DAMOCLES

An underground ice-climb realized during the winter of 1999, in the Vercors region of France.  It is in fact a shaft destined for exploration by speleologists.

In 1997, Jean-Christophe was climbing in the Dévoluy (in the Hautes Alps region), a magical underground location, well furnished with ice and which strangely resembled the inside of an oyster (see photo).

Two years later, we decided to explore a different shaft, also in the Vercors, in order to relive a new underground experience.   The climbing here, which is strange and very beautiful at the time, was very much to Jean-Christophe's liking.  His climb, however, was intense and on certain sections very intense. The ice conditions were far less favourable than those of 1997 in the Dévoluy.  The shaft offered us two sections; the first was not very difficult to climb and very rich in ice, the second was the complete opposite.  Jean-Christophe climbed a very steep 40 metre wall covered in a very fine layer of ice of approximately one centimetre thick.  The photographer, cameraman and myself were holding our breaths while watching Jean-Christophe on this ephemeral and very aesthetic climb.

Engaging in this type of experience is to explore, to climb using different methods, to adapt and to transpose oneself in places where this type of activity is perhaps quite unusual, which gives it its originality.

Happy travels in our picture gallery, where the photos speak for themselves.

Katia Lafaille

Ref: film produced by FR3 Montagnes during this underground voyage. Length: 7 minutes, "Rêves de Glace" (Ice Dreams).