Acting
Jan 6, 1904
Mirebeau, France
Pierre Allain
Acting
Biography
Pierre Allain, born January 7, 1904 in Mirebeau (Vienne) and died December 19, 2000 in Saint-Martin-d'Uriage (Isère), was a French mountaineer and climber. He is also an inventor of technical innovations in mountaineering. According to the minister and mountaineer Pierre Mazeaud, Pierre Allain is the “first French mountaineer”. Pierre Allain, raised in Paris, discovered mountaineering on vacation in the Alps in the 1920s. In 1930, his friend Robert Latour introduced him to climbing in the forests of Fontainebleau and Chamarande. He therefore joined the Bleau Group (including Marcel Ichac, Pierre Chevalier, Jean Deudon, Raymond Gaché, Alain Le Ray, Jacques Boell, etc.). In 1930, he made his first real mountaineering season in the Alps with Robert Latour. Like the other Parisian mountaineers, he therefore spent the summer season in the Alps and climbed the rest of the year in Fontainebleau. Among his notable ascents: In 1933: first of the south-west ridge of the Aiguille du Fou with Robert Latour. In 1934: first on the south-west ridge of Pic Sans Nom with Jean Vernet and Jean Charignon and first on the south face of La Meije to Glacier Carré with Jean Vernet and Jean Leininger. In 1935: first ascent of the north face of the Petit Dru with Raymond Leininger, then opening of a "directissime" on the south face of La Meije from the Glacier Carré, with Raymond Leininger (end of the route opened in 1934). Also first on the east face of the Dent du Caïman with Raymond Leininger. In 1936: first French expedition to the Himalayas (Karakoram) with his comrades Jean Leininger, Marcel Ichac, Jean Charignon, etc. The assault rope led by Pierre Allain reached 6,850 meters then gave up due to the monsoon storm, 3 weeks ahead of schedule. In 1937: first on the east ridge of the Dent du Crocodile with the brothers Jean Leininger and Raymond Leininger and first on the north-east ridge of the Grands Charmoz with Yves Feutren. In 1938: premiere (without throwing a rope) of Le Doigt de l’Etala at the Petits Charmoz with Jean Leininger. Attempt at the Walker spur at the Grandes Jorasses with Raymond Leininger who will be defeated a few days later by the Italians led by Riccardo Cassin. In 1944 he participated in the Liberation of the Arve Valley from German occupation. Other alpine exploits followed: In 1945: crossing of the Aiguilles de Chamonix from Plan to Grands Charmoz with Guy Poulet. 1946: third ascent of the Walker spur (of the Grandes Jorasses) with Guy Poulet, René Ferlet and Jacques Poincenot. 1947: premiere of the south-west face of the Cardinal with F. Aubert, Auguste Fix and J. Rousseau. Premiere of the west face of Blaitière with Auguste Fix. In 1950: First of the northwest ridge of the Grands Charmoz with Marcel Schatz. A modest man, above all a craftsman, Pierre Allain refuses the presidency of the High Mountain Group (GHM), which brings together the elite of French and even world mountaineering. 1963: Pierre Allain leaves Paris to settle permanently in the Alps, in Uriage in the Dauphiné. He devotes his time to his workshop which manufactures light carabiners, caving ladders, etc. 1984: at the age of 80, he climbs the Boell route at La Dibona, with his son Paul.
Feature Films (8)
Capturing the greatest stories and sends from the year in climbing, the new films of Reel Rock 16 will deliver a joyful dose of inspiration, heart, and humor. The Reel Rock 16 lineup is our biggest release yet, with films starring Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, Alex Johnson, Charles Albert, Pete Whittaker and Tom Randall. FEATURING FOUR WORLD-PREMIERE FILMS Bridge Boys A horizontal big-wall adventure on the longest, most ridiculous crack climb ever attempted. Featuring: Pete Whittaker, Tom Randall Big Things to Come An elite boulderer’s struggle with a project propels her on a decade-long journey of self-discovery. Featuring: Alex Johson Barefoot Charles Meet the opera-singing, cave-dwelling Frenchman who climbs futuristic boulder problems sans chaussons. Featuring: Charles Albert Cuddle A massive link-up of 17 alpine summits pushes a famed climbing duo to the brink - and into each others' arms. Featuring: Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, Adam Stack
Reel Rock 16
Discreet legend of Fontainebleau, Charles Albert, nicknamed Mowgli, continues to push the limits with his barefoot block creations. Climbing without slippers forces him to find original methods, to compensate with the strength of his arms and fingers. "Climbing is not just about a grade", he explains, "We have the possibility of doing what we want, climbing blindfolded, barefoot... All while seeking fluidity in our movements. The only limit to creating new challenges is your imagination.” He very rarely appears in the specialized media, has not made the Olympics or even major international competitions. Yet he is one of the best bouldering climbers in the world. For the record, in January 2019, he was the second in the world to offer a 9a rating for his long-standing project "No Kpotes Only". A year later, his boulder will be downgraded to 8c/+, still remaining one of the most extreme passages on the planet.
Barefoot Charles
L'Appel Des Cimes, directed by Alain Pol, is a documentary commissioned by the CAF and the various French ministries on the practice of post-war mountaineering. In 1946, climbers trained at the Fontainebleau Climbing School. Guy Poulet and Jacques Poincenot try to climb the Aiguilles de Chamonix but fail during the climbing phase. After a night in a refuge with Denise Rouzeau and the guide Pierre Allain, the mountaineers make a new attempt. Successful demonstration for those who continued the approach walk then the passage of the seracs of the glacier. On the rock, the roped party crosses a chimney and a crack to reach the summit and abseil down. Led by high mountain scouts, Guy and Jacques rediscover the glaciers and needles of the Mont-Blanc massif during the next lesson.
The Call Of The Peaks
Television & Series (1)
"The Climbers" is a six-part documentary series tracing the history of mountaineering. Directed by Chris Bonington and Richard Else, it was produced by the BBC and broadcast in 1992. The series recounts the evolution of mountaineering and the traditions of climbers in Great Britain and on the European continent: the former developed a free climbing technique, while the latter used aids such as keys, pitons, and drills to ascend otherwise inaccessible routes. The program includes archive footage of the pioneers of the sport, from the emergence of free climbing as a distinct discipline in the late 1970s and 1980s to the advent of competitions.
