Bertrand Piccard Promoted to Commander of the Legion of Honour by the President of the French Republic at the Élysée Palace

At an official ceremony held on May 14 at the Élysée Palace, the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, promoted Swiss explorer and psychiatrist Bertrand Piccard to the rank of Commander of the Legion of Honour.

Already awarded the rank of Chevalier following his round-the-world balloon flight, and later named Officier after his achievement with the solar-powered airplane Solar Impulse, Dr. Bertrand Piccard has now been promoted for his unwavering commitment to ecological innovation through the Solar Impulse Foundation.

Over the past eight years, Bertrand Piccard and his team have identified and labeled more than 1,600 technological solutions capable of reconciling environmental protection with economic profitability. They have traveled the world to encourage governments and businesses to adopt them.

It was in France that the Solar Impulse Foundation launched its first "Ready-to-Vote" initiative — a project designed to provide lawmakers with turnkey legislative proposals to help make the country and its industries cleaner, more efficient, and more competitive. France is also home to the development of Climate Impulse, the hydrogen-powered aircraft that will carry Bertrand Piccard and Raphaël Dinelli on a non-stop, zero-emission flight around the globe.

"This tribute from France is particularly meaningful to me and gives me the strength to continue this mission, even when it proves challenging. It is also a wonderful recognition of my team at the Solar Impulse Foundation and the partners who support our work," said Bertrand Piccard following the ceremony.