Aiguille du Belvédère (2,965m) is a peak in the Aiguilles Rouges massif. The 300 meters of its Southeast face are steep, compact and home of half a dozen of difficult routes and Mariage de la terre et du vent is one of them.
On the way to the Aiguille du Belvédère (© A. Gatta)
Mariage de la terre et du vent is a great route graded ED / 300m / 7a, fully bolted, opened by M. Piola, C. Hug and P. Strappazzon.
Approach: the simplest is to take the Index chair lift and then walk to Lac Blanc and straight to the face (1h45).
First pitch (© P. Gatta)
Start of the route: 45°59,282N, 6°52,545E.
The few first meters of the route are common with Baisers orageux, then traverse left. It’s an easy and straight forward 6a.
First pitch (© P. Gatta)
Pitch #2: fantastic mix of physical start, technical corner and slabs: tough 6c.
End of 2nd pitch (© P. Gatta)
Pitch #3: superb overhang followed by a slab: 6c.
Pitch #4: junction on the big shelf.
5th pitch (© A. Gatta)
Pitch #5: another amazing pitch on a technical wall: 6c.
5th pitch (© P. Gatta)
Pitch #6: technical wall: 7a.
6th pitch (© P. Gatta)
Pitch #7: the technical wall continues, the end of the pitch is harder with one difficult clip: 6c+.
7th pitch (© P. Gatta)
Pitch #8: technical corner, hard to read with another difficult clip: 7a.
9th pitch, lac Blanc and glacier d’Argentière in the background (© P. Gatta)
Pitch #9: steep wall, some loose holds: 6b+. Abseil down in the route.