Promotional Video for a Circus in France, Not of a Woman Dragged by a Hot Air Balloon
The Claim
A woman dragged into the air by a hot air balloon.
News posted on
Emerging story
Recently, social media accounts have been sharing a video claiming to show a woman being accidentally dragged into the air by a hot air balloon.
![A woman dragged into the air by a hot air balloon.](https://images-prod.misbar.com/form/6314f230fb396827a1bb3bc476304278e368ba99.jpg)
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the circulating claim and found it to be misleading. The video is staged, featuring French athlete Louise Leblanc, a professional tightrope walker.
Training Scene for Inextremiste Circus Performance in France
French athlete Louise Lenoble was featured in the video circulating on social media, which was posted on her Instagram account on August 14. The video, also linked to the Inextremiste Circus account, was shared by her colleague, circus costume designer Soline Capmas, who filmed the scene.
On August 16, Lenoble posted a video of herself standing on a tightrope. She explained that the viral footage is from a rehearsal for the Inextremiste Circus’s EXIT show, set to take place in Chamonix, eastern France.
![Training Scene for Inextremiste Circus Performance in France](https://images-prod.misbar.com/form/1eec4424f7e2d8bef536215350730c463138c287.jpg)
Lenoble noted that the performance went smoothly and that similar scenes had been performed by others without incident.
Misbar found a comparable promotional scene from the EXIT show, which was published in December 2023.
The footage clearly shows ropes securing Leblanc’s foot and waist and indicates that the balloon is tethered with ropes to control its height.
![Training Scene for Inextremiste Circus Performance in France](https://images-prod.misbar.com/form/697e3aa2a94233001e05a345c7389f60e578ffca.jpg)
![Training Scene for Inextremiste Circus Performance in France](https://images-prod.misbar.com/form/b08b77ff4207e5cfb290c54d06367288b6d75f1c.jpg)
The Inextremiste Circus “Cirque Inextremiste”
According to the official Inextremiste Circus website, the company was founded in 1998 and has since presented numerous performances in mixed dance, street arts, and music.
In 2007, the Inextremiste show debuted with trampolines and gas bottles, led by Yann Ecauvre. Between 2015 and 2017, the circus expanded its repertoire to include two new shows: "Extreme Night Fever," featuring balls, and "Exit," which involves hot air balloons. In 2018, a new tightrope act called "Damoclès" was introduced.
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