In 1950 Maurice Herzog, with his companion Louis Lachenal, reached the summit of Annapurna in Nepal. It was a historic moment — the first successful ascent of a peak over 8,000 metres, the Himalayan peak being one of only 14 in the world to stand above this height at 8,091m or 26,545ft.The feat, which would only be outdone by the ascent of Everest by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary in 1953, was celebrated around the world and brought Herzog adulation in France where he was cherished as a national hero and inspired other mountaineers.
Annapurna, his account of the expedition and the horrors he faced during the descent was devoured by his countrymen and abroad and sold more than ten million copies. But Herzog’s