Le Défi

Look at this striking statue. It’s called Le Défi, or The Challenge, and it shows a figure standing on the ramparts, one foot extended into thin air.
While it’s open to many interpretations, its creator, Nicolas Lavarenne, describes it as a symbol of stepping into the unknown—“a step that could change an entire life,” as he puts it. Take a closer look at the figure—it’s incredibly lifelike, isn’t it? Lavarenne has sculpted many pieces like this, often depicting men and women in motion, defying gravity, and rising skyward in an effort to detach the statue from its base. Some are even perched high up on poles that launch them toward the clouds. Several of his works are scattered around Antibes, but he also exhibits in other cities across France and around the world.