Piccard receives highest French order of merit

Swiss explorer Bertrand Piccard has been awarded the Order of the Legion of Honour in France for his achievements in promoting a clean environment.

Presenting him the medal in Paris on Tuesday, France’s President François Hollande described Piccard, a psychiatrist and adventurer from a well-known Swiss family of pioneers, as an inspiration for technological innovation and the industry.

Piccard, who describes himself as an “inspioneerexternal link“,and his co-pilot André Boschberg circumnavigated the world with their Solar Impulse plane between March 2015 and July 2016.

The aim of their adventure was to promote renewable energy.