Nicolas first tried riding at the age of five. By nine, he was competing on ponies and transitioned to horses at 14. His mother, an amateur equestrian, introduced him to the sport. One of his coaches later encouraged him to try eventing.

Professional Journey

He runs Astier Ecuries in Basseneville, France. In January 2020, he founded an academy to train grooms, inspired by his time in England. He noted that grooms in England are more advanced and organised compared to those in France.

Challenges and Injuries

Nicolas has faced several injuries throughout his career. In 2019, he dislocated his shoulder. In February 2018, he fell from a horse and broke his elbow, requiring surgery. He returned to competition two months later. In June 2017, he damaged the ligaments in his left knee and underwent surgery.

He also broke his collarbone at the 2010 European Young Rider Championships in Pardubice, Czech Republic. Three weeks later, he was bucked off a horse and broke his wrist, elbow, and radius.

Influences and Philosophy

Nicolas cites French eventer Marie-Reine Perie, British eventer Nick Burton, and New Zealand eventer Andrew Nicholson as the most influential people in his career. His idols include New Zealand eventers Andrew Nicholson and Mark Todd, as well as British eventer William Fox-Pitt.

His sporting philosophy is clear: "You can win major championships due to luck or poor form of your opponents, but to be the world's number one you have to show a consistently good performance across all competitions."

Awards and Honours

In 2018, Nicolas was the flag bearer for France at the opening ceremony of the World Equestrian Games in Tryon, NC, United States.

Ambitions

Looking ahead, Nicolas aims to win the Badminton Horse Trials in England and claim gold at the Olympic Games.

Other Information

Nicolas lived in England for several years earlier in his career, working with Andrew Nicholson. He returned to Normandy in 2016 due to the high cost of living in England. "Normandy is a land of horses and is near England. I feel at home here," he said.

Despite winning gold and silver medals at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Nicolas emphasised the need for financial partners to develop his stable of horses. "For the highest level, we need financial partners," he stated.

Nicolas had to withdraw from the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo after his horse, Babylon de Gamma, sustained an injury less than a month before competition.

Nicolas enjoys rugby, spending time with friends, and cooking during his leisure time.