Bernadis began skating at age eight because of his mother, English skater Donna Davies.[1] He teamed up with Sarah Abitbol in 1992.[1] Abitbol/Bernadis were coached by Jean-Roland Racle early in their career and then by Stanislav Leonovich in Paris.[2]
At the 2000 World Championships in Nice, France, Bernadis said he was attacked by an unknown assailant with a razor on March 28 when he opened his hotel room door – resulting in an eight-inch cut down his left forearm.[3][4][5] Bernadis said he had received a death threat three weeks earlier.[6] At the event, he and Abitbol won the bronze medal, becoming the first French pair skaters to win a World medal since Andrée Brunet / Pierre Brunet won gold in 1932.[7]
An injury to Bernadis led the pair to withdraw after the short program from the 2001 World Championships.[8] They qualified for the 2002 Olympics by winning the 2001 Golden Spin of Zagreb.[8] Abitbol/Bernadis withdrew from the 2002 Olympics after Abitbol's Achilles tendon ruptured in practice – she underwent surgery and was off the ice for six months.[7][9] After the 2003 European Championships, the pair changed coaches, moving to Jean-Christophe Simond.[7]