Back then, you could drive all the way to the Mer de Sable. The forest wasn't yet closed to cars!
Together with two friends—one a brilliant visionary and the other an exceptionally gifted climber—we became convinced this roof could be climbed free, instead of with aid.
It was really the visionary who kept saying, 'This boulder has a future.' And he was right!
The beta we used was completely different from what people do today. No left heel hook to pull yourself over—we simply placed a flat foot on the last ledge.
And of course... no crash pads!
At the time, we graded it 6B. By the standards of those days, that was OK…What a time! [1]