Jean-Louis Étienne (born 9 December 1946) is a French doctor, explorer and scientist. He is well known for his Arctic explorations, where he was the first man to reach the North pole alone in 1986, and his Antarctic explorations, including the famous 1990 International Trans-Antarctica Expedition. Jean-Louis Étienne was born in Vielmur-sur-Agout in the department of Tarn. He studied at the technical high school of Mazamet where he graduated with a