Up Close & Peculiar With Charles Blondin

At Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in Niagara Falls, you can come face-to-face with one of the wildest stunts in tightrope walking history. Charles Blondin, the French daredevil who made walking over Niagara Falls look like a stroll through the park, has several of his props on display.

The First Man to Walk a Tightrope Across Niagara Falls

Born in 1824 in France, Charles Blondin was already a tightrope performer by age four. But his greatest feat would come decades later on June 30, 1859, when he became the first person to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope.

Blondin’s walk wasn’t just a straight shot across. Halfway through, he stunned the crowd by sitting down on the rope, drinking a bottle of wine, and then running the rest of the way across. The performance made headlines around the world and turned him into a legend.

A Taste for the Extreme

Blondin didn’t stop with just one trip across the falls. Over time, he repeated the walk hundreds of times, incorporating new breathtaking stunts with each attempt, like pushing a wheelbarrow across the rope, riding a bicycle through the mist, and even cooking an omelet over the roaring falls!

Today, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in Niagara Falls proudly displays Blondin’s real gear, including the wheelbarrow and other objects used during his iconic high-wire performances.

Take the Plunge

Plan your visit today and discover more mind-blowing feats only at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Niagara Falls!