At the beginning : Notre Dame de la Gorge (Contamines-Montjoie)
First break at Tré-la-Tête's hotel
The ladders before the refuge of Conscrits
Second day : 29 juillet 2006
At dawn on the Mont Tondu just after the refuge of Conscrits
The last slopes before reaching the Berangere's peak
View over the first dome of Miage from the Berangere. In the background, the Mont Blanc.
View from the Berangere's summit. The valley wakes up slowly...
First break and snack for Eric
Pierre-François and Eric arrive on the first dome illuminated by the sun
Sylvain, just before the first dome's summit
Pierre-François and Eric, at the summit of the first dome de Miage
Then Sylvain...
View over the second dome. In the background, Bionnassay's peak and the dome of Goûter
Sylvain, at the top of the second dome
And then me...
A classic view of Miage, but so magical !
Some mountaineers arrive at the pass (Col des Dômes)
As we go down the third dome ...
We finish the crossing with the fourth dome of Miage. In the background, the Mont Blanc
Short break in recent snow at the top of the fourth dome
From the fourth dome, view over the three first
Just before going down to the refuge Durier
Sylvain finishes this way down in dangerous rock
The refuge Durier waits on us...
And there is even recent snow here !
The helicopter dives suddenly into the valley after the supply duty
We wait on the soup, lost in our thinkings
Third day : 30 juillet 2006
At dawn, the last slope of snow before the summit of Bionnassay's peak
Once a few steps, and Eric comes out onto the ridge !!!
That's done : Eric at the top of Bionnassay's peak
And then Sylvain and me !
The ridge at the top of Bionnassay's peak ans the famous cornice (which still existed in 2006). In the background, the Mont-Blanc is already illuminated by the sun
The aiguille du Goûter is so dry...
View over the domes of Miage from Bionnassay's peak
Sylvain astride the ridge
And in the other direction with the Aravis in the background
The Houches' pistes are still in the shadow
A last photo at the top of Bionnassay's peak
Sylvain gets up : it is time to go on because the day is not finished yet !
Eric et Pierre-François on the cornice
It was a huge cornice !
The rock just after the ridge
Pierre-François and Eric climb the Piton des Italiens
Sylvain gains height...
It is soon the pass of the Dôme du Goûter and the intersection of our alternative route with the normal route
And we go away from Bionnassay's ridge...
The Mont Blanc reveals us all his spendour !
The refuge Vallot : we have just 500m to climb in order to reach the Mont-Blanc...
Pierre-François on top form for his first Mont Blanc. In the background, the Mont Maudit
The oxygen becomes progressively rare, and we are short of breath...
...and the slope of the Bosses' ridge is so hard !
It is now the refuge Vallot which seems small
But the seracs' thickness here is always so impressive!
We are soon at the top !
And the footprints show that we are not the first to reach the summit...
Seracs on the Grand Plateau, and Chamonix's valley in the background
The Bosses...
A last effort, we are almost arrived. Have courage, Sylvain !
The slope becomes softer, but the ridge looks never-ending !
That's done : Sylvain is at the top of the Mont-Blanc
Courmayeur's Mont-Blanc and Italy
Eric and me at the top
All the team (Sylvain, me, Eric and Pierre-François) at the Mont Blanc's top
We have to go down to the Col de Brenva
Midi's peak below us
A last glance towards the summit...
And a worth rest at the col du Midi : what a beautiful crossing !
There are a lot of tents here !
