1 00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:05,799 [gentle music] 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000 Downloaded from YTS.BZ 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000 Official YIFY movies site: YTS.BZ 4 00:00:10,519 --> 00:00:13,439 In memory of all the great alpinists who made their mark on history, 5 00:00:13,519 --> 00:00:16,318 and wore down their fingers on this incomparable granite. 6 00:00:16,359 --> 00:00:18,760 They are testament to man’s desire to push beyond our limits. 7 00:00:18,839 --> 00:00:21,160 Didier Berthod, Swiss rock climber. 8 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:31,000 [music intensifies] 9 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:59,920 [music continues] 10 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:16,640 Our first meeting with Guillaume dates back to 2017. 11 00:01:16,719 --> 00:01:20,840 We crossed paths on the Innominata Ridge. 12 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:27,439 We started chatting on the way up and realised 13 00:01:27,519 --> 00:01:31,439 we had a similar approach to mountaineering, and we got on well. 14 00:01:31,519 --> 00:01:34,200 And afterwards, we did the entire guides training together. 15 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:37,920 That's when we really became close friends. 16 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,000 He’s a friend I do big routes with 17 00:01:41,079 --> 00:01:42,640 in the mountains, and have a good time. 18 00:01:42,719 --> 00:01:47,040 With Lucien, what we really enjoy is being in the mountains together, 19 00:01:47,120 --> 00:01:49,280 not talking too much and just moving forward. 20 00:01:49,359 --> 00:01:52,079 These are the sensations that we, Guillaume and I love that feeling 21 00:01:52,159 --> 00:01:55,799 seeing the summit getting nearer, reaching the top. Saying to ourselves: Come on, 22 00:01:55,879 --> 00:01:59,079 let’s push hard, speed up, in 3 or 4 hours, we’re back down. 23 00:01:59,159 --> 00:02:02,400 Most of the time, if we can get home the same evening, that’s even better. 24 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:03,640 And we love that. 25 00:02:03,719 --> 00:02:06,840 Setting off at 2 or 3 in the morning and being back in the valley 26 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:09,960 by midday – those are really great moments. 27 00:02:11,439 --> 00:02:15,439 [footsteps patter] 28 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:20,919 One day, while tidying up the barn in Lavancher, 29 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:22,800 we found some old photos. 30 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:29,240 In an old chest, we opened a drawer, and suddenly, we’re transported. 31 00:02:29,319 --> 00:02:30,560 Yes, a leap back in time. 32 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:37,439 A journey through time – we rummage, we find a shirt collar, a detachable collar. 33 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:40,960 A notebook – it’s really moving. 34 00:02:41,039 --> 00:02:43,039 His watch. 35 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:47,560 And then, at the back of the drawer, the only thing neatly placed there, 36 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:50,397 probably by Alphonse Couttet long ago – these 37 00:02:50,439 --> 00:02:53,318 photos, this treasure, these stunning pictures. 38 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:59,120 The ones of the installation of the Virgin of The Grépon. 39 00:02:59,599 --> 00:03:04,199 But discoveries like this connect the present to the past. 40 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:07,159 It’s quite a find, isn’t it, Lucien? A truly moving one. 41 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:09,840 When Fabienne mentioned the photos she found in the barn, 42 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:12,080 the coincidence was just too perfect. 43 00:03:12,159 --> 00:03:14,919 It echoed an idea Lucien had been thinking of for years: 44 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:16,639 the idea of visiting these Madonnas. 45 00:03:16,879 --> 00:03:21,360 This idea came to me after my bivouac at the summit of the Grépon 46 00:03:21,439 --> 00:03:24,840 in 2016, which really left an impression on me because it was really special 47 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:26,080 as I say, out of time. 48 00:03:26,159 --> 00:03:29,280 And I thought: These little statues add something, 49 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:31,039 a soul to the summit. 50 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:35,159 And then I realised: There are seven of them in the massif. 51 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:40,080 It would be an incredible journey to connect these statues. 52 00:03:40,159 --> 00:03:44,120 Starting from Courmayeur, beginning with the Noire de Peuterey, and then 53 00:03:44,199 --> 00:03:48,439 crossing towards Switzerland – Italy, Switzerland – 54 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:51,400 with the Petit Clocher du Portalet. 55 00:03:51,719 --> 00:03:57,520 And then finishing with the Grépon, before going down to Chamonix. 56 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:00,400 You've sold it to me, I'm in. 57 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:06,159 Beyond just thinking: Okay, we're going 58 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:08,199 on a great alpine adventure, a mountain trip 59 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:11,159 like we love, we also have the chance to go on a truly 60 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:15,479 meaningful journey, to find out what lies behind these figures. 61 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:18,000 We want to uncover their mystery. 62 00:04:18,879 --> 00:04:20,639 If you're up for it... 63 00:04:20,759 --> 00:04:22,120 Lucien. 64 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:26,639 A few months before the expedition. 65 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:31,639 Then I found another one, an aerial photo where it's not very big, 66 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:35,279 but you can see the face and you're quite close, and you can see the Verte behind. 67 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:36,879 It's interesting. 68 00:04:36,959 --> 00:04:39,839 There are some summits where, as soon as you reach the top, 69 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:45,439 there’s a story, a sense of intimacy, a beauty, a presence. 70 00:04:49,519 --> 00:04:52,120 Why was there this whole question around the Madonnas, 71 00:04:52,199 --> 00:04:53,279 or everything they wanted to do? 72 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:56,439 With everything that was going on back then 73 00:04:56,519 --> 00:04:59,399 It's hard to compare with today. Life in the valley back then 74 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,040 was a tough life. 75 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:04,120 So everything was often shared. 76 00:05:04,199 --> 00:05:07,279 We forget that there was a time when the mountains 77 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:09,879 were seen as places of demons—people wouldn’t set foot in them. 78 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:11,677 Glaciers were seen as man-eaters. 79 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:15,160 The people here were poor, they were farmers, 80 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:17,040 not mountaineers at all. 81 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:20,560 For instance, imagine believing that there are ghosts in Mont Blanc. 82 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,800 Going there back then was nothing like going there today. 83 00:05:23,879 --> 00:05:28,560 Even though, as far as we know, there are no ghosts. 84 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:32,360 There’s a folklore that’s been forgotten, because apart from people who go up there, 85 00:05:32,439 --> 00:05:35,720 no one remembers these stories anymore, 86 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:37,959 let alone what they looked like. 87 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:41,079 But it’s true there isn’t a lot known about this documentation 88 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:44,480 Catherine Destivelle wrote a short piece 89 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:47,720 about the Virgin of the Drus. 90 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:53,000 [gentle music] 91 00:05:56,439 --> 00:05:57,639 It's actually quite international. 92 00:05:58,319 --> 00:06:03,519 There are quite a few Slovenians, Czechs, Russians, and Polishs. 93 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:05,240 Scan the photos. 94 00:06:05,319 --> 00:06:07,560 They mustn’t be lost. These photos are really moving. 95 00:06:07,639 --> 00:06:09,279 There are four of them, they're in the Nantillons. 96 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:10,800 They went via the Nantillons. 97 00:06:10,879 --> 00:06:14,120 They took turns carrying the Virgin. 98 00:06:14,199 --> 00:06:18,120 They need to be digitised, so they’re not lost. 99 00:06:18,199 --> 00:06:20,480 Or maybe taken to a museum. 100 00:06:26,079 --> 00:06:29,399 We are the witnesses, and it’s up to us to pass on 101 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:30,560 what happened before. 102 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:36,600 [gentle music] 103 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:45,879 Alright, Lolo, see you later. 104 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:53,000 [gentle music] 105 00:07:10,759 --> 00:07:12,000 To me, the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey 106 00:07:12,079 --> 00:07:14,160 is one of the most beautiful. 107 00:07:16,199 --> 00:07:19,040 It's one of the most characterful mountains in the sequence. 108 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:21,879 Because there isn’t really an accessible face 109 00:07:21,959 --> 00:07:27,319 It’s a striking triangular mountain, black, 110 00:07:27,399 --> 00:07:29,360 made of rock, pure granite. 111 00:07:29,439 --> 00:07:33,240 Even the normal route is difficult to reach, and that’s 112 00:07:33,319 --> 00:07:35,199 and that’s what makes it so special. 113 00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:42,279 We knew it was going to be a big challenge. 114 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:44,319 We were happy to start there. 115 00:07:44,399 --> 00:07:45,680 Let's go. 116 00:07:45,759 --> 00:07:48,160 Here we go. 117 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:51,319 Come on, "Vamos". 118 00:07:52,639 --> 00:07:54,920 We started climbing at night, tackling the first ramps, 119 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:57,000 which were very damp, covered in wet moss. 120 00:07:57,079 --> 00:07:59,879 We encountered a lot of ice, a lot of black ice. 121 00:07:59,959 --> 00:08:01,560 So we really had to work hard. 122 00:08:06,879 --> 00:08:10,879 [gentle music] 123 00:08:30,319 --> 00:08:32,639 I haven’t even had a bite of my energy bar since we started, I’m still feeling good. 124 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:35,559 We’ll take a proper break once we’re out of this mess. 125 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:38,879 The mountain is austere. 126 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:42,639 This isn’t what we do everyday 127 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:44,679 we're just surviving up there. 128 00:08:44,759 --> 00:08:49,879 We go for the pleasure of it, we go, but sometimes, 129 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:52,559 it would be nice to be back down already. 130 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:07,120 [inspiring music] 131 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:10,159 The higher we climbed, the more snow there was. 132 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:14,000 Until we reached the final third, 133 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:15,960 where we were practically sinking 134 00:09:16,039 --> 00:09:17,759 up to our waists with every step. 135 00:09:30,279 --> 00:09:33,120 I've always been intrigued by it, and I've always had 136 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:36,519 a particular feeling when reaching one of these summits with the Madonnas. 137 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:38,360 I had the feeling of truly 138 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:39,480 standing in front of someone. 139 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:52,320 [inspiring music] 140 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:02,440 It’s a face that one might call altered. 141 00:10:02,519 --> 00:10:09,360 Yet, "Sainte Vierge" is an anagram of "le visage inaltéré" (the unaltered face). 142 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:15,039 And so, there is this idea of purity that remains, even though the conditions 143 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:19,559 these poor Madonnas endure, I'm talking about the weather 144 00:10:19,639 --> 00:10:23,200 are sometimes far from comfortable. 145 00:10:23,279 --> 00:10:24,759 High five, mate! 146 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:26,879 Yes, mate! Oh, bloody hell. 147 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:28,080 Top. Beautiful. 148 00:10:28,159 --> 00:10:29,639 Well done, my Guigui. 149 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:31,200 Blimey. 150 00:10:31,279 --> 00:10:34,240 There are some places where you're happy to have been there 151 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:35,360 but also happy not to stay. 152 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:38,480 Because bad weather is coming and all that, and you think: Poor thing, 153 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:39,960 she’s going to stay there all alone. 154 00:10:40,039 --> 00:10:43,480 I think at some point, you humanise her so much that she’s no longer 155 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:46,080 just a piece of metal – she’s a lady. 156 00:10:46,159 --> 00:10:49,679 And in a way, when we descend and we leave her behind. 157 00:10:49,759 --> 00:10:53,519 I think subconsciously, we tell ourselves: "We're leaving her up there." 158 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:57,000 But at the same time, that’s her role – to be a kind of altitude beacon, 159 00:10:57,080 --> 00:11:00,200 a sign of our presence. 160 00:11:00,279 --> 00:11:03,720 Life isn’t up there with her, it’s down below. 161 00:11:03,799 --> 00:11:06,919 So we have to keep going. 162 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:08,600 That’s true. 163 00:11:11,279 --> 00:11:13,320 We’ll abseil down using a series of short, 164 00:11:13,399 --> 00:11:15,600 well-equipped 30-metre-descents. 165 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:17,600 From there, we’ll head down towards the Dames Anglaises. 166 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:20,120 Then we downclimbed the couloir to reach the Brenva Glacier 167 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:25,000 an go back to Courmayeur. 168 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:29,159 And there it is, the first Madonna. 169 00:11:31,879 --> 00:11:34,360 The old-timers used mules, 170 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:36,840 there were seven of them carrying it. 171 00:11:36,919 --> 00:11:40,279 They really started from the valley, climbing up through the alpine pastures. 172 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:42,799 Then they bivouacked, before continuing to the summit. 173 00:11:42,879 --> 00:11:44,279 It was really a long process. 174 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:47,480 And in the same spirit, to honour them, we’re not going to take 175 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:51,639 a car or a cable car to reach these summits. 176 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:56,879 After a few hours of rest, we set off beneath Helbronner, under the Skyway. 177 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:02,080 [gentle music] 178 00:12:02,879 --> 00:12:07,679 We get to the old refuge, then at the new Torino refuge, 179 00:12:07,759 --> 00:12:10,240 where we get a warm welcome from the guardian. 180 00:12:14,039 --> 00:12:16,038 This scene is pretty incredible because we arrive, we 181 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:18,159 start chatting with the guardian of the Torino refuge, 182 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:22,759 who is really kind, and we tell him that we’ve come from the Noire de Peuterey 183 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:24,759 and we’re heading to the Dent du Géant, 184 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:29,039 and that our project is to link all seven Madonnas of the Massif. 185 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:31,639 And then he looks at us with huge eyes and says: 186 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:32,879 "But do you know what?" 187 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:35,240 "The last Madonna, I was who put it in its’ place." 188 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:36,440 We say: "What?!" 189 00:12:36,519 --> 00:12:39,279 That Madonna is one of the oldest in the massif. 190 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:40,679 That’s impossible. 191 00:12:40,759 --> 00:12:42,159 It was in 1904. 192 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:45,639 That was when the first ones climbed up in 1904. 193 00:12:46,639 --> 00:12:50,200 You know, it says: "Group of Courmayeur guides 194 00:12:50,279 --> 00:12:52,960 who carried the statue of the Virgin to the Dent du Géant." 195 00:12:53,039 --> 00:12:55,279 Yeah. Do you have any names or not really? 196 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:58,600 Here, they’re Brocherel, Petigax. 197 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:01,799 The historic names of Courmayeur. 198 00:13:01,879 --> 00:13:05,559 And in the end, we realised they had replaced it 199 00:13:05,639 --> 00:13:07,759 because it had been struck by lightning. 200 00:13:07,919 --> 00:13:11,799 The last time the Virgin was replaced, 201 00:13:11,879 --> 00:13:15,320 was in 2009 – we changed the Virgin. 202 00:13:15,399 --> 00:13:18,399 It spoils a little bit of the mystery, and we realise: actually, 203 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:22,000 they haven’t been there since time immemorial – they are 204 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:24,200 maintained and replaced over time. 205 00:13:28,919 --> 00:13:30,960 We decided to do something with a few guides. 206 00:13:31,039 --> 00:13:33,240 There were five or six of us from Courmayeur. 207 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:36,559 There were also three police officers. 208 00:13:36,639 --> 00:13:39,077 My son, who was 16 at the time, was there too, 209 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:41,720 and we had decided to take things into our hands. 210 00:13:41,799 --> 00:13:45,080 We spoke with Luigi Glarey, who told us a bit about the history. 211 00:13:45,159 --> 00:13:47,759 He said: We're trying to do this. 212 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:50,559 We could have done it differently, 213 00:13:50,639 --> 00:13:56,159 not exactly as they did back then, but we could have 214 00:13:56,240 --> 00:14:00,519 carried the second part together, brought the Virgin up. 215 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:02,960 I think the Madonnas in the Aosta Valley, they’re everywhere. 216 00:14:03,039 --> 00:14:08,000 Back then, people believed more than they do now, I think. 217 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:13,759 Whether in Valais, in Italy, in the Aosta Valley, or even elsewhere, 218 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:14,919 like in the Chamonix Valley, 219 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:17,559 I think it was exactly the same. 220 00:14:17,639 --> 00:14:19,480 It’s really a story of protection, it’s truly 221 00:14:19,559 --> 00:14:21,600 a story of community. 222 00:14:21,679 --> 00:14:26,600 Experiencing this, hearing the story of someone who climbed up 223 00:14:26,679 --> 00:14:29,840 and played a part in these little statues, was truly incredible. 224 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:37,879 We set off around 3 or 4 in the morning. 225 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:39,360 Good refrozen conditions, so with Guillaume, 226 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:41,159 we pick up the pace on the glacier. 227 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:43,960 We reach the base of the mountain earlier than expected and start 228 00:14:44,039 --> 00:14:46,240 climbing in the dark. There was another rope team, but we quickly pass them. 229 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:50,000 Conditions on the North Face of the Tour Ronde were excellent that day. 230 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:54,600 We reach the summit just as day breaks, with the first light of day. 231 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:07,720 [gentle music] 232 00:15:37,759 --> 00:15:39,919 The Madonna of the Tour Ronde is the only one that faces the mountain, 233 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:43,039 and I had never really thought about it before, 234 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:44,600 but it’s actually quite interesting. 235 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:54,077 I believe this Madonna was placed by the Italian Alpine Club. 236 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:56,039 It’s a Madonna of the mountain rescue. 237 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:04,120 Each one has its own charm, its own personality. 238 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:06,840 Even if you're not a believer, you know that a holy virgin 239 00:16:06,919 --> 00:16:08,320 is not just any woman. 240 00:16:08,399 --> 00:16:10,000 She has a symbolic halo. 241 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:14,559 A symbolic halo that isn't tied to one's personal beliefs, 242 00:16:14,639 --> 00:16:18,879 but one that she carries through history, through all the symbols that are 243 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:22,639 connected to her, all the stories she’s part of. 244 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:27,519 We like to think that her spirit protects us. 245 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:30,679 And so, this symbolic halo makes it possible to associate her, 246 00:16:30,759 --> 00:16:33,440 out of superstition, 247 00:16:33,519 --> 00:16:37,840 with a power, an effectiveness, a virtue. 248 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:47,159 We keep pushing on at pace, crossing the entire 249 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:50,720 Géant Glacier, passing near the refuge. 250 00:16:50,799 --> 00:16:52,360 Then we climb up towards the Dent du Géant. 251 00:16:59,759 --> 00:17:03,480 It’s also a truly iconic, legendary summit, 252 00:17:03,559 --> 00:17:05,079 one that all Italians know. 253 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:11,920 Whether one is a believer or not, when we go up there, there is 254 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:15,799 always some form of questioning, even if we don’t define it. 255 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:18,440 There is a kind of reflection, especially in these vast 256 00:17:18,519 --> 00:17:20,799 open spaces, under this luminous sky. 257 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:25,640 Everywhere, in all cultures, in all civilisations, 258 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:30,440 the mountains often feature as a place of spiritual elevation. 259 00:17:30,519 --> 00:17:36,880 The call from above originally had an explicit 260 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:38,559 religious connotation. 261 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:43,720 It was about going up to see if, perhaps, paradise was up there. 262 00:17:44,319 --> 00:17:47,759 The view is absolutely immense. 263 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:51,319 My Luciano, what can you tell us? 264 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:52,960 We were over there. 265 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:56,000 The Tour Ronde. 266 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:58,880 It was a beautiful traverse, with good refreezing. 267 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:00,240 Now we just need to drop onto the summit. 268 00:18:00,319 --> 00:18:03,519 It's not far now. 269 00:18:03,599 --> 00:18:04,720 It’s looking good. 270 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:12,680 [gentle music] 271 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:47,720 And in the end, we weren’t as alone with 272 00:18:47,799 --> 00:18:49,960 the Madonna on the summit than we were on the Tour Ronde 273 00:18:50,039 --> 00:18:51,279 or at the Noire de Peuterey. 274 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:54,359 But it was so magical to meet our friends up there and to find ourselves 275 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:57,640 all sitting in a line along the ridge. 276 00:19:07,079 --> 00:19:11,079 [gentle music] 277 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:14,000 Come on, mate. 278 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:17,960 Leave it there. That’s a solid anchor. 279 00:19:18,039 --> 00:19:19,440 Cool, man. 280 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:21,480 Let’s go. 281 00:19:21,559 --> 00:19:22,720 Nice. 282 00:19:22,799 --> 00:19:23,920 What are we doing? No hanging around? 283 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,000 Are you okay if we head off before you? 284 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:36,440 [music continues] 285 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:38,000 If we said we’d do it all under our own steam, 286 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:40,720 then why not 287 00:20:40,799 --> 00:20:42,279 hop on the bike for a bit? 288 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:49,680 [gentle music] 289 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:25,839 Mont Dolent is the summit 290 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:28,359 that sits on the triple border. 291 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:31,279 So, there’s one face in France, one in Switzerland, and one in Italy. 292 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:32,920 Just for that alone, it’s already amazing. 293 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:36,400 The border runs right over the summit, 294 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:37,839 and they put a Madonna right there. 295 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:54,720 [panting] 296 00:21:59,839 --> 00:22:01,319 [gentle music] 297 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:04,160 Ah, how classic. 298 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:06,599 Bivouac Fiorio on Mont Dolent. 299 00:22:14,559 --> 00:22:18,559 [gentle music] 300 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:22,640 Mont Dolent was the same, 301 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:25,039 quite tricky because we had 302 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:28,160 rotten snow again, late spring snow, 303 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:30,079 with no support, very wet. 304 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:32,880 Even on skis, we were sinking into it, 305 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:34,559 and it was really tricky. 306 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:37,119 We're almost there, Lucien. 307 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:38,960 Venga, venga. 308 00:22:42,799 --> 00:22:45,079 We'll keep that motivation to reach the Madonna. 309 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:48,240 It’s hard to see her, we can’t see the summit - it feels endless. 310 00:22:48,319 --> 00:22:51,519 When we climb, I think you know this better 311 00:22:51,599 --> 00:22:54,680 than anyone, we can’t wait for the summit. 312 00:22:54,759 --> 00:22:58,160 And when we get there and see a Madonna, or even something else, 313 00:22:58,240 --> 00:22:59,960 like a cross, for example. 314 00:23:00,039 --> 00:23:03,680 There’s a sort of reversal of symmetry. 315 00:23:03,759 --> 00:23:07,160 We realise that while we were waiting for the summit, in a way, it was waiting for us. 316 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:13,119 Because of an obvious cognitive bias, we get the feeling that the Madonna 317 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:14,799 is there for us, of course. 318 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:16,359 Summit of Dolent, we suffered for it. 319 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:21,839 I won’t kiss you, you’re too frozen. 320 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:25,359 She’s been struck by lightning as well. 321 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:27,079 Poor little Madonna. 322 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:33,559 At the summit, same thing—there’s fog, and a strange light 323 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:35,519 shining through, illuminating the Virgin. 324 00:23:35,599 --> 00:23:37,640 It was something truly magical. 325 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:39,837 It feels inhabited by something beyond us, 326 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:42,240 something that, at the same time, protects us. 327 00:23:44,319 --> 00:23:48,119 Because the Madonna is there, but we also know 328 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:49,559 she didn’t fall from the sky. 329 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:51,440 She is the presence of Man. 330 00:23:51,519 --> 00:23:52,599 Who put her there? 331 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:56,039 It is Man, and it represents a man or a woman. 332 00:23:56,119 --> 00:24:00,079 On each summit, there is a unique story to tell. 333 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:02,559 In fact, the story of this Madonna is truly beautiful because there were 334 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:05,880 these young Swiss, young Italians, and young French people who decided 335 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:11,599 to put this little Madonna as a plea for world peace. 336 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:14,680 The very presence of a Madonna is proof that we are not the first here. 337 00:24:14,759 --> 00:24:20,759 Yet at the same time, it makes it somewhat religious 338 00:24:20,839 --> 00:24:27,759 It embodies the idea that the summit is no longer entirely of this world, 339 00:24:27,839 --> 00:24:29,960 yet not quite celestial either. 340 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:40,640 [gentle music] 341 00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:56,000 I'm going to take inspiration from a famous novel you may know: Mount Analogue, 342 00:24:56,119 --> 00:24:59,160 by René Daumal, the story of a mountain whose summit cannot be seen, because 343 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:04,519 it is hidden by gravitational effects linked to general relativity. 344 00:25:04,599 --> 00:25:08,359 Space-time is so distorted by this immense, incredibly dense mountain 345 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:10,960 that light cannot connect the base to the top. 346 00:25:11,039 --> 00:25:13,759 There is a mountain—you can see the foot, but not the summit. 347 00:25:13,839 --> 00:25:18,559 And what René Daumal says in this unfinished novel is that, 348 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:24,640 as long as a summit is seen but not conquered, 349 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:27,880 it belongs to the realm of the heavens. 350 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:31,720 And the moment it is climbed by a human, it becomes earthly. 351 00:25:31,799 --> 00:25:36,400 And so, by climbing, by scaling a mountain, we bring it down. 352 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:44,759 That’s what I love about alpinism— You could see it as 353 00:25:44,839 --> 00:25:46,079 a kind of escape. 354 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:48,400 We leave ourselves behind, in a way. 355 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:52,119 But as you know better than anyone, it’s also 356 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:54,160 a place where we find ourselves. 357 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:57,160 We see the relationships we have more clearly 358 00:25:57,240 --> 00:25:59,000 with those who are with us. 359 00:26:05,039 --> 00:26:06,119 Alright, ciao. 360 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:10,640 [gentle music] 361 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:17,319 Now, we’re going to fly over there. 362 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:19,160 There’s fog. 363 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:22,400 Guillaume takes off, and for me, the snow is coming in. 364 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:25,079 So it’s really every man for himself. I have to go quickly. 365 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:26,519 I find myself a bit trapped. 366 00:26:26,599 --> 00:26:30,839 I wonder: Am I going to manage to take off? And in the end, after good half an hour, 367 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:36,319 I finally manage to take off, flying through a thick layer of snowy clouds. 368 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:39,680 And then, all of a sudden, like in the movies, the clouds part. 369 00:26:39,759 --> 00:26:42,079 And there it is - La Fouly valley. And just like that, 370 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:43,720 I'm off for more than 15 km of flight. 371 00:26:43,799 --> 00:26:46,799 You know the sun is down below, so when you finally reach it, 372 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:50,039 it gives you a real burst of energy. 373 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:56,559 Yala, yala! 374 00:27:05,279 --> 00:27:09,278 [gentle music] 375 00:27:09,319 --> 00:27:11,480 Look at the state of the skis, there you go. 376 00:27:11,599 --> 00:27:15,440 We take off at 3,600 metres and land at 1,200 metres. 377 00:27:23,799 --> 00:27:27,400 We’ll aim for that bridge, and then we’ll climb back up into the forest there. 378 00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:28,960 That bridge at 1,207 metres. 379 00:27:29,039 --> 00:27:30,160 Which way do we go? We take this one. 380 00:27:30,519 --> 00:27:35,640 Few people, even experienced alpinists, even the old names of the valley, 381 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:37,039 knew that there were seven Madonnas. 382 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:40,039 Most people thought there were only six. 383 00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:43,640 We discovered this seventh Madonna thanks to Justin Marquis. 384 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:47,240 Through our research the previous autumn, we learned that he was the one who had placed 385 00:27:47,319 --> 00:27:49,038 the Virgin of the Petit Clocher du Portalet, 386 00:27:49,079 --> 00:27:50,839 and that it was the most recent of the seven. 387 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:52,400 It was installed in 2013. 388 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:55,599 So, naturally, we sent him a message. 389 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:58,480 And he immediately replied to our invitation. 390 00:27:58,559 --> 00:28:00,279 We went to see him, 391 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:02,559 to ask him some questions in Orsières. 392 00:28:04,279 --> 00:28:07,680 Six months earlier. 393 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:13,559 Hello Justin, it's Lucien, Guillaume's friend. 394 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:15,279 How are you? 395 00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:16,519 Yeah, I’m good. 396 00:28:16,599 --> 00:28:21,559 Just letting you know we’re arriving in Orsières, we’ll be there in about five minutes. 397 00:28:24,119 --> 00:28:25,319 Hello. 398 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:26,839 How are you? 399 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:28,839 I’m good, thanks. Hey. 400 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:29,960 Lucien, hi. Nice to meet you. 401 00:28:30,039 --> 00:28:31,599 How’s it going? 402 00:28:33,079 --> 00:28:34,960 This is where we’ll put the slates back. 403 00:28:37,680 --> 00:28:40,440 The Clocher is a mountain that has a lot of history in this valley, 404 00:28:40,519 --> 00:28:44,839 with the very first climbers who went up there—the old ones, 405 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:46,039 the Cretier family, people like that. 406 00:28:46,119 --> 00:28:48,680 Then later there were the first proper ascents, 407 00:28:48,759 --> 00:28:51,720 including Michel Darbellay’s first ascent of the north face. 408 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:53,759 That left a mark on history. 409 00:28:53,839 --> 00:28:56,640 And from there, step by step, we followed in their footsteps, 410 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:59,400 making our way up to climb it. 411 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:02,000 I had climbed the Clocher 28 times. 412 00:29:02,079 --> 00:29:04,119 And when we reached the top for the 28th time, I thought: 413 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:05,960 we should bring something up here. 414 00:29:06,039 --> 00:29:09,519 So I decided that on our 30th ascent, we would take something with us. 415 00:29:09,599 --> 00:29:11,759 Then we made a custom base, which I had measured 416 00:29:11,839 --> 00:29:14,240 on my 29th ascent. 417 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:19,160 It’s a way to honour all the alpinists who have climbed up there, 418 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:21,039 those who made ascents, and those who lost their lives. 419 00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:27,880 For him, it’s a universal way, 420 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:32,240 I’d say, of giving thanks or paying tribute. 421 00:29:32,319 --> 00:29:36,960 So I think it makes sense to place a small Madonna up there. 422 00:29:37,039 --> 00:29:40,119 History is important to me, it means something 423 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:43,839 especially at a time when so many things are being deconstructed. 424 00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:48,039 And in the end, we don’t look at history the way we should, 425 00:29:48,119 --> 00:29:51,000 with enough perspective, to truly understand why people did these things 426 00:29:51,079 --> 00:29:55,480 these things in their time, even if even if we no longer understand them today. 427 00:29:55,559 --> 00:29:59,759 Back then, if you put up a Madonna, the person who did it 428 00:29:59,839 --> 00:30:02,039 was seen as heroic. 429 00:30:02,119 --> 00:30:03,799 The Church was also involved in it. 430 00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:09,839 Nowadays, many people think they should be taken down, removed, 431 00:30:09,920 --> 00:30:14,519 or they are seen more as objects of ridicule than of respect. 432 00:30:14,599 --> 00:30:16,079 They should be protected. 433 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:19,759 We are moving beyond the religious context—whether it’s 434 00:30:19,839 --> 00:30:23,279 a Madonna, a crescent moon, or if they had placed clowns at the time 435 00:30:23,359 --> 00:30:27,200 because their belief was that clowns would offer protection, 436 00:30:27,279 --> 00:30:28,960 these things should be preserved. 437 00:30:29,039 --> 00:30:30,480 They are part of our heritage. 438 00:30:30,559 --> 00:30:35,400 At the end of the day, we asked him if he’d like 439 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:36,680 to come and climb with us. 440 00:30:36,759 --> 00:30:39,000 This is his favourite mountain, 441 00:30:39,079 --> 00:30:40,720 he’s climbed it more than 60 times. 442 00:30:40,799 --> 00:30:41,880 He knows it by heart. 443 00:30:41,960 --> 00:30:45,160 It’s truly his favourite mountain, so it made perfect sense 444 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:46,519 for him to join us. 445 00:30:46,599 --> 00:30:49,759 So, 8b, 8b … If we go up, we were thinking maybe more 446 00:30:49,839 --> 00:30:51,720 of the "État de choc" route. 447 00:30:51,799 --> 00:30:53,119 Yeah, but it’s cool, it’s a great idea. 448 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:55,279 Would you be keen to come with us? 449 00:30:55,359 --> 00:30:56,960 Absolutely, yeah. We could look at it next summer. 450 00:30:57,039 --> 00:30:58,440 Have you already done "État de choc" or not? 451 00:30:58,519 --> 00:30:59,880 No, "État de choc", never. 452 00:30:59,960 --> 00:31:02,599 No, she did the "southeast" route. Yeah, well, cool. 453 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:05,480 Since the idea of this project is to stay roped together 454 00:31:05,559 --> 00:31:09,039 the entire time and to be able to connect 455 00:31:09,119 --> 00:31:10,160 the rope from start to finish. 456 00:31:17,160 --> 00:31:21,160 [gentle music] 457 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:32,279 Justin, thanks for having us here. 458 00:31:32,359 --> 00:31:33,759 You say it’s like your second home. 459 00:31:33,839 --> 00:31:36,720 We saw the first one down in the valley. Exactly. 460 00:31:36,799 --> 00:31:39,160 And this is the second one here. Yes, the second one. 461 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:43,319 If you're keen to climb "Esprit de Clocher", the name of the route itself 462 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:44,720 says everything about your project. 463 00:31:44,799 --> 00:31:45,960 Yes, exactly. 464 00:31:46,039 --> 00:31:52,759 It’s a legendary route that can be climbed entirely with friends. 465 00:31:53,319 --> 00:31:59,920 We pulled out the guidebooks and got a proper look at the scale of the challenge 466 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:04,319 waiting for us the next day—especially since the route we had originally chosen 467 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:07,279 was completely soaked. 468 00:32:07,359 --> 00:32:11,839 A shame, because it would have been a beautiful, hard crack climb. 469 00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:14,359 In the end, I was quite happy about it because I wasn’t sure 470 00:32:14,440 --> 00:32:17,319 if it would have been a bit too difficult for me at that time. 471 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:19,920 Breakfast at 6:30 tomorrow. Okay, yeah. 472 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:22,240 And at 7:00, we set off. 473 00:32:22,319 --> 00:32:23,960 By 7:30, we’re at the base. 474 00:32:24,039 --> 00:32:26,599 There’s a bit of snow here, do you think it’ll be an issue? 475 00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:28,799 No, no, it’ll clear quickly. It clears fast lower down. 476 00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:31,079 I think in 25 minutes, we’ll be at the base. 477 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:32,279 Then it’ll take about fifteen minutes 478 00:32:32,359 --> 00:32:34,519 to reach the start of the route. 479 00:32:39,240 --> 00:32:43,240 [gentle music] 480 00:33:22,759 --> 00:33:26,759 [gentle music] 481 00:33:39,319 --> 00:33:40,359 It seems to me that alpinism, 482 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:43,359 when you do it, is a kind of 483 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:48,359 immersive experience where all forms of virtuality and the metaverse, 484 00:33:48,440 --> 00:33:50,960 as we call it today, are completely excluded. 485 00:33:51,039 --> 00:33:54,119 It’s the body that takes control again. 486 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:55,880 Alpinism is a matter of the body. 487 00:33:55,960 --> 00:33:58,240 Even if the mind, as people say, or the psyche, 488 00:33:58,319 --> 00:33:59,960 plays a role in determination. 489 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:14,880 [gentle music] 490 00:34:38,039 --> 00:34:40,599 And encountering a symbolic body 491 00:34:40,679 --> 00:34:42,880 at the summit is a real encounter. 492 00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:07,760 Excellent. 493 00:35:08,599 --> 00:35:12,519 We put Madonnas on the summit only when the summit is no longer virgin. 494 00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:17,400 We re-virginise it by placing a Madonna there. 495 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:21,480 It’s as if we are trying to absolve ourselves of a sin. 496 00:35:21,559 --> 00:35:24,440 The sin of having set foot on it. Maybe that’s it. 497 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:28,639 Great work, guys, well done. Tough but intense. 498 00:35:28,719 --> 00:35:30,800 Fantastic route, intense. 499 00:35:31,559 --> 00:35:34,519 That day, the conditions were absolutely perfect. 500 00:35:34,599 --> 00:35:36,760 There was almost no wind at altitude, beautiful weather. 501 00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:41,039 So we thought: Let’s grab the skis at the Orny hut and head back. 502 00:35:41,119 --> 00:35:46,079 So we took the skis, headed towards the Trient Plateau, 503 00:35:46,159 --> 00:35:48,159 and reached the Col Supérieur du Tour. 504 00:35:48,239 --> 00:35:50,159 We came out at Portalet. 505 00:35:50,239 --> 00:35:51,320 Lucien? 506 00:35:52,039 --> 00:35:53,039 It's mystic. 507 00:35:56,039 --> 00:36:00,360 We managed to take off with our paragliders, in absolutely terrible conditions. 508 00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:03,480 It was snowing, even hailing at times. 509 00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:07,079 We set our skis parallel, facing the Chamonix valley, and thought: 510 00:36:07,159 --> 00:36:10,679 Bloody hell, this is insane! Only two summits left: the Drus and the Grépon. 511 00:36:15,239 --> 00:36:16,800 Unbelievable! 512 00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:20,519 We put the skis back on our backs, the wing into the bag. 513 00:36:20,599 --> 00:36:24,559 We grab a quick refuel— some cheese, some ham 514 00:36:24,639 --> 00:36:26,199 and set off towards the Mer de Glace. 515 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:31,119 We go down into the valley, 516 00:36:31,199 --> 00:36:33,039 leaving Mont Blanc to our right. 517 00:36:40,159 --> 00:36:43,119 The atmosphere on the Mer de Glace— it’s spring, 518 00:36:43,199 --> 00:36:47,119 but it feels like deep autumn, like being in Tierra del Fuego. 519 00:36:49,159 --> 00:36:51,920 The whole Mer de Glace area, the Envers des Aiguilles, 520 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:54,000 is rarely visited, if at all— Because it’s not the season. 521 00:36:54,079 --> 00:36:56,760 There’s still a lot of snow on both the south and north faces. 522 00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:04,119 Right in front of us, there’s the Aiguille Verte, 523 00:37:04,199 --> 00:37:06,559 a perfect cone, with 524 00:37:06,639 --> 00:37:10,800 the west pillar of the Drus standing just in front of it. 525 00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:19,480 [dramatic music] 526 00:37:28,119 --> 00:37:32,679 A granite monolith, like the others, 527 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:34,719 but really imposing and incredibly steep. 528 00:37:36,679 --> 00:37:38,360 It has seen 529 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:43,079 many first ascents, mountaineering tragedies, 530 00:37:43,159 --> 00:37:46,639 historic rescues, and more. 531 00:37:46,719 --> 00:37:49,360 It’s a mountain that can be intimidating, 532 00:37:49,440 --> 00:37:53,159 and it is quite difficult to climb. 533 00:38:02,360 --> 00:38:06,599 1:30am the alarm hits hard. 534 00:38:15,480 --> 00:38:18,237 I really believe this mountain, 535 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:20,079 whether you climb it as an amateur 536 00:38:20,320 --> 00:38:23,719 or as a guide, it's a mountain that leaves its mark. 537 00:38:23,800 --> 00:38:25,039 It’s not an easy one. 538 00:38:38,320 --> 00:38:42,320 [dramatic music] 539 00:39:12,960 --> 00:39:14,119 We climb the old-school way, 540 00:39:14,199 --> 00:39:15,199 following the easiest route. 541 00:39:16,800 --> 00:39:17,800 A few friends, that’s it. 542 00:39:17,880 --> 00:39:20,199 I think there are a few pitons in place. 543 00:39:37,039 --> 00:39:39,840 The first leader of the Madonnas, 544 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:43,400 was Charlet-Stratton, Jean-Estéril Charlet-Stratton, 545 00:39:43,480 --> 00:39:45,719 who made the first ascent of the Drus. 546 00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:49,880 We can’t really understand the effort of the pioneers, 547 00:39:49,960 --> 00:39:53,639 because they ventured into the unknown something that, by definition, no longer exists 548 00:39:53,719 --> 00:39:57,079 once they had conquered the summit. 549 00:39:57,159 --> 00:39:59,880 So their experience can never be repeated. 550 00:39:59,960 --> 00:40:03,480 We can do as they did, but never exactly as they did. 551 00:40:03,559 --> 00:40:07,280 In other words, any ascent of this kind today 552 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:12,119 is incomparable to the experience of the pioneers, because we cannot erase 553 00:40:12,199 --> 00:40:15,760 the knowledge we have gained since then it inevitably shapes 554 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:19,119 our own way of viewing the mountains. 555 00:40:23,280 --> 00:40:25,079 They climbed in 1913. 556 00:40:25,159 --> 00:40:29,280 The expedition was initially led by Estéril Charlet-Stratton, 557 00:40:29,360 --> 00:40:34,320 but in the end, they couldn’t make it to the top. 558 00:40:34,400 --> 00:40:37,119 They stopped at around 3,000 meters. 559 00:40:37,199 --> 00:40:39,400 They hid the Madonna, it weighed 15 kilos. 560 00:40:39,480 --> 00:40:41,760 They stashed it away in a crevice. 561 00:40:41,840 --> 00:40:44,119 They went back down. Bad weather set in, so they couldn’t 562 00:40:44,199 --> 00:40:45,400 go back straight away. 563 00:40:45,480 --> 00:40:49,880 And in 1900—well, just after 1913— Came 1914, and war broke out. 564 00:40:49,960 --> 00:40:54,960 Later, they found documents showing where they had hidden the Madonnas, and so on. 565 00:40:55,039 --> 00:40:58,159 They had made some rough sketches, and eventually, 566 00:40:58,239 --> 00:41:00,519 they were able to go back—but not until 1919. 567 00:41:00,599 --> 00:41:04,519 And why was there all this concern about the Madonnas 568 00:41:04,599 --> 00:41:05,599 or what they wanted to do? 569 00:41:05,679 --> 00:41:07,400 Simply because after the war, 570 00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:09,438 with all the horrors that had taken place, 571 00:41:09,480 --> 00:41:11,679 religion took on an even greater significance. 572 00:41:11,760 --> 00:41:16,360 They went back in 1919, but Jean-Estéril Charlet-Stratton had died in the war. 573 00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:18,000 So, he was never able to return. 574 00:41:18,079 --> 00:41:22,239 And it was the Ravanel family, my family, who took the lead 575 00:41:22,320 --> 00:41:23,320 on the matter, found the Madonna, 576 00:41:23,400 --> 00:41:25,159 and brought it up, and so on. 577 00:41:30,840 --> 00:41:34,840 [dramatic music] 578 00:42:12,039 --> 00:42:13,199 Woohoo! 579 00:42:14,079 --> 00:42:15,800 Bloody hell, that feels good. 580 00:42:16,320 --> 00:42:17,360 So cool! 581 00:42:18,480 --> 00:42:19,599 Well done, my Guigui! 582 00:42:30,480 --> 00:42:31,559 What do you think? 583 00:42:31,639 --> 00:42:35,239 Look at her, how beautiful she is. 584 00:42:35,320 --> 00:42:37,000 We can go down as far as there. 585 00:42:37,079 --> 00:42:39,440 You can see where she’s looking. 586 00:42:39,519 --> 00:42:41,920 She’s definitely looking towards the valley. Look at that. 587 00:42:42,000 --> 00:42:45,199 She’s been struck by lightning countless times. 588 00:42:45,280 --> 00:42:48,360 It was quite an emotional moment. 589 00:42:48,440 --> 00:42:51,079 We’re nearing the end of our journey. 590 00:42:51,159 --> 00:42:54,119 We’re exhausted, but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. 591 00:42:54,199 --> 00:42:57,679 Having grown up with this mountain in front of me, 592 00:42:57,760 --> 00:43:02,199 I always thought it was hard to reach, so naturally, I had never been up there. 593 00:43:02,320 --> 00:43:03,239 So cool. 594 00:43:03,360 --> 00:43:04,599 Do you know this mountain? 595 00:43:04,679 --> 00:43:06,079 Yeah, bloody hell. 596 00:43:06,400 --> 00:43:09,519 The mountain of my childhood, always in sight. 597 00:43:09,599 --> 00:43:13,599 Always there on the way to Cham, straight along the Tines road, just turning my head. 598 00:43:13,679 --> 00:43:17,039 Bloody hell, being up here at the summit— This feels amazing. 599 00:43:17,119 --> 00:43:19,440 It really means something. Yeah, absolutely. 600 00:43:19,519 --> 00:43:20,960 First time on the Drus for both of us. 601 00:43:21,039 --> 00:43:22,079 Yeah. 602 00:43:22,159 --> 00:43:24,239 So classy. So classy, Lulu. 603 00:43:25,639 --> 00:43:29,639 [gentle music] 604 00:43:34,519 --> 00:43:36,400 We can’t find the abseil anchors. 605 00:43:36,480 --> 00:43:40,440 So it takes us, I’d say, probably at least two hours of going 606 00:43:40,519 --> 00:43:43,480 back and forth, down, up again. 607 00:43:43,559 --> 00:43:46,557 In the end, thank god for technology—because 608 00:43:46,599 --> 00:43:49,599 back in the day, I imagine those old-school 609 00:43:49,679 --> 00:43:53,599 guides and alpinists didn’t have FaceTime, so they couldn’t exactly 610 00:43:53,679 --> 00:43:56,079 use their joker and call a friend. 611 00:43:56,159 --> 00:43:57,480 And we used it. 612 00:43:57,559 --> 00:43:59,519 We called the person who opened the abseil line. 613 00:43:59,599 --> 00:44:03,199 We rang different guide friends who had been there before. 614 00:44:03,280 --> 00:44:07,800 And thanks to that, we managed to find the first anchor. 615 00:44:07,880 --> 00:44:12,119 The entire "Compagnie des Guides" was built on this—on solidarity, 616 00:44:12,199 --> 00:44:17,000 on sharing knowledge, and on these values. 617 00:44:17,079 --> 00:44:20,239 And this sense of protection continued even after the war. 618 00:44:20,320 --> 00:44:21,800 Back then, 619 00:44:21,880 --> 00:44:26,719 the person in charge of the "Bureau des Guides" on Sundays, when there were no climbs, 620 00:44:26,800 --> 00:44:30,039 no expeditions, was responsible for checking 621 00:44:30,119 --> 00:44:33,519 that everyone wasn’t off to the mountains but was actually attending mass. 622 00:44:33,599 --> 00:44:35,559 And there was a fine if you didn’t go to mass. 623 00:44:35,639 --> 00:44:40,079 The "Compagnie des Guides" funded a chaplain to hold an early mass 624 00:44:40,159 --> 00:44:43,719 so that the guides could still head into the mountains afterward. 625 00:44:43,880 --> 00:44:46,599 Within the "Compagnie des Guides", it’s an association. 626 00:44:46,679 --> 00:44:51,280 Normally, an association is apolitical and secular. 627 00:44:51,360 --> 00:44:56,079 These are the basic principles outlined in the statutes of any association. 628 00:44:56,159 --> 00:44:58,480 And yet, we celebrate the 15th of August. 629 00:44:58,559 --> 00:45:05,639 For over 100 years, the "Fête des Guides" has been held on the 15th of August, 630 00:45:05,719 --> 00:45:10,079 in connection with the Assumption of the Virgin Mary ascending to heaven. 631 00:45:10,159 --> 00:45:12,159 Because we, too, climb to the summits of mountains. 632 00:45:12,239 --> 00:45:17,360 If, in 1924, the 15th of August was chosen, it was because it was a public holiday. 633 00:45:17,440 --> 00:45:20,559 And being a public holiday, the clients 634 00:45:20,639 --> 00:45:24,800 at that time decided to say: 635 00:45:24,880 --> 00:45:29,719 “We will pay for our guide’s day to support the rescue fund, 636 00:45:29,800 --> 00:45:32,119 and our guide will spend the day with us in the valley.” 637 00:45:33,679 --> 00:45:37,878 The guides were also heavily involved in putting up 638 00:45:37,920 --> 00:45:43,159 we’re just below the Drus - putting the Madonna up on the Drus, at a time when 639 00:45:43,280 --> 00:45:47,480 people were far more religious and could also seek 640 00:45:47,559 --> 00:45:49,960 the Virgin’s protection. 641 00:45:59,280 --> 00:46:03,280 [gentle music] 642 00:46:08,639 --> 00:46:12,480 A little souvenir from the Drus, searching for the abseil anchors in the snow. 643 00:46:12,559 --> 00:46:14,159 By the evening, we were wrecked. 644 00:46:14,239 --> 00:46:17,639 By the evening, bloody hell, I was shattered. 645 00:46:18,800 --> 00:46:23,840 Lucien told me: "We’re waking up at 2 a.m., there’s no other option." 646 00:46:23,920 --> 00:46:27,000 Here we go, a little soup, 647 00:46:27,079 --> 00:46:28,679 a little "foot soup". 648 00:46:37,679 --> 00:46:40,880 This morning is tough. 649 00:46:42,719 --> 00:46:45,920 But it’s the last morning—in theory. 650 00:46:46,639 --> 00:46:49,440 After this, Lucien, I don’t want to hear about it anymore. 651 00:46:50,639 --> 00:46:53,599 I won’t call you again. You’re not my mate anymore. 652 00:46:53,679 --> 00:46:55,639 We’ll need to take a little holiday. 653 00:46:58,039 --> 00:47:01,280 Off we go for the final one, heading towards the Grépon. 654 00:47:02,039 --> 00:47:04,920 In a few hours, we should be at the summit. 655 00:47:05,199 --> 00:47:09,599 We’re hoping to take off in the sunshine over the Nantillons and land in Cham. 656 00:47:09,679 --> 00:47:12,199 That would be absolutely incredible. 657 00:47:27,199 --> 00:47:28,599 When you know a bit about the history 658 00:47:28,679 --> 00:47:30,760 of the Ravanel brothers climbing up here, 659 00:47:30,840 --> 00:47:36,480 you picture those images from the 1920s, seeing them climb up 660 00:47:36,559 --> 00:47:39,960 in their tricounis, carrying that statue, which must have weighed 40 or 50 kilos. 661 00:47:40,039 --> 00:47:42,599 It was an expedition, a real journey. 662 00:47:42,679 --> 00:47:44,199 They set off from Chamonix. 663 00:47:44,280 --> 00:47:47,800 Up to the Plan de l’Aiguille, the Madonna was carried on a mule. 664 00:47:47,880 --> 00:47:49,639 She was transported, but after that, no. 665 00:48:13,679 --> 00:48:16,519 I remember sometimes letting 666 00:48:16,599 --> 00:48:18,400 Lucien go ahead and telling myself: 667 00:48:18,480 --> 00:48:19,840 Let the rope out, let the rope out. 668 00:48:19,920 --> 00:48:21,400 And I was just sitting there, 669 00:48:21,480 --> 00:48:22,920 and my eyes were closing. 670 00:48:33,400 --> 00:48:35,280 We know how fascinating the Madonna 671 00:48:35,360 --> 00:48:38,519 of Grépon is, 672 00:48:38,599 --> 00:48:41,239 and how you want to reach her because she is also the last one. 673 00:48:41,320 --> 00:48:44,199 It's almost the only one that isn't a miraculous Madonna, that isn't 674 00:48:44,280 --> 00:48:47,320 an Our Lady of Lourdes, but is Our Lady of La Salette, 675 00:48:47,400 --> 00:48:48,760 the Madonna who weeps and forgives. 676 00:48:48,840 --> 00:48:52,679 And it’s true, she has that sad face, with that little tear at the corner 677 00:48:52,760 --> 00:48:55,760 of her eye, with her crown of roses. 678 00:48:56,039 --> 00:48:57,880 She moves me deeply. 679 00:48:57,960 --> 00:48:59,719 Look at her, mate. 680 00:49:00,880 --> 00:49:01,760 Thanks for the journey. 681 00:49:01,840 --> 00:49:03,599 Thanks to you, mate. 682 00:49:03,760 --> 00:49:04,920 Top. 683 00:49:08,840 --> 00:49:11,480 She’s beautiful. 684 00:49:13,199 --> 00:49:16,119 That’s the one that would have Gone through your place. 685 00:49:17,480 --> 00:49:18,840 That’s incredible. 686 00:49:19,880 --> 00:49:23,079 She’s the queen of the Madonnas, with the crown. 687 00:49:26,440 --> 00:49:28,800 We take the time, for once, to be a little 688 00:49:28,880 --> 00:49:30,039 more contemplative. 689 00:49:30,119 --> 00:49:34,679 Contemplation, introspection about our project, about what we have achieved. 690 00:49:34,760 --> 00:49:36,639 We are finishing our journey, yet 691 00:49:36,719 --> 00:49:39,239 we are already nostalgic for what we have experienced. 692 00:49:51,920 --> 00:49:53,440 [gentle music] 693 00:49:53,599 --> 00:49:55,039 Goodbye, Madonna. 694 00:49:55,119 --> 00:49:56,920 These Madonnas are our heritage. 695 00:49:57,000 --> 00:49:59,239 Whether we like them or not. 696 00:49:59,320 --> 00:50:02,599 Whether the symbol they represent has value in our eyes or not. 697 00:50:02,679 --> 00:50:04,280 In the end, they still represent so much 698 00:50:04,360 --> 00:50:05,599 in the history of mountaineering. 699 00:50:35,000 --> 00:50:36,639 To live is not 700 00:50:36,719 --> 00:50:38,960 the same as merely existing. 701 00:50:39,039 --> 00:50:42,800 Living can be done quietly, within one's comfort zone, 702 00:50:42,880 --> 00:50:44,760 as some would say. 703 00:50:44,840 --> 00:50:49,199 But existing means venturing beyond oneself, 704 00:50:49,280 --> 00:50:51,239 into different conditions. 705 00:50:51,320 --> 00:50:53,960 Putting oneself—I don’t like saying this— Putting oneself in danger? No. 706 00:50:54,039 --> 00:50:58,960 It’s about going out, exploring— not to seek danger, 707 00:50:59,039 --> 00:51:03,199 but to seek new sensations, perhaps limits, 708 00:51:03,280 --> 00:51:04,519 perhaps revelations, perhaps 709 00:51:04,599 --> 00:51:07,719 answers to the questions we ask ourselves. 710 00:51:14,119 --> 00:51:18,119 [gentle music] 711 00:51:18,960 --> 00:51:21,599 In memory of Luciano Mareliati. Mountain guide and history enthusiast.