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PARIS

‘Spiderman’ to scale Paris’s tallest building

A climber dubbed the French Spiderman is attempting to scale the tallest skyscraper in Paris tomorrow.

Published: 9 May 2012 09:51 CEST
'Spiderman' to scale Paris's tallest building

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.

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PARIS

Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Efforts to relocate wild rabbits that are a common sight on the lawns of the historic Invalides memorial complex have provoked criticism from animal rights groups.

Published: 14 February 2024 13:01 CET
Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Tourists and Parisians have long been accustomed to the sight of wild rabbits frolicking around the lawns of Les Invalides, one of the French capital’s great landmarks.

But efforts are underway to relocate the fluffy animals, accused of damaging the gardens and drains around the giant edifice that houses Napoleon’s tomb, authorities said.

Police said that several dozen bunnies had been captured since late January and relocated to the private estate of Breau in the Seine-et-Marne region outside Paris, a move that has prompted an outcry from animal rights activists.

“Two operations have taken place since 25 January,” the police prefecture told AFP.

“Twenty-four healthy rabbits were captured on each occasion and released after vaccination” in Seine-et-Marne, the prefecture said.

Six more operations are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks.

Around 300 wild rabbits live around Les Invalides, according to estimates.

“The overpopulation on the site is leading to deteriorating living conditions and health risks,” the prefecture said.

Authorities estimate the cost of restoring the site, which has been damaged by the proliferation of underground galleries and the deterioration of gardens, pipes and flora, at €366,000.

Animal rights groups denounced the operation.

The Paris Animaux Zoopolis group said the rabbits were being subjected to “intense stress” or could be killed “under the guise of relocation”.

“A number of rabbits will die during capture and potentially during transport,” said the group, accusing authorities of being “opaque” about their methods.

The animal rights group also noted that Breau was home to the headquarters of the Seine-et-Marne hunting federation.

The police prefecture insisted that the animals would not be hunted.

In 2021, authorities classified the rabbits living in Paris as a nuisance but the order was reversed following an outcry from animal groups who have been pushing for a peaceful cohabitation with the animals.

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