July 2023. I'm about to return to the Dents du MidiThe Haute Cime, an emblematic massif in the Valais Alps. 9 years ago, I took the normal route to the Haute Cime, at an altitude of 3257 meters. After bivouacking overnight at summit, I remember admiring the sunrise over one of the most beautiful panoramas in the Alps. For Dents du Midi occupies a unique position in the heart of the Alps. A landmark on the horizon, they offer a breathtaking view of the mountains, from the Écrins to bernese alps. But today, the stakes are quite different. Hiking gave way to climbing, and the winding paths to the verticality of the rock faces. Accompanied by my guide, Johann Filliez, I climb Haute Cime, the highest summit in the massif, via the Sélaire ridge. Taking shape on its northern slope, it culminates above Champéry and dominates the Val d'Illiez.
L'arête de Sélaire | A little-known route in the Valais Alps
It all started after our ascent of the Rimpfischhorn a few weeks earlier. Seeing how enthusiastic I'd been about the traverse, Johann told me about a new route, ideal for training us to climb the Matterhorn later on via the Zmutt ridge. An adventure that would take us to summit des Dents du Midi, where we'd meet the Haute Cime on a wild, little-traveled ridge. Together, we would cross the "stellar ridge". Those words still resonate with me. Hearing his name, my heart leapt. What a fascinating project! A ridge with the name of a star, a galaxy. A ridge coming from the sky to take us to the summit of the Alps. A ridge that would lift me beyond the world and myself. This was what I had always dreamed of! I was overjoyed.
Back home, I set out to find out more about this unfamiliar ridge. What did it really look like? Did its rock glint in the sunlight enough to be called such? Was it so vertical that climbing it was the domain of the gods? Until the words "Sélaire ridge" appeared on my screen. The fall was brutal. From celestial heights, I was back on earth. I had misunderstood what Johann had told me and my imagination had done the rest. Once the surprise was over, I took the time to observe this mysterious ridge. And the more I discovered, the more I wanted to do this incredible race. Deep down, I knew I had a rendezvous with the Haute Cime des Dents du Midi and its Sélaire ridge.
La Haute Cime des Dents du Midi | From Signal de Soi to the foot of the mountain
5 o'clock in the morning. The big day has arrived. I meet Johann at Signal de Soi, at 2000 m altitude. Our approach hike takes us through some superb scenery. I discover the beauty of Lac de Soi at sunrise. I'd never had the opportunity to stand like this at the foot of Dents du Midi. Because when I photograph the massif, I place myself at a distance so as to capture all the power and scale of its summits.
We then leave the path and return to the mountain. Beneath the northern slope of Haute Cime, we continue along the scree. I'm surprised to see the last remnants of the Soi glacier. I thought it had disappeared. But its ice, buried beneath the rocks, seems to be preserved for some time to come. As dawn breaks, under a sky still filled with stars, we reach the foot of the Sélaire ridge. Faced with the gigantic and striking Haute Cime, I feel its grandeur permeate my soul. When I turn from photographer to mountaineer, the mountain offers me a different facet of itself. I feel its presence differently, I forge a different bond with it. And our encounter opens the way to new perspectives.
We imagine monolithic, unchanging mountains, carved by a superior force from a single piece of rock. But the reality is quite different. The Haute Cime, like many summits alpine peaks, seems to be falling into ruin. Like a pile of rocks erected by a playful giant. I wonder how these rocks hold up. With every hold, you fear you'll feel the wall give way. I've never climbed a mountain so crumbling. Its white and pearl-grey limestone blocks seem crumpled by time. Where will this climb take us? And now I find myself anticipating the rest of the journey! Even though we haven't even begun the climb. Exasperated by this habit I'm finding hard to break, I decide to make a pact with myself: from now on, I'm going to make the most of the present moment! One step at a time, I move forward, leaving my doubts behind me. The climb will take as long as it takes, but I love Dents du Midi too much not to savor every moment of our encounter.
Ascent of the Sélaire ridge | Over 3000 meters in the Alps
Now I'm ready to tackle the 850-metre ascent to summit de la Haute Cime! As we attack the Sélaire ridge, we watch the first rays of sunlight illuminate the Dents du Midi ridges. But we know that the north side of the mountain will remain in shadow. And despite the approaching heatwave, I have to cover up at times, as it's so cool in the shelter of the rocks. How must it feel to climb the north faces of the Eiger, the Matterhorn or the Grandes Jorasses, at over 4,000 metres in cool weather? Fighting the cold for hours on end, they're already taking on the challenge of tackling the most impassable peaks.
The further along the ridge we go, the more the other summits Dents du Midi emerge above us. It's as if they're watching us from their pedestals. Gradually, the ridge straightens out and the limestone takes on russet hues. We're now treading the Morcles nappe. It's a strange sensation to walk along the mountain like you're going back in time! To be in contact with rock born millions of years ago from a brutal collision between continents. As we walk, nature reveals the dizzying, fantastic history of the Alps that inspire me so much.
The slope is strewn with flowers. As if to welcome us, as if to support us in our ascent. Life is present at every moment and nature sings to encourage us. Whereas at over 4,000 metres, rock and ice are the only protagonists in a world of silence, at 3,000 metres, vegetation covers the rocks. And that makes me happy. But I have to stay focused, because the rock is crumbly and so unstable. Every hold has to be tested, because at any moment, it could get stuck in your hand, causing you to fall. But the route is well equipped and there are plenty of spits to secure us, fixed to the few resistant boulders on the ridge.
I must admit I'm proud to be doing this climb, as it's rated D on the Alpine scale, which means it's difficult. After my ascent of the Weisshorn, it's the second traverse of this level that I've tackled, without finding it too perilous. The more experience I gain, the better I get. With each ascent, I feel more at ease in the mountains, and I now see the possibility of even more demanding projects. Doors are opening, ideas are germinating, and adventures I'd never have thought possible are gradually taking shape within me. Perched on this austere face of the Haute Cime, I turn around to admire the beauty of the Val d'Illiez, resplendent in the morning sun. Pre-Alps, pastures and herds: life flows on below. And the Alps around us stretch on forever, like my wildest dreams. The higher we climb, the more I can contemplate all these mountains, whose summits I've been climbing for the past 15 years. With my gaze immersed in the warm hues of nature's sumptuous beauty, my mind is set free. From the blue of the sky to the green of the valleys, from the dark rock to the white of the glaciers.
Traversée de la Cheminée | Passage clé vers le summit de la Haute Cime
When suddenly comes the key passage. The obstacle that every mountain puts in our way to force us to surpass ourselves. And to constantly remind us that it reigns supreme over the heights. We think about it, we wait for it, and our hearts tighten when we see it. The famous chimney on the Sélaire ridge looms on the horizon. We take a short break before tackling its vertical walls. The massif above us cuts the horizon with its sharp peaks when the sun manages to squeeze between two of its summits. By transmitting a little of its warmth to us, it seems to urge us to overcome our difficulties. From shadow to light for a few moments, I realize how the sun is the source of all life.
Then it's time for us to plunge back into the shadows, onto this jagged rock, this crumbling ridge. The wall holds up well because it's so little used. That's the advantage of undiscovered routes. At the foot of the chimney, we're about to take our hardest climbing steps of the traverse. Three spits lie on the ground. The blocks to which they were attached must have collapsed. The mountain is moving, its stone crumbling. Johann, who climbed the Sélaire ridge two years ago, now finds it very different. Colder and more elusive. Behind us, the panorama is exceptional. A few clouds criss-cross the sky, as if to let us know that for a few hours we belong to this other world. I'm irresistibly drawn to this realm of high mountains. And I realize just how far we've come, and just how vertical a wall we're standing on.
The chimney lives up to its name. Rock fragments give way to thicker but equally unstable slabs. And in the face of all this chaos, I wonder what the center of the mountain looks like. Does the Haute Cime have a hard or crumbly core? And what will Dents du Midi look like thousands of years from now? What will be left of this massif I love so much if it disintegrates more and more each day? Only the hardest rocks will remain," answers Johann. The inevitable erosion of nature and time.
Despite the difficulties, I enjoy climbing the summit chimney. I've always been more comfortable walking in snow than climbing rock. But the Haute Cime encourages me to improve my mountaineering technique so that I can achieve new goals. And all winter long, I've made up my mind to train so that next year I can return to the mountains more serene. Because to experience such ascents to the full, you have to be prepared.
Au summit des Dents du Midi | The heart of the Valais Alps
After redoubling our efforts, we finally managed to extricate ourselves from the chimney. As a reward, Dents du Midi offers us an extraordinary view of the Dent Jaune and the Doigts. What a wonderful feeling to know they're so close! My eyes are entranced by the folds of this massif, which seem to tell me all about its fascinating history. Standing on shavings of sun-reddened rock, I'm plunged into the origins of the world. When the clash of tectonic plates gave rise to the mountains.
We now embark on the final stage of our journey. The emptiness beneath our feet makes us feel small. And from this vertiginous vantage point, I can see the tiny Lac de Soi, a bluish oasis in the immensity of the landscape. 200 metres from summit, we discover its cross. It glistens in the sun, while we remain in the cool shade. Some hikers arriving along the path are enjoying a picnic. Noon arrives and I'm hungry. Crossing the last few meters that separate me from summit, I dream of a well-stuffed sandwich, but I don't have one. I'll have to wait until evening before I'm satisfied. It's with great emotion that I return to the site of my former bivouac and this breathtaking view. Under a radiant sun, the Alps unfold in all their grandeur. Rock and ice merge to offer us a marvellous spectacle.
From summit de la Haute Cime to the foot of Dents du Midi | Descent via the Lacs ridge
After a few minutes' rest at summit de la Haute Cime, we head back down. We take a few steps along the normal route before leaving it to follow the Lacs ridge. We abseil down to the Couloir des Lacs and then climb the Pente des Lacs above Lac d'Antème. The dark, dusty rock contrasts with the white patches of snow that dot the wall. The snow is still hard, and we haven't brought our crampons. So Johann has no choice but to carve out a few steps in the snow so that we can move forward unhindered.
After just under 2 hours of descent, we're back at the foot of the Sélaire ridge. I photograph the mountain as a souvenir of our trip. The Soi glacier to immortalize its fragile existence. The ridge we crossed and the Haute Cime. Now shrouded in clouds, it appears quite solemn. The strata of our ascent pass before our eyes like the stages of a lifetime. Then we reach Lac de Soi. We had left it in the darkness of the early dawn, but now it shines in the sunlight, reflecting the mountain slopes in its waters. Johann and I, happy to find the lake and its greenery, take a few minutes' rest before setting off for home.
Johann was right, this adventure at summit des Dents du Midi was sensational. I never imagined I'd one day climb the Haute Cime via the Sélaire ridge. And I can't wait to get back up there and enjoy the splendid panorama the mountain has to offer. Mountaineering and photography are two different yet complementary practices. As a climber, I have to be quick to avoid falling into the traps set by summits . As a photographer, I contemplate the mountain, and by dint of observing it, I feel its strength deep inside me. Having lived intense moments in contact with it, having spent hours vibrating with it, having immortalized it in its most grandiose light, enriches my mountaineering practice. Just as my climbs in contact with its rock have helped my photographic art evolve. But one thing's for sure: there's nothing more moving than standing on the slopes of a summit that's so dear to you. And I have an immense love for the Dents du Midi massif.
