Marc le Menestrel


Quick Info

Nationality: FR
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8B
Hardest Boulder (Flash): 7B+
Hardest Sport (Worked): 8c+
Notable Partnerships
Antoine Le Menestrel

Features in The Real Thing, Bleau.

https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/446421228757391

Quick Info

Nationality: FR
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8B
Hardest Boulder (Flash): 7B+
Hardest Sport (Worked): 8c+
Notable Partnerships
Antoine Le Menestrel

Pics + Vids

Added at 17:01 on 13 January 2021
Added at 07:02 on 05 February 2021
Added at 20:02 on 28 February 2021
L'Alchemiste (pre-chipping) (8B, FA)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 09:04 on 19 April 2021
L'Alchemiste (pre-chipping) (8B, FA)
Added at 07:02 on 05 February 2021

Ascents

9 recorded ascents.

Year Climb Grade FA Ascent Date
1983 Le Bidule 8a+ (Lead) 1983
1984 Les Mains Sales 8b (Lead) 1984
1985
1986 Le Minimum 8c (Lead) 1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994 Just Do It 8c+ (Lead) May 1994

2nd ascent - see news report from Allez magazine issue 4 http://king-dino.blogspot.com/2011/04/allez-southern-californias-crag-mag.html Pic by Steve Lewis who met him out there and witnessed the ascent. I understand there are further pics in On the Edge mag in 1994 or maybe 1995 https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/smith_rock_or_smith_rocks-3025/

1995 The Big R 8b+ (Lead) May 1995

Graded 14b initially which would have made it the third of the grade in America at the time.

http://king-dino.blogspot.com/2011/04/allez-southern-californias-crag-mag.html

1996 L'Alchemiste (pre-chipping) 8B (Boulder) 1996

One day I was trying with Sébastien Frigault. He makes a good try, where he nearly reaches the right hand hold at the top. It had taken me 3 years to get to that point and for him a few sessions sufficed. I told him I was impressed and he answered "It is normal the old generation must leave place for the new." [Laughing] I got annoyed and did it next try.

Repeated in 1997 for the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIreNKro7QU?t=2565

https://www.instagram.com/p/CN1hLG4A_4x/

1997 Brad Pit 7C (Boulder) 1997

Second ascent and the first ascent using a foot on the rail.

Stu Littlefair:

I was there to see Marc do Brad Pit. It was pretty incredible. These days a high foot seems obvious but it was so visionary then, and he knew he was going to do it that way from the photos of Jason [Myers] on it. [1]

References

[1] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,31061.msg626382.html#msg626382

[2] Date is approx https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,33546.msg677007.html#msg677007

Deliverance 7B+ (Boulder Flash) 1997

The same day as working out the high-foot beta on Brad Pit. Date is approx [1].

References

[1] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,33546.msg677007.html#msg677007

1998
1999 La Merveille 8A+ (Boulder) 1999
2000
Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Just Do It 8c+ (Lead) May 1994

2nd ascent - see news report from Allez magazine issue 4 http://king-dino.blogspot.com/2011/04/allez-southern-californias-crag-mag.html Pic by Steve Lewis who met him out there and witnessed the ascent. I understand there are further pics in On the Edge mag in 1994 or maybe 1995 https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/smith_rock_or_smith_rocks-3025/

Le Minimum 8c (Lead) 1986
The Big R 8b+ (Lead) May 1995 8c

Graded 14b initially which would have made it the third of the grade in America at the time.

http://king-dino.blogspot.com/2011/04/allez-southern-californias-crag-mag.html

Les Mains Sales 8b (Lead) 1984
Le Bidule 8a+ (Lead) 1983
Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade
L'Alchemiste (pre-chipping) 8B (Boulder) 1996

One day I was trying with Sébastien Frigault. He makes a good try, where he nearly reaches the right hand hold at the top. It had taken me 3 years to get to that point and for him a few sessions sufficed. I told him I was impressed and he answered "It is normal the old generation must leave place for the new." [Laughing] I got annoyed and did it next try.

Repeated in 1997 for the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIreNKro7QU?t=2565

https://www.instagram.com/p/CN1hLG4A_4x/

La Merveille 8A+ (Boulder) 1999
Brad Pit 7C (Boulder) 1997

Second ascent and the first ascent using a foot on the rail.

Stu Littlefair:

I was there to see Marc do Brad Pit. It was pretty incredible. These days a high foot seems obvious but it was so visionary then, and he knew he was going to do it that way from the photos of Jason [Myers] on it. [1]

References

[1] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,31061.msg626382.html#msg626382

[2] Date is approx https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,33546.msg677007.html#msg677007

Deliverance 7B+ (Boulder Flash) 1997

The same day as working out the high-foot beta on Brad Pit. Date is approx [1].

References

[1] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,33546.msg677007.html#msg677007

Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade