July 2024. I'm about to climb the Aiguille Verte with my guide, Johann Filliez. Tackle the Verte, as it's known in Chamonix, the emblematic mountain of the Mont Blanc massif. Sister mountain to Les Drus, the rock torch overlooking the Mer de Glace. Its verticality, its suspended glaciers, its ridges sculpted by snow and wind. I've been contemplating this summit for so many years. I photograph it, I sublime it, but never before have I climbed it. Who'd have thought I'd ever manage it! This morning, I feel ready for an unforgettable triple. Three 4000 in one race. The ascent of Aiguille du Jardin and Grande Rocheuse, followed by the ascent of Aiguille Verte via Col Armand Charlet.
Ascent of the Aiguille Verte: From ChamonixMont Blanc to the Couvercle refuge
The sun is barely shining over the valley when I meet Johann in ChamonixMont Blanc. Together, we take the Montenvers train to the Mer de Glace. As we arrive, the Grandes Jorasses greet us, their north face clad in snow as if in the dead of winter. We set off without delay on the Mer de Glace. Or rather, the Mer de roche. For ice is scarce in this dry river. Every year, the ropes that lead up to the ladders get a little longer. Every year, the glacier retreats, the moraine grows. A sandy drift as hard as concrete. The once wondrous Mer de Glace is now a shadow of its former self.
After climbing the ladders, we cross the balconies overlooking the glacier. Under the weight of my pack, I'm struggling to move forward. To descend the Aiguille Verte via the Whymper couloir, as we had planned, we had to carry 120 metres of rope. So when, at mid-day, we finally arrive at the new Couvercle refuge, I feel relieved. We sit down to lunch at 2687 m altitude. The place is magnificent, and what can I say about the food! We feast on a delicious omelette and salad under the benevolent gaze of the summits Mont Blanc. Savor the moment, enjoy the simple pleasures, let yourself be carried away by the beauty of the world. Living in symbiosis with nature. What more could you want?
Facing the Aiguille Verte: Preparing for our run to the Couvercle refuge
Once we've had our fill, we head nearby to the former Couvercle refuge. It's easy to see why it's called the Couvercle. The hut was built under a huge block of granite, giving the impression of a huge box with a lid. From this rocky slab, we discover the access corridors to the Aiguille Verte. Conditions are good, with plenty of snow for the season. But the gaping rimaye separating the Talèfre glacier from the mountain seemed impassable. We decided to take the couloir leading to the Col Armand Charlet the next day. From here, we climb the Aiguille du Jardin, before continuing our traverse towards the Grande Rocheuse and the Aiguille Verte. We'll come back down via the Whymper couloir, which is snow-covered enough to climb.
With our itinerary in mind, we rest at the refuge until dinnertime. And right now, I'm glad I'm a vegetarian. Sometimes, in the hut, I'm served a plate of odds and ends, without soul or flavor. But on this particular evening, it's quite the opposite. The cook offers me a vegetarian lasagne. But not just any lasagne! Lasagne with the flavour of summer vegetables. A generous, gourmet lasagne that is the envy of all those around me. Every bite delights my taste buds. The melt-in-the-mouth cheese, the succulent filling and that creamy yet crunchy layer that covers it all. I'm still salivating! But it's already time for a nap.
Aiguille Verte ascent: From Talèfre glacier to Armand Charlet pass
At 11:45pm, the alarm goes off. Time to get up. I've barely slept half an hour. I haven't even digested my dinner yet, and I've already got to have breakfast. My stomach is reluctant, but I force myself to eat something anyway. Several cups of tea to wash it all down, and that's it.
We leave the Couvercle hut at 00:20, wearing our crampons. The sky is clear and, under the stars, we make our way across the snow hardened by the cold. Thanks to this unexpected refreeze, nature quickly carries us to the foot of the Whymper and Armand Charlet couloirs. On this moonless night, it doesn't take much to take the wrong route. But fortunately, Johann knows the mountain better than anyone. We leave our poles behind and set off towards the Col Armand Charlet in total darkness.
The slope soon becomes steeper. On Johann's advice, I take out my ice axes. The snow is now so hard that I have to tap my foot to get the points of my crampons in. Despite these technical constraints, conditions are good and we're making rapid progress. We've been climbing the couloir for 20 minutes when we suddenly find ourselves caught in a bottleneck. The wall is made of ice and the couloir is steep. The roped parties ahead of us are struggling to make headway. Thanks to his experience, Johann is now ahead of them to open up the route. Climbing an icefall on a summer's night is an adventure I wasn't prepared for! And we managed it without too much difficulty.
We continue our ascent along the couloir. The snow gradually begins to soften. When our feet can finally sink into it, the climb becomes more pleasant. When we reach the Col Armand Charlet, at 3998 m, the Alps are still in a deep sleep. But we can feel the dawn on the horizon. She's waiting for the moment when the dawning sun sets her heart on fire.
Aiguille Verte ascent: From Col Armand Charlet to Aiguille du Jardin
From Col Armand Charlet, we can see the snow ridge that leads to Les Aiguilles. A wild, untracked route linking the granite towers. Suddenly, faced with such grandeur, I feel lost. Am I still on Earth? Are these lofty mountains not the stuff of my fondest dreams? They seem so elusive and distant. I can hardly believe it, but I'm up there, and I've got to keep moving.
We set off towards the Jardin ridge. Ahead of us, a Swiss rope party traces the route to the Col Armand Charlet. All along the col, one cornice follows another and the slopes are slippery. I concentrate and watch my every step. My balance is precarious and I feel tense.
The pass takes us to the foot of the Aiguille du Jardin. We then cover the last few metres to its summit. The ridge is mixed, and I find it hard to switch from snow to rock with my crampons. But when we finally reach the summit, all our efforts are rewarded. It's 5:39 a.m. and the sun rises before our dazzled eyes, bringing the Alps and its high summits back to life. Nature reveals its unexplored lands, this celestial world that makes me dream so much. The Aiguille du Jardin is topped by a diadem of granite, a magnificent boulder standing on its tip as if by magic. The scene is breathtaking.
Traversée des summits du Mont Blanc : From Aiguille du Jardin to Grande Rocheuse
On the heights of the Mont Blanc massif, we cross the Col Armand Charlet again. I'm still impressed by this route. I proceed cautiously. As if to encourage me, the sun illuminates the Aiguilles du Mont Blanc with sumptuous reflections. From yellow to orange, the mountain shimmers and floods the sky with its vivid colors. I feel stronger, as if invigorated. Fear aside, I suddenly see the pass differently. I see it as a work of art sculpted by snow and furious winds. Nature hides fabulous treasures for those who want to see them.
On the snowy slope leading up to the Grande Rocheuse, we make our way down. The snow is pleasant and we arrive safely at the summit the Aiguille, entirely plastered. An immaculate peak in the Alpine sky. Up there, we meet up with the Swiss rope party sharing our adventure, and a guide we met the week before on Piz Bernina. The Alps are huge, but it's a small world. And we're happy to be together again.
Aiguille Verte ascent: From Col Whymper to summit de la Verte
Time passes and we have to continue our traverse. We descend on foot, then abseil down to the finish of the Whymper couloir. The Aiguille Verte faces us. While Johann goes off to photograph our Swiss friends, I take the time to contemplate the landscape. A rare moment in mountaineering. And then I feel dizzy in the face of such splendor. All around me rise all the mountains I've ever climbed. All the giants of rock and ice that have inspired me and nurtured my art for so many years. And the Aiguille Verte, my muse, the object of my wildest dreams. My gaze wanders and my heart races. And on the slopes of the Alps, I cry about how lucky I am to be here. Tears of happiness, a call to life.
My tears are still flowing when Johann returns. He guides me to the summit the Aiguille Verte and, along the ridge, I cry again. The emotion I feel is even more intense than when I climbed the Matterhorn. It's unthinkable, yet it's real. As I walk on, my sobs of joy become so deep that Johann becomes worried. He pauses for a moment, asking me if I'm all right. He thinks I'm suffering from pulmonary oedema. But I'm just happy!
It's 8 a.m. when we set foot on the summit of Aiguille Verte. Just 15 minutes from Col Whymper. I'm finally there! Me, the kid from the flat country! It's incredible. At 4122 m, the panorama is exceptional. My gaze flies across the Alps and beyond. Only Belgium doesn't show itself! I'd stay here for hours, but we've already got to get back to the valley.
Aiguille Verte ascent: From Whymper couloir to Montenvers
We take the Whymper couloir. 120 m of rope for 2 h 30 of abseiling. What an incredible privilege to follow the couloir opened by Edward Whymper on his first ascent of the Aiguille Verte! Little by little, we approach the Talèfre glacier. And when our feet finally touch the ice, we're relieved. We've made it. The difficulties are now behind us. We walk lightly back down to the Couvercle refuge. My knees are sore, but we're moving fast thanks to the soft snow.
We arrive at the hut 12 hours after our departure. It's midday and our stomachs are screaming for food. When I approach the kitchen to find out about the day's menu , I discover that there are two portions of vegetarian lasagne left over from the day before. The cook recognizes me and offers them to me with a smile. After so many emotions and incredible adventures, after having climbed the mythical Aiguille Verte, after having walked in the footsteps of Edward Whymper and Armand Charlet, here I am being offered the best meal of all! An exquisite climax to a sublime day. Enhanced by a balsamic vinegar salad, the pasta is as delicious as ever. When you face your fears, push yourself beyond your limits and put all your energy into fulfilling your dreams, you undoubtedly change the way you look at the world. The simple things become the most precious. We savor them, we rejoice in them. Because we know just how fragile and beautiful life can be at the same time.
After enjoying a delicious meal, we leave the Couvercle refuge at 1pm for Montenvers. We cross the Mer de Glace again before arriving at the station for the fateful hour of the last skip. The expedition comes to an end. Today, we climbed the Aiguille Verte via the Col Armand Charlet, the Aiguille du Jardin and the Grande Rocheuse. When I look back on it all, I'm smiling and teary-eyed. I'm somewhere else. Today, the mountains have made me grow, and that's something I'll never forget.
