The history of mountaineering
Mountaineering in the Pays des ÉcrinsA story of passion, peaks and exploits
Here, in the Écrins, mountaineering is not just a sport. It is a culture, a memory engraved in rock and ice. It is said that the first ascents were made by shepherds, without traces, without glory – just to go from one valley to another. However, Man ventured early on these heights, long before the word “mountaineer” was invented.
From founding feats to scientific discoveries
It was in 1492 that mountaineering made its first significant appearance: a band of reckless climbers climbed Mont Aiguille with ladders. Later, in 1786, two Savoyards climbed Mont Blanc. This scientific ascent truly marked the beginning of modern mountaineering.
In the Écrins, the pioneers are not to be outdone. The massif quickly attracted the first glaciologists, fascinated by its secrets. It is even here that the great theories on ancient climates and plate tectonics were born. No less.
The Golden Age: The English conquer the summits
In the nineteenth century, the peaks became the playground of English adventurers. Whymper (yes, the one in the statue in L’Argentière) climbs the Barre des Écrins. Coolidge, on the other hand, multiplies the climbs and gives his name to several routes. In 1877, three Frenchmen finally tamed the Meije, the last great virgin peak in the Alps. The golden age of mountaineering is coming to an end.
But the adventure continues in other ways: solos, winter, north faces… The feat also becomes aesthetic. It is no longer a question of being the first, but of drawing the most beautiful, the most committed, the freest line.
Ailefroide, the beating heart of mountaineering
Today, Ailefroide is the Mecca of mountaineering in the Écrins. Starting from the great classics (Barre and Dôme des Écrins), it attracts climbers and dreamers. In the 1980s, Jean-Michel Cambon equipped the first sport climbing routes there. The rock became a cult figure.
Extend the exploration
Want to discover history in a different way? Download the Hautes-Alpes Heritage app. A digital guidebook, ideal for not missing anything of the history that is still being written, here, between sky and peaks.
Immerse yourself in the world of the high mountains in the heart of the Massif des Écrins in the Hautes-Alpes. Different themes are addressed such as cartography, the experience of a high mountain guide, the 1st ascent of the Barre des Écrins…
Several speakers host this podcast: Claude Albrand, Philippe Bourdeau, Michel Tailland, Jacques Mille, Jean-Marc Barfety.
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