Patrick Bohard

Our ambassadors

Patrick Bohard

Athlete

Originally from a small village in the Haut-Jura, one of seven siblings, his early years revolved around two very distinct passions: a thirst for exploring the surrounding nature in all its facets with his brothers and sisters, and an irresistible attraction to music (trumpet, flute, violin, saxophone, guitar, singing…). He went on his first long cross-country skiing trips at the age of 7, but on the competitive and thrill-seeking side, ski jumping quickly took a major place in his life. He tackled the biggest and most beautiful ski jumps in Europe — but at twenty, music caught up with him and he joined a band for a national tour.

Then came his meeting with Virginie, who brought them both to Villers-le-Lac in the Doubs. Setting up a hostel and walkers' inn in an old Comtois farmhouse, and the arrival of their children (Manon and Louis), kept them fully occupied — though between seasons, he regularly felt the urge for long solo adventures. Sometimes running or mountain biking (Prague, Santiago de Compostela, GR 5, the tour of Portugal, etc.) sometimes cross-country skiing or roller skiing, linking up the great Alpine passes. Competitive trail running came late (first race at 46), but it still gives him great sporting moments, full of camaraderie, goodwill, and a taste for challenge.

Key Achievement

1st Tor des Géants 2015.
1st TDS 2009.
1st MIUT Madeira ultra trail 2011.
1st GRP Grand Raid des Pyrénées 2014.
1st Swiss Peaks 360 2018.
1st Transmartinique 2012.

Future projects

Cinq terres
Record Mercantour.
Hard Rock 100.
GRP160.
Atlas QUEST.

Interview with Patrick Bohard

3 words that define you as an athlete?

Playful, passionate, determined!

3 values that define you as a person?

Balance, loyalty, kindness.

Why do you feel you belong to the Cimalp family?

It may be a coincidence, but we were born in the same year: in 1964, Cimalp made its first garments while I was taking my very first steps. Over all those years, a wealth of experience has accumulated, and this fine French brand has become a powerhouse in a highly technical field. Cimalp is above all a know-how, a strong identity, and a deeply felt family spirit.

Your best and worst mountain memory — and why?

Experiencing the worst and the best within a single race — it almost makes you smile, and yet. We're on the Tor des Géants in the Val d'Aosta, Italy. After a 10-minute micro-nap, I've just set off again from Saint-Rémy-des-Bosses. Leading since the 100th kilometre, I have nearly a 3-hour advantage over second place. With 30 kilometres left to the finish line, everyone sees me as the winner of this 2015 edition. For me, those final thirty kilometres felt like a true ordeal — all at once, everything fell apart. With a body that could no longer move forward, I had to find other resources. I watched my lead melt away. In extreme suffering, I was no longer running for myself but for others: my family, my closest friends, my partners. My arrival in Courmayeur as winner was triumphant in the streets, but it was carried all the way by every person who believed in me until the very end. From all of that, I'm left with a mixed feeling — somewhere between the worst and the best.

What do the mountains inspire in you?

There is no better place to recharge, take stock, or even rebuild yourself. Of course there's the essential — what gets us up early: walking in the mountains, flying, and then running, running again. But there are also those brief moments when you can finally look up and see. For me, the mountains are an attraction. Like an irresistible invitation.

What is your relationship with the environment and ecology?

Children have an incredible ability to learn on their own, but I believe there are areas where only education can address the immense challenges ahead. The next generations will face profound climate upheaval, and it is our duty to play our part in protecting our planet.

Another great passion or talent beyond sport?

Music — listening, of course, with no barriers of style or origin. But even more so, playing it. Like a snow-covered mountain waiting to be climbed, it calls to me!