{"id":295682,"date":"2025-04-14T13:01:24","date_gmt":"2025-04-14T11:01:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/benjamin-vedrines-et-leo-billon-enchainent-la-trilogie-des-faces-nord-eiger-cervin-jorasses\/"},"modified":"2025-08-29T15:50:53","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T13:50:53","slug":"benjamin-vedrines-leo-billon-eiger-matterhorn-jorasses-north-face-trilogy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/benjamin-vedrines-leo-billon-eiger-matterhorn-jorasses-north-face-trilogy\/","title":{"rendered":"Benjamin V\u00e9drines and L\u00e9o Billon complete the Eiger-Matterhorn-Jorasses north faces trilogy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.22.1″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”4px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”11px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ header_font=”|on|||” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” text_orientation=”center” module_alignment=”center” header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”16px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_2_font_size_tablet=”” header_2_font_size_phone=”20px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” text_orientation_tablet=”center” text_orientation_phone=”left” text_orientation_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}”]

When the most efficient rope party in the Alps passes by, the north faces bend over! In just six days, L\u00e9o Billon and Benjamin V\u00e9drines roped together the three legendary north faces of the Alps : the Eiger (Heckmair route, in 4h10), the Matterhorn (Schmid route, in 5h40) and the Grandes Jorasses (Colton-McIntyre route, in 4h20). Inspired, he says, by Kilian Jornet, Benjamin V\u00e9drines allowed himself the luxury of completing this sequence by fair means, cycling the links – and paragliding the descents. Benjamin tells us all about his adventure!<\/strong><\/h2>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.22.1″ custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”1px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.22.1″ max_width=”800px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]

T<\/span>he trilogy? \u201cA rare adventure to pull off, you need all the right conditions, the weather, your friends…<\/em>\u201d says Benjamin V\u00e9drines, answering the phone between two paragliding jumps ! The trilogy is a specialty for L\u00e9o Billon and Benjamin V\u00e9drines, who in 2022 signed their own reinvention of the North Face trilogy<\/a> : at the time, in one winter, they successfully completed the three \u201cdirectissimes\u201d of the North Face with S\u00e9bastien Ratel : the Harlin route on the Eiger, the Directe de l’Amiti\u00e9 on the Jorasses and the Gogna-Cerruti on the Matterhorn.<\/p>\n

The winter of 2024 saw them inaugurate an original and very difficult Chamonix trilogy : Drus, Droites, Jorasses, in three days, an \u201cachievement\u201d at the time for Benjamin V\u00e9drines. But since then, the Diois high school team has continued to cut its teeth at the very highest level, whether in the Himalayas, where Benjamin climbed K2 in 11 hours last summer<\/a>, or in the Alps in winter, with L\u00e9o Billon pushing the dry tooling boundaries at Pr\u00e9 de Bar, or Benjamin soloing the hardest route on the Drus<\/a>. So yes, there was the Jannu expedition<\/a>, a U-turn after L\u00e9o felt ill. But the Billon-V\u00e9drines team has seen it all before. And they got back together once again, but at the last minute !<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width_tablet=”” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|phone” max_width=”600px” max_width_tablet=”” max_width_phone=”300px” max_width_last_edited=”on|phone” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_divider color=”#000000″ _builder_version=”4.24.2″ min_height=”1px” custom_margin=”||-10px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||-10px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”||-10px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||0px|||” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”18px” link_font=”||||||||” link_text_color=”#edb72f” custom_padding=”0px|||||” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Read also<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Success at the Matterhorn for french climbers Billon, Ratel & V\u00e9drines<\/a><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”1200px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-0107.jpg” title_text=”billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-0107″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

The Eiger, first step. \u00a9Coll. Billon\/V\u00e9drines\/Degrenelle<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-0160.jpg” title_text=”billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-0160″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

The Eiger, L\u00e9o Billon in action. \u00a9Coll. Billon\/V\u00e9drines\/Degrenelle<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”800px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”0|0px||0px|false|false” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]

\u201cIn fact, I was thinking of doing a traverse elsewhere with Nicolas Jean, but the skiing conditions weren’t right. So, at the last minute, I suggested this sequence to L\u00e9o Billon, the classic trilogy of north faces, all of which seemed to be in good condition!<\/em>\u201d says Benjamin V\u00e9drines.<\/p>\n

It all began in Grindelwald on April 6. The objective : the Eiger, 3970 meters, its mythical north face, and the Heckmair route, opened in 1938 to two roped parties. The last of the great north faces of the Alps to be conquered, the Eiger was for a long time an impassable wall. Here, Benjamin and L\u00e9o rediscover the thread of this vertical history, in dry and demanding conditions. It took them just 4 hours 10 minutes, overtaking no less than eight roped parties !<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could have taken less than 3h30 without the other climbers, but the atmosphere was great,\u201d says Benjamin. \u201cI’m still impressed by Ueli Steck’s record on this same Heckmair route<\/em>\u201d (2h22 in 2015, which he took from Dani Arnold, 2h28 in 2011).<\/p>\n

Then comes the Matterhorn, 4478 meters, from Zermatt. The Schmid route, opened by the brothers of the same name in 1931, marks an era of maximum commitment. And the Schmid brothers had also come from Munich by bike ! As with the Heckmair route, neither L\u00e9o nor Benjamin knew the route, which took them 5 hours and 40 minutes to complete.<\/p>\n

The next day, while L\u00e9o made the journey by car, \u201cbecause he wanted to stick to his climbing training<\/em>\u201d, Benjamin explained, he cycled 120 kilometers to Chamonix from Visp. The afternoon is devoted to the ascent to Montenvers, where the two friends pitch their tents.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”1200px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-0469.jpg” title_text=”billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-0469″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Matterhorn, L\u00e9o Billon in action. \u00a9Coll. Billon\/V\u00e9drines\/Degrenelle<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-.jpg” title_text=”billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-” show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Matterhorn, at H\u00f6rnli. \u00a9Coll. Billon\/V\u00e9drines\/Degrenelle<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”800px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”0|0px||0px|false|false” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]

The next day, with a departure from Montenvers extending the approach somewhat, L\u00e9o and Benjamin got up at 3.30 a.m. and reached the rimaye 2.30 hours later. \u201cWe’ve saved some energy for what’s to come<\/em>,\u201d says V\u00e9drines, who was still nursing a hamstring injury not so long ago. \u201cI’m still not fully recovered, but I’ve got my doctor’s approval<\/em>,\u201d he half-jokes. The team climbs the Colton-McIntyre gullies in 4 hours 20 minutes. There they met only one other team.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”-1px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_testimonial quote_icon_color=”#000000″ quote_icon_background_color=”#ffffff” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ body_font=”Oswald|700||on|||||” body_text_align=”center” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”30″ use_background_color=”off” custom_margin=”||||false|false” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

The north face of the Jorasses from Montenvers, the Billon-V\u00e9drines method<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_testimonial][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width_tablet=”” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|phone” max_width=”600px” max_width_tablet=”” max_width_phone=”300px” max_width_last_edited=”on|phone” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_divider color=”#000000″ _builder_version=”4.24.2″ min_height=”1px” custom_margin=”||-10px||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”||-10px||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”||-10px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||0px|||” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”18px” link_font=”||||||||” link_text_color=”#edb72f” custom_padding=”0px|||||” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Read again<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Benjamin V\u00e9drines breaks the K2 ascent record, reaching the summit in 11 hours without oxygen<\/a><\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”1200px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-0366.jpg” title_text=”billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-0366″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

V\u00e9drines makes the connections by bike\u00a0\u00a9Coll. V\u00e9drines\/Degrenelle<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-4.jpg” title_text=”billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie–4″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

At the foot of the Jorasses \u00a9Coll. V\u00e9drines\/Degrenelle<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ _builder_version=”4.22.1″ width=”100%” max_width=”1200px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-0647.jpg” title_text=”billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-0647″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Grandes Jorasses, L\u00e9o in action.
\u00a9Coll. V\u00e9drines\/Degrenelle<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-48.jpg” title_text=”billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-48″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Grandes Jorasses, Benjamin in action.
\u00a9Coll. V\u00e9drines\/Degrenelle<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”800px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”0|0px||0px|false|false” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Jorasses, the highlight<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Here too, Benjamin V\u00e9drines had a thought for Ueli Steck, who folded the McIntyre chutes in a record time of 2h21 in 2008. \u201cI’m really tempted by this kind of solo in the Jorasses. And even doing the trilogy solo too<\/em>,\u201d confesses Benjamin V\u00e9drines. \u201cIn the end, what we’ve done, it’s a form of recognition of the field<\/em> \u201d he laughs.<\/p>\n

After all, the trilogy is a myth on which other soloists have written their names : Ivano Ghirardini was the first to do it solo in 1978. The next person to come to mind is Christophe Profit, with his famous winter trilogy of March 1987, in which he completed the three north faces in 42 hours (including helicopter links). As for V\u00e9drines, he says he was \u201cinspired by Klian Jornet’s 82 4000 meters<\/em>\u201d last summer, which Kilian reached by bike or on foot, without motorized means.<\/p>\n

The ascent of Les Jorasses is going well, but three hundred meters below the summit Benjamin has \u201ca bout of tiredness<\/em>\u201d due to a cold he’s had since the beginning of the week. But the team reached the summit of the Jorasses without a hitch, with L\u00e9o \u201csuper stressed\u201d at the idea of taking off in a paraglider. And with good reason : \u201che hadn’t really flown for four years!<\/em>\u201d explains Benjamin. \u201cWe prepared the flight together, and then he took off running, because without wind we had to run<\/em>,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”-1px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_testimonial quote_icon_color=”#000000″ quote_icon_background_color=”#ffffff” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ body_font=”Oswald|700||on|||||” body_text_align=”center” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”30″ use_background_color=”off” custom_margin=”||||false|false” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

I’m really tempted by this kind of solo in the Jorasses. I could even do the trilogy solo. Benjamin V\u00e9drines<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_testimonial][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ _builder_version=”4.22.1″ width=”100%” max_width=”1200px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-02.jpg” title_text=”billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-02″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Grandes Jorasses, Benjamin in action.
\u00a9Coll. V\u00e9drines\/Degrenelle<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-30.jpg” title_text=”billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-30″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Flight from the Grandes Jorasses, Benjamin and L\u00e9o.
\u00a9Coll. V\u00e9drines\/Degrenelle<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ _builder_version=”4.22.1″ width=”100%” max_width=”1200px” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-0195.jpg” title_text=”billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-0195″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

L\u00e9o Billon and Benjamin V\u00e9drines
\u00a9Coll. V\u00e9drines\/Degrenelle<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/alpinemag.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-26.jpg” title_text=”billon_vedrines_degrenelle_trilogie-26″ show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ width=”100%” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font=”Merriweather|900|||||||” text_font_size=”16″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” border_style=”solid” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

\u00a9Coll. V\u00e9drines\/Degrenelle<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”800px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”0|0px||0px|false|false” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]

This project is also a story of friendship : that of two high-school students who have become rope-mates and who, year after year, try to reinvent their practice. It’s also the story of a generation, in which we see mountaineering evolve without denying its foundations. It’s all about climbing the great north faces, but with a sober, sporting approach that remains faithful to a human vision of the mountains. \u201cMountaineering in the Alps is not dead. It just needs a little imagination, passion, and the courage to create its own path<\/em>,\u201d says Benjamin V\u00e9drines. For him, \u201cthis trilogy is not a story of ultra-performance, but a human adventure<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”-1px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_testimonial quote_icon_color=”#000000″ quote_icon_background_color=”#ffffff” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ body_font=”Oswald|700||on|||||” body_text_align=”center” body_text_color=”#000000″ body_font_size=”30″ use_background_color=”off” custom_margin=”||||false|false” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Not a story of ultra-performance, but a human adventure<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_testimonial][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ max_width=”800px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”0|0px||0px|false|false” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”800″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]

Benjamin adds: \u201cThe night before the Eiger, we were singing outside at 10 p.m. Climbing with ease makes it easier to concentrate on something other than performance.<\/em>\u201d He emphasizes the \u201cfriendship and fluidity<\/em>\u201d with L\u00e9o during these three climbs, which involved a mix of tight rope, micro-traxions (protection for belaying in motion) and a few belays. A \u201crelaxed<\/em>\u201d approach that only the sharpest rope team in the Alps can afford.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When the most efficient rope party in the Alps passes by, the north faces bend…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":295683,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10,20],"tags":[307,783,230,317],"class_list":["post-295682","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alps","category-mountaineering","tag-benjamin-vedrines","tag-leo-billon-2","tag-mountaineering","tag-the-north-face"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295682","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=295682"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295682\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":295916,"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/295682\/revisions\/295916"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/295683"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=295682"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=295682"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alpinemag.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=295682"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}