Meeting an athlete
on the edge

1/ HI ANTOINE! TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF…

"My name is Antoine Mesnage, I’m 26 years old and I’m from Annecy in Haute-Savoie. That’s the basics. Otherwise, I’m a freelance photographer and videographer and I’ve been passionate about highline for over 10 years."

Did you know?

When practicing slackline, you walk on a 2 cm-wide slack strap without the help of a balancing pole. When practicing highline, it’s more or less the same… except you do it above a void.

2/ WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO GET INTO HIGHLINE?

"Since my dad is a big fan of climbing, I’ve been immersed in the outdoor sports world since I was little. Whether with my family or in school sports, I practiced climbing for a long time before feeling the need to do something different.

Highline appeared in the 1980s in the USA and came to France in 2005. It was inspired by climbers who stretched lines between two routes to work on their proprioception while climbing. In 2011, Seb Montaz and the Flying Frenchies released the film I Believe I Can Fly. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was exactly what I wanted to do."

Definition

Proprioception: also called deep sensitivity, it refers to all the information transmitted to the brain to move properly in space (posture adjustment, body movement, etc.).

3/ HOW DID YOU START PRACTICING?

"At the time, there were no slackline or highline clubs. But since I really wanted to try, I went to get a truck strap with a few friends. None of us really knew how to set up a slackline—we just went with instinct! At first, I didn’t really enjoy the sensations, but eventually I got into it.

I trained a lot on the same 20-meter strap that I installed at all different heights to learn how to stand up, manage my stress… Then one day I thought: 'Why not try the same thing above a void?'

We started with friends on short lines (8 meters). When I discovered the sensations above the void, I quickly got hooked and began exploring the possibilities the sport offered: tricks, long lines, new line openings..."

4/ WHAT THRILLS YOU IN YOUR PRACTICE?

"When I started, highline was a completely unknown sport in France. That pioneering, exploratory side really appealed to me. Everything had to be done, whether in terms of developing equipment, setting up safety processes, or opening new highlines around the world. I’ve had the chance to set up new lines in many countries, and it’s a pretty exceptional way to travel.

Highline is a sport that can blend with other disciplines: climbing, mountaineering, skiing, biking… it allows for really interesting combinations."

5/ HOW IS HIGHLINE PRACTICED?

It’s often a process that breaks down into 3 or 4 steps:

• Step 1: I look on a map, usually on Geoportail, for the length of the gaps and the height of the spot I’ve identified
• Step 2: I measure live with a laser, to prepare for the crossing. It’s also when I study how to cross the line—often using a drone
• Step 3: I install the line before crossing. If I can, I use natural anchors (trees, rock blocks). Otherwise, I drill bolts into the rock.

6/ WHAT HAS HIGHLINE CHANGED IN YOUR DAILY LIFE?

"This sport has become a part of who I am—it defines me. It’s crazy, there isn’t a day I don’t think about it, about opening a new line or doing a new crossing!

Physically, I now only train to improve my technique, to imagine and complete ever crazier projects. Mentally, highline has transformed me and taught me to master my emotions. It’s an extremely powerful sport because it completely empties you—you can’t lie when you’re crossing.

Choosing to walk above a void is a unique mental commitment, yet it’s a very safe sport when practiced properly."

7/ DID YOU FACE ANY DIFFICULTIES GETTING INTO THIS SPORT?

"From the start, my biggest struggle has been being taken seriously. I think slackline is still too often seen as a 'hippie sport', even though it’s actually a sport that mixes beautiful outdoor disciplines. That’s why I like doing projects in high mountains, where we’re not just highliners but full-fledged mountaineers."

8/ WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO START?

"It’s simple: buy a slack kit or truck straps you can walk on, and go to a park with some friends to start. If you start alone, it can quickly get discouraging because it’s a tough practice at the beginning. Don’t pressure yourself—being in a friendly environment really helps you keep going and get hooked."

Practical info

There are now many Facebook groups dedicated to this sport, where it’s easy to find competent people to get started with.

9/ IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE ONE LINE, WHICH WOULD IT BE?

"For a film shoot, we set up a line in the high mountains on the Périades in Chamonix. It’s everything combined that made this line incredible: the setting, the exceptional opening (my first in the Mont-Blanc massif!), the crazy team we had, and the mix of skills that helped a lot. (Editor’s note: film Out of Frame about Mathis Dumas, guide/photographer, filmed by Jordan Manoukian). A great team effort!"

10/ TELL US HOW IT WENT!

"Everything started from an idea by Mathis and Jordan, who had already bivouacked at the Périades. They had a drone shot of the spot, and that was our only way to analyze in advance how we could set up the line.

Once there, the guys (Mathis and Aurelien Vessiaire) did an exceptional job getting us to the top of the two towers. Once at the top, it was up to us to install the line and walk it.

Honestly, even though I trusted the setup, the anchors were scary… So there was real tension once the line was installed. But I didn’t let myself hesitate and stood up right away. The view was incredible, in the middle of sunset. It’s the line that scared me the most in my life!"