Top 10 Amazing Facts about Philippe Petit

Photo by Chrisa Hickey from Wikimedia

 Top 10 Amazing Facts about Philippe Petit

Philippe Petit is a French high-wire artist who is famed for his unauthorized high-wire walks between the towers of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, and the world trade center towers in New York.

Petit was born in Nemours, Seine-et-Marne, France, on August 14 1949. His father Edmond Petit was an author and a French Army Pilot.

He currently lives in New York, where he is an artist-in-residence at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Here are the top ten Amazing Facts about him.

1. Philippe Petit had Little Interest in Schooling 

Philippe Petit showed interest in outdoor activities from an early age, he loved rock climbing and learned how to juggle at age of six.

In school, Petit had little interest in school academic studies; instead, he focused on gaining performance skills in magic and juggling.

After seeing circus high-wire acts, he strung a rope between two trees on his parents’ property and taught himself tightrope walking.

As a young man, he earned his living by juggling in the streets of Paris. His life changed when he met a Czech aerialist, who taught him how to rig a wire for long walks at great heights.

2. Philippe Petit First Big Performance was at Notre Dame de Paris

Photo by Victor Perea Ros from Wikimedia

After mastering the art of tight rope walking with small stints in Paris, Petit staged his first big performance by walking between the two Notre Dame Cathedral towers.

on June 26 1971 he secretly tied a wire between the two cathedral’s towers without permission. He crossed the wire back and forth between the towers while juggling a ball, to the amazement of the crowd 223 feet below.

3. Philippe Petit’s Biggest Performance was in the United States

Photo by Yann Forge from Wikimedia

Phillipe Petit made his biggest performance ever on August 7, 1974; he walked on the cable across the world trade center towers eight times.

The Twin towers in New York, U.S.A, were 400 meters above the ground and were still under construction when he conducted his performance.

He stayed on the cable for 45 minutes, during which he danced, saluted the spectators below from a kneeling position, and even lay on the cable.

Petit finally got off after it started to rain, he was arrested and charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct. All charges were later dropped by the district attorney, on the condition that he give a free aerial show for children in New York Central Park.

4. Philippe Petit Took Six Years to Plan for the World Trade Centre Mission

Any successful mission requires proper planning; it took petit six years to plan his successful world trade Centre stunt.

Petit came across world trade center structural design drawings in 1968. He conceived the idea of performing there, and he started collecting any information he could get about the planned construction. 

He assembled a team of supporters and collaborators, who helped him to prepare for his biggest performance ever.

Petit brought into his plan a photographer, financier, a host of workmen, and security guards at the world trade center. He also spent hundreds of hours observing the towers to make sure his plan was a success.

5. He once had an Accident

Walking on a tight rope is a risky undertaking, some people call it dicing with death and others a daredevil business.

After his successful stunt at the world trade center, Petit settled in the United State of America. He was employed by Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus in 1975.

However, he was involved in a fall accident while in a practice session. He broke several bones and suffered internal injuries. He recovered and went back into his high-wire walk career.

6. Philippe Petit Faked his Identity Card to access World Trade Centre

Photo by Chrisa Hickey from Wikimedia

Petit made fake identification cards for himself and his collaborators to access the world trade center restricted areas. They pretended to be electrical technicians who were installing the electrical fence on the roof. 

They also wore a uniform similar to one worn by construction workers and carried working tools to hoodwink security guards.

He also impersonated a metropolis journalist and conducted a fake interview on the roof of the tower. It gave him a good opportunity to observe the top of the tower and streamline his plan.

7. Philippe Petit Inspired Production of Films 

Philippe Petit’s world trade center stunt became a world news sensation, it also inspired the making of several films and documentaries.

Mordicai Gerstein wrote and illustrated a children’s book titled ‘The Man Who Walked Between the Towers. It was later adapted and produced as an animated short film by the same name.

The documentary film Man on Wire which was produced in 2008 by British film director James Marsh is about Petit’s world trade center’s stellar performance. 

8. Philippe Petit’S Daughter died of Cerebral Haemorrhage

Philippe Petit had a daughter with his long-time partner Elaine Fasula. . He named her” Cordia-Gypsy” after the cords that support him and his Gypsy-like lifestyle.

Unfortunately Gypsy died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1992. She was nine and half years old. her ashes are buried in the columbarium of the Cathedral Church of St John the Divine in New York City.

9. Philippe Petit Trains Young Artists

photo by Chrisa Hickey from Wikimedia

Petit is a role model to other upcoming high wire artists. He shares his knowledge and skill at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, Where he is the resident artist.

He regularly gives lectures and organizes international workshops on topics related to his line of work.

Phillipe also trains aspiring high wire artists and ball jugglers for several hours every day at his home near Woodstock, New York, where he lives. 

10. Philippe Petit was Expelled From Five Different Schools

While growing up in France, petit had little interest in school studies. He was expelled from five different schools for not concentrating on school studies. 

He constantly kept his hands under the desk manipulating cards and playing magic pranks on other students. Most of his time was spent juggling and performing magic outside the class.

In one of his books, petit confessed that he first learned the art of misdirection in school. He shouted that it was snowing outside and then stole a pencil from a boy sitting next to him.