Alpinist, paragliderJean-Yves Fredriksen

INSPIRE

Jean-Yves Fredriksen

Mountain Madman

“Par’alpinisme” is way of exploring the world and meeting people. Meet Blutch, a true adventurer with many talents who’s made Abondance his base camp. He’s a guide, skier, climber, paraglider and outstanding violonist. For him, the sporting challenge always takes second place to meeting people and sharing the experience. After all, skiing the Grandes Jorasses chain, going from one north face to another, or paragliding across the Himalayas is pretty average…not!

Published on 1 March 2023

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French mountaineer and paraglider. He is nicknamed Blutch. He is known for his capsule-style artificial climbs and the films of his expeditions.

We talk about

Passion for the mountains

Climbing, paragliding, steep skiing, discover how Jean-Yves Fredriksen keeps himself busy in the mountains!

Episode 5

Jean-Yves Fredriksen

Inspire by Les Portes du Soleil

But Jean-Yves’ achievement is much more than being successful in ever more crazy challenges. For this is a man who tackles mountains with great humility, and who gets strength from inspirational encounters that give context and meaning to his exploits.

The INSPIRED

Jean-Yves Fredriksen

The portrait

And although he has criss-crossed the world, he still remains closely attached to local life in Abondance valley and its panoramas.

From the Cornettes de Bise to the peaks of Mont Chauffé, not forgetting Mont de Grange (the second highest summit in the Chablais massif), the welcoming mountains of the Portes du Soleil provide all the peace and quiet he needs – and an endless outdoor playground to get away from it all and do his favourite hobbies.

Known for his mountaineering talent, and notably for opening up new routes on the mythical faces of the Drus or the Matterhorn in the Mont Blanc chain, Jean-Yves is also a master skier. Freeriders who like the really steep stuff surely need no reminding that he was one of a rare few to take on the descent of the Linceul, one of the epic races in the Alps, on the north face of the Grandes Jorasses.

But Jean-Yves – “Blutch” to his friends and climbing companions, is above all a man who’s got a passion for life, poetry and who has an unquenchable need for freedom.

Passion

PARAGLIDING

A LINK BETWEEN SKIING AND CLIMBING TO EXPLORE THE MOUNTAIN

A need for freedom? It’s also why this adventurer likes paragliding so much, and why the sport is his best ally when climbing the summits. A skilful flyer, he goes where he likes, taking off from the high ground surrounding his traditional chalet that nestles under Mont Grange, using air currents to reach his destination.

This original approach is how Jean-Yves achieved the rare feat of climbing – using just his legs and paraglider- the three major north faces in the Alps: the Grandes Jorasses, the Matterhorn and the Eiger.