Climbers from France

One of the most prolific developers of bouldering in Fontainebleau, Manu has made over 1400 first ascents up to 8B, including classics such as Vague Patatras (8A), Miséricorde (7C+) and La Reine Des Bois (7C).

References

[1] Interview with Fanatic Climbing, May 2023 https://fanatic-climbing.com/interview-marine-thevenet-une-francaise-a-bloc-interview-marine-thevenet-french-woman-addicted-to-bouldering/

Antoine Le Menestrel:

You etched climbing in to our culture, you brought climbing up to an art form. You lived climbing, it was your lifestyle, I was still a student, looking on. I loved to watch you climb, your suppleness passed over in to my body. [1]

Lynn Hill:

Patrick will always have a place in my heart and memories. The times I spent eating dinner at his house, laughing, working together for "Rock and Wall" magazine, and climbing on the beautiful cliffs of Southern France were precious moments of life. Being from the same generation, I was inspired by Patrick's visionary achievements when he came to the States and on-sighted many of the hardest routes in the country. [1]

Jerry Moffatt:

A memory which stands out was when he took me out in his new HF Lancia Integral. He was a great driver and after warming up the engine went absolutely flat out! However at no time did I feel scared. Such was his charisma, he had an aura of total confidence and control. [1]

References

[1] Tributes to Patrick Edlinger, https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/patrick_edlinger_-_le_blond-5117

[2] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/3470129359719881

[3] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/928362310563278

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZlxY5rNGJk

[5] Portrait by Gérard Kosicki https://www.instagram.com/p/CpGPhnQqTbe/

[6] Climbing in Cimaï, 1980s https://www.instagram.com/p/C_7fEUvtS-r/

[7] https://open.spotify.com/episode/3GHP3L6JrJAAnjRlWaqxw7?

[8] https://open.spotify.com/episode/0tiGG5Q3q4kJYDvoIYIxZr?

Features in Statement of Youth.

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

References

[1] Interview with grimper.com, April 2024 https://www.grimper.com/news-caro-ciavaldini-trad-peau

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fprud8_yDRQ

Born Robert Alain Philippe. Alain is famous for his solo climbing, and since the mid 90s his solo climbs of skyscrapers.

References

[1] Alain Robert, l’homme qui joue avec la mort Grimper.com, 10th March 2023 https://www.grimper.com/news-alain-robert-homme-joue-mort

References

[1] https://bleau.info/profiles/tristan.chouvy

Hugo Parmentier is a French competition climber, sport climber and boulderer. After a string of good results in youth competitions he struggled to achieve similar results on the adult circuit and started to climb outdoors more frequently, including making the second ascent of Eagle-4 in 2020 and climbing his first 8C with Le Pied à Coulisse in 2023.

In 2023 he climbed 100 7As in fontainebleau with his housemate Sébastien Berthe, travelling only on foot and by bike. [2]

References

[1] Interview with fanatic-climbing.com, March 2024 https://fanatic-climbing.com/interview-hugo-parmentier-performance-enthousiasme-et-ecologie-interview-hugo-parmentier-green-enthusiast/

[2] https://fanatic-climbing.com/100-blocs-de-bleau-en-7a-en-une-journee-et-en-velo-100-7a-boulders-in-font-by-bike-in-a-day/

[3] Interview with Lucien Martinez on the 100 7A challenge in Fontainebleau, 2024 https://www.grimper.com/news-les-100-7a-aventure-xxl-facon-bleausarde

[4] https://fanatic-climbing.com/hugo-parmentier-sur-une-ile-deserte-hugo-parmentier-on-a-desert-island/

As well as being a handy sport climber and boulderer, Martinez was editor of Grimper magazine, 2019–25

References

[1] Interview with Fanatic Climbing, Jan 2022 https://fanatic-climbing.com/interview-lucien-martinez-irreductible-acharne-interview-lucien-martinez-inveterate-and-tenacious/

Fontainebleau slab wizard.

References

[1] https://www.patreon.com/secretstonersclub/posts/perfect-to-past-164760134

French climber, mountain guide and former member of the Groupe de Haute Montagne. Droyer was a pioneer of free climbing in France, on a British Mountaineering Council international meet in North Wales in 1973 he witnessed the standards achieved using 'Anglo-Saxon' ethics rather than 'Tire clous' (pulling on gear, whether threads, pegs or bolts, to get up the route faster) and EB-style footwear rather than cleated boots more common on French crags at the time. He went on to make first ascents and first free ascents in the Saussois and Verdon in particular.

... a kind of French (Pete) Livesey [2]

References

[1] https://www.eb-escalade.com/chausson-escalade/histoire-eb/

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/the_stone_children_-_cutting_edge_climbing_in_the_1970s-13297

References

[1] http://www.grimporama.com/francais/bleau/itw/bl_jpb-interview.htm