The team
We are 13 engineering students from the from the National School of Water, Energy and the Environment: Olivier, Valentin and Robin launched the project in 2021, Charlotte, Martin, Camille and Nathan took it over in 2022, and Clémence, Pierre and Arthur succeeded them in 2023 and Elisa, Julie and Simon are taking over this year. To complete the team, 3 students from the Grenoble School of Architecture have joined the project : Laurène and Lucas in 2023 and Coline this year. We’re all taking advantage of our gap year to invest as much as we can in this project, which is really close to our hearts.
The 2021 team
The 2022 team
The 2023 team
The 2024 team
The 2021 team
Olivier Robelin – president
We present to you the Stéphanois of the team ! With Olivier, everything runs as well as his bike. He is the greatest sportsman of the band, but also the most ambitious. Being at the origin of this project, he was never afraid to aim high, and in our case, as high as the roof of the world.
Olivier is known by the students of the school as the faithful friend who will know how to bring the good, but above all the BIG atmosphere to your evenings. However, he will still be present the next morning, faithful to his position as an outstanding cyclist/runner! Challenges as crazy as funny carry him, but it is never without suggesting to his friends that he goes on an adventure. Crossing the Chartreuse while running, sunset → sunrise while running, Half-Ironman de Doussard in relay, nothing deters him from sharing incredible experiences with his team and making reports worthy of the best BFM journalists all along.
The engine of the project has all the relational assets and the knowledge in civil engineering to bring the project to success.
Presentation
Originally from Saint-Étienne, I quickly developed a passion for endurance sports in the Massif Central. My studies brought me to Grenoble where I discovered the high mountain, allowing me to consider even more projects.
In addition to sport, my life is divided between various projects (creation of a family food truck, help with the construction of a building, and now a waste management project in Nepal) and engineering studies at Ense3.
Concerned about the world of tomorrow, it is essential for me that all the projects in which I take part, engage in a more sustainable world.
Curriculum
My course is rather atypical given that I am the only student in my school to have obtained an ES baccalaureate. Indeed, after obtaining this baccalaureate, I was curious to discover a new field of study to specialize in wood construction. I then chose to apply for a DUT in civil engineering and sustainable construction. This training is not normally accessible with my baccalaureate. However, by exposing my project and my motivations to recruiters, they chose to give me my chance.
Then, this exciting new course, giving me a solid base in structural studies of materials, gave me access to ENSE3 : National School of Water, Energy and the Environment. My curiosity and my desire to discover new fields of study made me decide to join this school. Currently, I am specialized in the Hydraulic Works and Environment sector.
Project
Sensitive to the questions of the practice of mountain sports, I am interested in the pollution they can generate and in particular to wastes.
At the same time, I was planning to take a year off from my studies to tackle this problem. The film Everest Green by Jean-Michel Jorda particularly alerted me on the subject. I therefore chose to contact him, and ask for his expertise, as well as that of other important actors in mountain sports (Mountain Wilderness, trecking companies, etc.) led me to make the project a reality. Valentin and Robin being two mountain enthusiasts and concerned about its protection, with whom I would share outings, were immediately enthusiastic about the idea. And so we decided to start the Tri-haut pour l’Everest project.
Valentin Girard – treasurer and secretary
Valentin is the franc-comtois of the team ! His time management is impressive, allowing him to lead a triple life shared between sports preparation for an iron-man, his personal and associative commitment to engage in the world of tomorrow and his exemplary school attendance.
Known for his joyful character and his eye for others, Valentin will always be available to give his time to the community. Indeed, his curiosity has made him acquire a thorough knowledge of physical phenomena, which allows him to teach them to high school students during private lessons or even to his classmates when they’re completely dropped. He is even capable of improvising an acoustic lesson for his neighbor to explain to him the origin of the noise pollution caused by the parties.
Our physicist is essential in this adventure, with knowledge of the terrain due to a trek in Nepal he made two years ago. His personal experiences such as the construction of a wind turbine will allow us a significant expertise.
As you will have understood, Valentin will submerge us with his good humor during this project, while ensuring an irreproachable organization.
Presentation
I’m Valentin,and I come from Besançon in Franche-Comté. I am extremely lucky to have had parents who made me grow up in contact with nature. Thanks to them, I was able to familiarize myself with the mountains, especially in Belledonne, and in the Chamonix valley where we went every year. I also worked there as a cook for several summers. And it is in this environment where I grew up that I was able to see with my own eyes the consequences of climate change. This makes me today an engineer-sportsman-ecologist-committed who is fascinated by nature, as much by its beauty as by its functioning and its harmony.
The objectives are now more expected than ever : the Ironman in Vichy in August, then the great adventure by embarking on this project, and 6 months of training in permaculture will follow.
Curriculum
My course begins at the age of kindergarten with my physics teacher neighbor who taught me to do tons of physical experiments. And always curious to understand, I was drawn directly to science subjects. In the first of the class until terminale, I got my baccalaureate S with an average of 18.81/20.
Then follow 2 difficult years of intensive preparatory school to finish in a school that perfectly suits my values : the National School of Water, Energy and the Environment. I am now specialized in mechanics and energy.
In terms of mountain training, I was educated mainly by my parents. Then in high school I enrolled in the Club Alpin Français adventure school to learn rock climbing, mountaineering, ski touring, ice climbing,… It’s now with my friends that I practice all these sports around Grenoble.
Project
Environmental issues have always affected me a lot. After being active with Alternatiba, it seemed important for me to take a year off and do the best I could to defend this cause.
I already went to Nepal in 2018, where I saw with my own eyes the plastic over-pollution of the Himalayan trails. It was horrible to see. When Olivier proposed this project to me, I immediately understood that I had to follow it, and to invest myself fully in it.
I hope that my mountain skills and my knowledge of physics will allow me to bring this project to success.
Robin Jager – vice president
Here is the Mike Horn of the team. Robin is the mountain dweller par excellence, a native of the Vercors and spending all his free time in his chalet in the Contamines, he is an expert in all areas : ski touring, mountaineering, paragliding, climbing…
Indeed, this mountain guide did not wait to have his diploma to take his comrades from the project to the roof of Europe. But Robin does not only share his passion in the field, since he also teaches courses on avalanches and mountain risks with students from his engineering school.
Finally, Robin is the world record holder for glycemic minimalism. He is able to chain 15 hours of effort in the mountains by feeding on 3 breadcrumbs picked up on the breakfast table only. Impressive isn’t it?
It is therefore with confidence that the Tri-Haut will be able to set off on the trails of Everest. The experience and composure of their guide will ensure the team is safe throughout the journey.
Presentation
I was born and grew up at the foot of the Vercors. This wild mountain randge quickly attracted me to the sports that could be practiced there : first skiing and sledding in the small station of 3 ski lifts, the objective was quickly to get off the trails. I am going to Savoie at the high school for mountain trades in the DEM section to be able to practice as much as possible for 4 years (yes yes 4 years to enjoy the snow in winter). This allowed me to get closer to the mountains, to start the mountain guide training (DEAMM) and to become autonomous in mountaineering, climbing, ski touring, paragliding…
Curriculum
I then went to Annecy (I heard that there was paragliding there) to follow a scientific preparatory class. Two years of hard work to join an engineering school in line with my values : the ENSE3, the school of Water, Energy and the Environment. That’s where I met the two comrades of the project with whom we’ve discovered all the corners around Grenoble. I am also finishing the AMM training which allows me to consolidate my knowledge of the mountain environment and share it through courses.
Project
This project appeals to me in many ways. Using your skills to help local people deal with a recurring problem, but also around the world, discovering and learning about their culture in exceptional landscapes, bringing it back in pictures to share this adventure really motivates me to go there. We add to this a sporting and scientific adventure on a 6000 with a shock team to have a complete project.
The 2022 team
Martin Girardey – secretary
Martin, the franc-comtois of the group ! Originally from Montbéliard, Martin is above all a great fan of nature and outdoor activities of all kinds : whether with sports shoes on his feet, skis, or a bike, you will always find him in the wildest corners.
The idea of getting lost in the remote mountains of Nepal does not scare him ! It is his passion for adrenaline that pushed him to try many sports, and to get into trampoline competitions.
If he is of a jovial character, very focused on others, never saying no to a small (or a big) party with his friends from ENSE3 (the school of the ambiance !), Martin can also demonstrate great seriousness and exceptional motivation when interested in a project : definitively a great asset for the Tri Haut !
His knowledge in mechanics and electronics will certainly prove very useful for the development and assembly of machines. But he doesn’t stop there : a chef in his spare time, he will know how to invigorate you with a whole host of succulent dishes, far from the pasta standard of most students. He will be our cook on the expedition, so expect appetizing stories of Nepalese specialties ! And between two of his stories we can slip a nice drawing or a photo he has taken, because in addition to having a taste for good food, Martin also has a taste for beautiful images.
All this, combined with his experience within the BDE in terms of organization, management and communication, make him the ideal candidate for the post of secretary of the Tri’Haut !
Presentation
Originally from Franche-Comté, I grew up close to nature both by the time I spent outdoors and by the affection I had for it. My weekends were punctuated by the rhythm of the seasons. I spent my weekends in winter snowshoeing or skiing, and in summer mountain biking or hiking. It is actually a necessity to spend time in nature because it contributes to my personal balance.
I have always been a big fan of adrenaline, which is why I was able to test a lot of sports. This allowed me to discover very different horizons. My weekends were therefore punctuated by different competitions (trampoline or UNSS) or by snowfall to practice off-piste skiing. Getting involved in this type of event has always been important to ensure the best possible progress both in participation in competitions and in the organization.
Sport is not my only interest (fortunately). Cooking is an area that interests me a lot. In my opinion, this guarantees great moments of exchange during meals but also allows moments of learning and sharing during the preparation of the different dishes.
Curriculum
I was lucky to always live close to my schools. After a baccalaureate, I went to Nancy for CPGE PCSI then PSI* in order to enter an engineering school. It was an enriching experience for me that allowed me to get to know myself. So I joined ENSE3 because the theme of the environment interested me.
Understanding the world around us is something fundamental for me, which is why I went to the SICOM sector. I would like to work later in image processing related to the environment or biomedical.
Project
In my life, I have never undertaken such a project. I certainly had the opportunity to get involved in sports or student associations on a larger scale. Tri-haut is therefore an opportunity for me to undertake a more personal project. Undoubtedly, this is a project with a lot of meaning because it includes concrete perspectives and actions. This is why I want to invest all my energy in it to ensure its success but also its sustainability.
On the other hand, in my opinion, humanitarian or environmental projects too often have more profits for the people participating in the project than for those who benefit from it. This is not the case for this project because, I hope, it will have a real social and environmental impact in the Khumbu region.
Camille Tournier – treasurer
Camille, the small (big) jokester of the group. Like the rest of the team, Cam is a very curious person about the world around her, and her traveler profile will surely not escape you !
But it is above all her good humor and her mischievous smile that will mark you. Our lyonnaise has had the chance to discover many cultures during her life, and does not intend to stop there ! It was because of her interest in the environment and people that she wanted to get involved in this project, which made sense to her.
But make no mistake, she did not wait for the break to undertake a project of this type : she should have gone on a humanitarian mission to India last summer, but that was without counting on our mutual friend the Covid.
Remaining a little unsatisfied, she is more motivated than ever for the Tri’Haut project !
A great sportswoman at heart, you will very often find her with a pair of sneakers on her feet either discovering new heights or setting the athletics stadium on fire.
Beware of her steely mind ! As an active member of the school’s BDE, she already has extensive experience in organization and communication. And her technical skills are well established.
Finally, Camille is a very serious person, both for the lessons and for her personal projects. That’s why we named her Treasurer of the Tri’Haut !
Presentation
Originally from the Lyon region, I have always had a relationship with nature and the environment, most certainly through my convictions and my education. Indeed, I had the chance to discover different cultures and landscapes during trips with my loved ones, and I kept this desire to discover and go on an adventure as I grew up. I was also able, thanks to these trips, to become aware of the importance of acting in favor of the environment to preserve our planet.
Great sportswoman and former heptathlon athlete (several combined athletics events, you got it), I do a lot of skiing as well as running on the road and in the mountains. I am also curious about all sports, which is why I like to be active every day, discover new sports and share moments with friends in the effort.
After a PSI preparatory school at La Martinière, in Lyon, ENSE3 was then obvious given my values and my professional project.
Very active member of my BDE, I like to organize and get involved in projects that are close to my heart. Sharing and meeting people are also part of the values passed on to me by my parents and which I continue to apply on a daily basis.
Curriculum
After obtaining my baccalaureate, I joined a PCSI and then PSI* preparatory class in Lyon. I then joined ENSE3. I really like the importance of the course on the environment. I have always paid particular attention to the environment, whether it be fauna or flora, and participating in its protection is important to me.
I therefore chose the IDP (Product Engineering) sector, a common sector with Industrial Engineering. This allows me to learn how to design products in harmony with the world of tomorrow.
Project
Since my entry in engineering school, I want to participate to a humanitarian project. In the first year, I was part of a Grenoble student association. The project I was involved in was to install solar panels in the Ladakh region of India. Unfortunately, this project has been interrupted due to Covid19. Today, with the Tri-Haut project, I have the opportunity to help, on my scale, a region that attracts me with its cultural diversity and its relationship to nature. Indeed, the project of this recent association in favor of the environment in Nepal is of particular interest to me and I am keen to participate in the continuity of the project by developing the various processes already put in place by the founders of the association. .
Charlotte Bac – president
Charlotte comes straight from the south-west of France. A great traveler by nature, it is from her parents, through multiple moves and trips, that she holds her unchanging curiosity for foreign cultures.
It is this interest in the diversity of human communities as well as her desire to preserve the environment and help a population to provide an answer to a major problem which it is facing, that makes her an insatiable source of motivation for the team ! A talented draftsman, Charlotte brings a very welcome artistic touch to the project.
As a fan of motor sports, mechanics and design in general, her knowledge and her ability to assimilate these scientific notions will certainly be essential for the success of our mission.
Despite all this, she is still a great sportswoman. Formerly president of the National Union of School Sport (UNSS), she does everything : running, swimming, raids, skiing, rugby, sailing, hiking… and it is not her comrades from ENSE³, for whom she won several medals at the last inter-school Olympics, that will come to say the opposite !
As you will have understood, Charlotte is a person full of life, and of the will to act for a better world. Also very competent, in various fields, all useful to the success of the project.
It is for all these reasons that she is now president of the Tri’Haut !
Presentation
I’m Charlotte, I currently live in Agen (and yes the prunes) but I’ve always moved in my life, whether it’s because of moving (Paris, Aiguillon, Nantes, Toulouse, Agen) or for travel . Indeed, I was lucky to have parents who made me discover many French and foreign regions which allowed me to open up to the world and to different cultures.
I also quickly became interested in sport, whether on a collective or individual side. I also like to set up projects and bring them to fruition. As such, I was President of the UNSS (National Union of School Sport) during my 3 years of high school ; I had the opportunity to create school trips to skiing and sailing but also to participate, as a runner and as an organizer, in multiple multisport raids.
Finally, since I was little my parents have always taken me to the mountains several weeks a year, so I have developed a passion for skiing, hiking and snow. Indeed, even my choice of school was partly made for the location of Grenoble : very close to the Alps.
Curriculum
Following my BAC S, I spent two years at the Prépa des INP in Toulouse before joining ENSE3, the school of Water, Energy and the Environment. I’ve always been attracted by nature and environment and its protection quickly became a priority theme, even a value in my everyday life.
I am also interested in 3D modeling, parts design and automotive. This is why I joined the IDP (Product Engineering) course, a common course with the Industrial Engineering school. Indeed the courses make it possible to improve on process engineering, computer modeling but also on the different manufacturing techniques.
Project
I have often been attracted by humanitarian or environmental projects that help people or regions of the world that are more in need than us. But I have always been afraid to get involved in an organization that does not “really” help people. Protecting the environment is also a priority for our generation. This project thus brings together my two main objectives : to clean up part of our beautiful planet, moreover, in the mountains and also to invest myself in a project which, in my opinion, has a real beneficial impact. Tri-haut also allows me to add a sporting and cultural dimension.
I will put all the energy I have so that this project succeed. But also so that it gives the way forward for the whole world because if each person takes a small ant step to protect the environment, in the end it will represent a leaps and bounds for the Earth.
Nathan Lioret – communication manager
In terms of sporting commitment, we come to the best of the group’s mountaineering profile : Nathan, our Savoyard, our mountain guru.
It is hanging on a rock wall or on an icefall that we will be most likely to find him. Indeed, it is above all around the mountain that the life of our chambérien revolves. And he gives himself the means to do so, by getting involved in organizations allowing him to live his passion 200%, such as the Young Mountaineering Teams of Isère for example. Thanks to his numerous projects and expeditions in the mountains (Prokletije, Lapland) and his background as a competitor, he was able to acquire undeniable experience and skills, which will be of great help for the project.
And having someone experienced in the mountains by our side is essential because, let’s not forget, we are going to stay for several months at an altitude superior than 4000m !
But it is not only his attraction for the Nepalese peaks that motivates him in this project. It is above all his interest in the environment and his desire to act against climate change, which has such an impact on his playground : “glaciers are the sentinels of the climate” he will tell you. It is from this that he draws his unwavering motivation.
All this, combined with his experience in audiovisual and communication, make him the ideal candidate for the position of Communications Manager of the Tri-haut.
Presentation
Being born in Chambéry and having lived the first eleven years of my life in the pre-Alps, in Chartreuse, I very quickly fell in love with the mountains. For skiing first, then even more so for climbing, which I practiced in competition for five years, and finally mountaineering, trail running and generally all mountain sports in recent years. I also chose to stay in Grenoble to stay closer to the mountains, and join the Young Mountaineering Teams (EJA) of Isère with whom I learn to progress in safety up there.
I like to divide my life into projects, often revolving around the mountains but not only : organization of expeditions (Prokletije 2021, Lapland 2022…), production of short films about my adventures, organization of events with the EJAs, development of an application to carry out your personal carbon footprint on a day-to-day basis… And now this project in Nepal, a sweet mix of many areas that interest me : mountains, environment and encounters.
Curriculum
After obtaining my baccalaureate S, I spent two years in CPGE Physics and Technology (PT) before joining ENSE3, the School of Water, Energy and the Environment whose values correspond to mine. . I have always been interested both in mechanics, but also, and for even longer, in computer science. This is why I finally chose to join the SICOM sector, common with Phelma, rather focused on AI, signal processing and electronics.
Project
The mountains and their glaciers are the “climate sentinels”, on the front line in face of the climate change and, despite my young age, I can already clearly see the consequences : on snow cover, for example. This is why it is a subject that particularly affects me.
This project is an opportunity for me, as I would like to do more often in the future, to combine my passion for the mountains and my desire to act for the environment and populations in need. It is an opportunity for us to travel, to discover a new region, new people and a new culture, while providing our help : it is the guarantee of intense exchanges and permanent learning.
As communication manager, I will do my best to ensure that this project goes beyond the “simple” project of students on a gap year, so that it is long-term and facilitates the implementation of similar projects in other parts of Nepal and the world.
The 2023 team
Arthur Bergerot – treasurer
- Sporty: swimming, skiing, hiking
- Enthusiastic and confident
- Sensitive to environmental issues and motivated to help local populations in concrete ways
- Determined above all to experience a human adventure that combines technical challenge and personal achievement
” Involving myself in the Tri’Haut project is a logical way for me to get involved in a project that combines values I hold dear. This project, both sporting and human, is the perfect opportunity to be useful in my own way.
I’d like to help the local population in a concrete way and have a long-term impact on their lives and habits. I’m convinced that this project is the best way to open up to the world and make yourself useful for a great cause.”
Laurène Babel
- Sports: climbing, cycling, running, hiking
- Master’s student in architecture
- Willing and organized
- Proud to be able to put into practice what I’ve learned during my studies in a project that addresses current environmental and social issues.
“Being sensitive to the protection of our environment, and in particular the mountains that I love to discover and hike, I’m enthusiastic about the idea of being able to help provide a solution for waste management in the Everest valley. Involving myself in Tri’Haut is an opportunity to promote the environmentally-friendly building practices I learned during my studies. This project brings together all the values I hold dear and the interests that drive me.”
Pierre Jaraud – secretary
- Sports: trail, hiking
- Determined and optimistic
- Aware of climate issues and motivated to put my engineering skills into practice
- A real desire to experience adventure with friends!
“Being originally from the Touraine countryside, I grew up surrounded by nature. Little by little I discovered the mountains and learned to love walking in them. Today, I want to get involved in preserving them. That’s why the Tri haut project immediately appealed to me: it combines a love of the great outdoors, a sporting challenge and, above all, a concrete engineering project in the service of the environment.
Clémence Sangouard – president
- Sportswoman: athletics (5 years at top level), trail running, hiking
- Dynamic and motivated, I enjoy taking on challenges
- Sensitive to climate issues, ready to take concrete action to protect the environment
- Willingness to help people through humanitarian action
“For me, getting fully involved in this project is both a humanitarian and a sporting challenge. I want to give my time and energy to meet the needs of the Nepalese population and be useful to future generations. As a student engineer, it’s particularly close to my heart to develop a sustainable device to eliminate plastic waste.”
Lucas Forest
- Sports: Trail, Cycling, Cross-country skiing
- Master’s student in mountain architecture
- Curious and diligent
- Motivated by the idea of participating in a human adventure as well as putting into practice my school curriculum in a sensitive environment.
“As a lifelong resident of the Alps, I’m particularly sensitive to the need to protect the environment and the mountains. The Tri’Haut project immediately appealed to me, as it enabled me to combine my passions and skills. After 5 years of receiving and learning, it’s time to give something back, to make a long-term commitment to a project. This adventure, as much human as sporting and professional, goes beyond the individual. It means working for the common good and helping to build a cleaner, fairer mountain.”
The 2024 team
Julie D’Halluin – President
Student in 2nd year HOE (hydraulics and environment) at ENSE3
Sports: Running, hiking, snowboarding.
Dynamic and motivated, I enjoy taking on challenges. Sensitive to climate issues, ready to take concrete action to protect the environment. Willing to help people through humanitarian action.
Elisa Vialette – Treasurer
Student in 2nd year HOE (hydraulics, structures and environment) at ENSE3
Sports: climbing, skiing, hiking
Enthusiastic and determined. Sensitized to environmental issues and motivated to help local populations in concrete ways. Above all, she’s determined to experience a human adventure that combines technical challenge and personal achievement.
Simon Bonin – Secretary
Student in 2nd year HOE (hydraulics, structures and environment) at ENSE3
Sports: Climbing, paragliding, mountaineering.
Curious and motivated! Highly motivated, as much by the adventure away from home as by the application of my skills in an environment that’s close to my heart.
Coline Huttaux – Communications Manager
Student in Master 2 AECC (architecture, environment and constructive cultures) at ENSAG.
Sports: Running, skiing, soccer, paragliding and hiking.
Dynamic and organized, I love adventure and making myself useful to others. Motivated to take part in an environmentally conscious project.