“In life, can we really dream? Can you have a really big idea and put it into action, put in the effort and achieve it? »

These are the questions that Jean-Christophe René and Éloi Larrivee asked themselves when they sketched out their project. This project consists of climbing the five highest peaks of the seven continents and connecting them by human force, that is to say by bicycle.

In 2022, it was South America. Despite the horrific drama that one of the two mountaineers experienced afterwards, they did not give up on their adventure, which will continue on September 6 when they leave for Africa.

This is the story of Les Trois Mousquetons.

Jean-Christophe is an engineer by training, but has been teaching for a year. Éloi is a soldier in the army. The two men, 26 and 25, have known each other since they were 4 years old. On screen, during their virtual interview with La Presse, their complicity is evident.

When they were teenagers, the friends rode their bikes to the mountains closest to their homes in Ham-Nord, a small municipality in Centre-du-Québec.

“We slept upstairs and came back by bike,” says Jean-Christophe. At 17-18 years old, we left with our cars. Gaspésie, New Hampshire… We were going further and further. »

Guided by the attraction of the high mountains, the two best friends made a first trip in 2019, to the Alps. There, they set themselves the goal of climbing as many 4,000-meter peaks as possible by cycling from one to another. They climbed 11.

“We were addicted,” says Jean-Christophe.

Back in Quebec, they wanted to offer themselves a concrete project. A dream. This is where they created the Trois Mousquetons. You will have understood: at that time, there were three of them. During the first trip, to South America, the trio broke up and became a duo. Jean-Christophe and Éloi nevertheless decided to keep the same name, the third carabiner representing their relatives.

“You see it in our logo; three carabiners held together is unbreakable,” Éloi said, pointing to the flag hanging on the wall behind them.

In February 2022, the two comrades completed the first leg of their adventure: South America. In 137 days, they climbed Aconcagua, Bonete Chico, Monte Pissis, Ojos del Salados and Huascaran Sur… connecting them by bike, always.

“The bike is the hardest part,” notes Jean-Christophe.

To give an idea of ​​the scale of the project: 4700 km separated the fourth from the fifth mountain. It is almost the equivalent of crossing Canada. Especially since their bikes were falling apart.

“When you finish [your climb], you are exhausted, you are at high altitude and it is physically demanding. There, normal people would have a Jeep and go eat poutine and pizza. We find our bikes. We are in the desert, there is not much water and food left. We still have 200 km to go to get to the next village. Mentally, it’s difficult. It’s never over. »

On their mount, they drag only the bare necessities, which includes their equipment for extreme winter camping.

“It’s minimalist. I have a t-shirt and a pair of boxers. It’s a bit disgusting! exclaims Jean-Christophe.

“It really is a boy’s trip!” adds Éloi with a laugh.

Friends are not together all the time. Sometimes one of them drives faster than the other. But in the end, they always end up finding each other. In the mountains, they trust each other. That’s the secret.

After completing the ascent of the five South American peaks, at the end of June 2022, Jean-Christophe René and Éloi Larrivee each had their plan.

Éloi’s partner, Rebecca, joined him in Ecuador for a motorcycle, camping and mountaineering trip. “For real, those were the 16 best days of my life, but it ended in tragedy,” the 25-year-old said.

The couple shared a dream of climbing Chimborazo, the “top of the planet, closest to the sun”. It rises over 6200 meters above sea level. Under a beautiful temperature, they climbed the first 5900 meters.

Then, without warning, life struck.

Éloi has done his avalanche lessons, he knows all about it. But that day on the Chimborazo, “it was weird.” “It was not new snow that could cause avalanches. It really was a deep avalanche. »

The signs were not detectable.

The two Quebecers, tied together by a rope, were carried away. Eloi lost consciousness. When he woke up, he was hanging in the air above a cliff.

“Afterwards, the first thing I thought was that I would have liked that to choose the end of his rope. But you don’t make that kind of choice in life. »

After seeing death so close, having “held it in [his] arms,” ​​Éloi might have decided that it was over with the mountains. It would have been understandable.

However, he didn’t think of it.

” Never. No. Reb believed so much in this project. […] She would have liked, she would like, she wants me to continue in there.

“That’s what makes me love life so much and continue to do so despite the post-traumatic shock, the loss… I had my heart crushed in that story. What makes me continue is that I have the deep conviction that she believed in our project and in me. »

On screen, Jean-Christophe places his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “He has incredible strength, Éloi,” he said.

“Lucky we have!” “, adds the latter, hugging his ally.

The two companions are ready to leave for Africa for the second leg of their big dream. After all they’ve been through, they know they have the mental toughness to succeed.

Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania await them. They are leaving with no return date, but plan around a month and a half to two months to climb and connect the five peaks.

“Our mentality is that we’re going there to succeed,” says Jean-Christophe. If there is a glitch on the way up and we have to turn around, we will wait and we will go back. […] We really want to succeed! We are not like the others! »

Of course, sometimes they are afraid. They are human, they know the risks. But they are also two slightly crazy adventurers, as they call themselves.

And what do we find, deep in the minds and hearts of two slightly crazy adventurers?

“Hope, love, resilience,” breathes Éloi.

“The hope of saying: crime, we had an idea. We believe in it, adds Jean-Christophe. We’ll go for it, we’ll get it. I get chills saying it. »