In the heart of the Ecrins, Ailefroide, Natural Conservation Area, 2nd largest French mountaineering zone...

Altitude : 1506 metres

A BIT OF HISTORY, AILEFROIDE

Here’s some old photos and tales of Ailefroide :

Surrounded by huge mountains, AIlefroide watches the years pass by without getting any wrinkles. Just look at these photos, they could have been taken yesterday !!!
 

Le Pré de Madame Carle and le glacier Blanc
1907

 On the right, the Glacier Blanc, in the foreground the Western extremity of the “Pre de Madame Carle” * (Madame Carles meadow) with the Cezanne refuge within the small clump of conifers. Since the XVI century, the meadow has been swept by sliding blocks from torrential alluvial cones, avalanche cones and recovered by stony manure. It was sewn with larch trees.

*Madame Carle was a noble lady in the XVI century to whom the meadow belonged.

20 years ago… Kavle and Zvone open the following routes

First ascent of the Dome de Neige des Ecrins North West face ( 4015 m ), 8th and 9th July by the Yugoslavians in 19 hours.
First single ascent of the Pic sans Nom North face (3914 m) by Kavle.
First ascent of the Ailefroide oriental North face (3848 m) in 10 hours.
First ascent of the Ailefroide occidentale (3953 m) North face by the Czechoslovakians Boubal and Slechta. The route is called “Hollyday on ice”.
 

Ailefroide before 1960