apart from those tough moments, it's a world I love. I found it magical to ride through these landscapes.
You feel like you're in the forest! ©pihoqahiak
Do you have a special anecdote to tell about this trip?
When I arrived in Oslo, it was dark. I took out my phone to find out which way to go. I spotted a man in his fifties staring at me. He didn't speak English, but he really wanted to communicate. He was asking me to follow him. I was confident, but a little apprehensive, because the environment wasn't very reassuring. He showed me his car. He took me to a pizzeria and went to the counter. The waiter brought us two beers. I could tell he was happy to be there. He said goodbye, thank you. Then he left me alone with my pizza! I had tears in my eyes at this gratuitous kindness.
It's starting to curdle, Jonathan... ©pihoqahiak
"15 years ago, there was eternal snow above 2800m, even in summer. Today, there
's
.
You often say in interviews that "you're living your best life". Why do you say that?
Today, everything is served to us on a platter. But it's part of being human to adapt, to learn, to discover other people and the planet. We live in a wonderful place with so much to discover. This contact with nature helps raise awareness of the planet. Reconnecting with nature offers the promise of pleasure in discomfort. Your mind wanders, you unplug your brain and find answers to many of the questions that invade your mind...
Was it during your expeditions that you became aware of climate change?
Yes, definitely. Especially in the Pyrenees, where I grew up. 15 years ago, there was eternal snow above 2800 meters, even in summer. Today, there's none at all, even at 3400 meters!
It's a sad state of affairs. I want to help protect nature, even if I don't have all the keys. I'm not into the whole "we've got to change everything" thing, because I think we've got to move with the times, but there are things we can all do: buy less and buy better, use bicycles more...
In terms of actions, for example, we work with the EcoTree organization (forest management and biodiversity): we finance the planting of trees. We have already planted 100 trees. We also aim to donate a tree to every new customer.
Kari and I are also preparing toexplore Norway's second-largest polar plateau. We'll be making a 15-day crossing in total autonomy in February 2024. Our aim is to highlight the importance of taking care of polar environments.
"Our limits are constantly changing. You have to test them constantly to know your tipping point
".
How do you know what your limits are?
They're constantly changing. You have to experiment with them to get to know them and find your tipping point. Little by little, by playing with your limits, accepting fear and discomfort, you tame your limits and push them back. It's important to set realistic goals and then gradually surpass them, as this gives you strength.
The magic of the Northern Lights still works ©pihoqahiak
Jonathan Labarre's culture minute
Music for ascents: Fun with two chords on the guitar
**Music for the downhill **: Whistle! It makes you happy 😁
**A book to understand cycling **: I've only read books about adventure in general. But it's best not to ask the question. Just get on your bike and go! And if you really need advice, watch my video Gravel bikepacking - the perfect setup.
