Philippe Petit is 77 years old as of October 2026. He was born on 13 August 1949.
Quick facts
Date of birth13 August 1949
Age77
NationalityFrench
BirthplaceNemours, France
Editor's Take:
Philippe Petit turned an illegal stunt into a work of art. With friends he secretly rigged a wire between the unfinished Twin Towers. At dawn he stepped out over Manhattan, lying down and saluting the crowds far below. He was arrested, but the city loved him. After the towers fell in 2001, his walk became a way of remembering them. He still performs and teaches today. His book about the walk, To Reach the Clouds, became a bestseller.
Key Milestones
1971: Walks between the towers of Notre-Dame
1973: Walks on Sydney Harbour Bridge
1974: Walks between the Twin Towers
2008: Man on Wire wins an Oscar
Philippe Petit (French pronunciation:; born 13 August 1949) is a French highwire artist who gained fame for his unauthorized highwire walks between the towers of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris in 1971 and of Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1973, as well as between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City on…
Philippe Petit's birthday is August 13. He was born on August 13, 1949 in Nemours, France.
How old is Philippe Petit?
Philippe Petit is 77 years old, and turns 78 on his next birthday, August 13.
Who shares a birthday with Philippe Petit?
Famous people who share Philippe Petit's August 13 birthday include Fidel Castro, Alfred Hitchcock, Frederick Sanger, John Logie Baird and Manuel Valls.
