Valentine Fabre did not expect to one day share the poster of Mountain on stage with the Swiss freeride ski champion
Jeremiah Heitz. In a crowded Grand Rex, Monday and Tuesday in Paris, this doctor living in Chamonix (Haute-Savoie) was nevertheless in the spotlight of the first screenings of the benchmark mountain film festival. Alongside the American trail runner Hillary Gerardi, she is the heroine of Crossing, which traces the feat of two athletes, who became the first women in history to complete the Haute Route between Chamonix and Zermatt (Switzerland) in ski mountaineering in one go.
Or a monstrous winter raid of 107 km and 8,000 m of elevation gain normally achieved in six days, and here concluded in 26 hours21, on April 4. “It’s a project that I had in mind for ten years, but I needed the spark,” says Valentine Fabre. I especially did not want to say to myself one day “I would have liked to do that”. These kinds of dreams, it is better not to achieve them than never to try them. This “spark” came from her meeting, in 2019 in Chamonix, with Hillary Gerardi, who like her dreamed of the Haute Route from her native Vermont.
A record on the Haute Route, like her late husband in 2010
“Even in the United States, we see it as a mythical thing, the most famous crossing in the world, and even the raid of a lifetime”, underlines the elite trail runner of 35 years, victorious in July of the 90 km of Mont- White (3.300 m of D +) in 11 hours 54. “With Valentine, we found each other well, it’s a bit of fate,” continues the American athlete. What twisted my mind was to realize that there had never been a single female roped party in the records of this crossing. It was a great motivation for me to tell myself that we could inspire young girls, allow them to project themselves, if we reached the end. “
For her part, Valentine Fabre (45) has had a more personal link with this Haute Route since 2008, having assisted for three consecutive years, on certain sections, her husband Laurent in his record attempt between Chamonix and Zermatt. A record obtained by Laurent Fabre in 2010 (in 20 hours28), two years before a fatal accident during a high mountain expedition in the Mont-Blanc massif (aged 44). Valentine Fabre confides the importance of this drama in the realization of its colossal challenge.
I saw it as a tribute that I was paying him. I know my husband would have been super proud of me. He still accompanies me quite often in the mountains, well, his thoughts … “
“The film shows that we are very human”
Member of the French ski mountaineering team from 2013 to 2018, double relay world champion in the discipline, and having already reached Zermatt in Chamonix in five days, Valentine Fabre was predisposed to aim for this record in 24 hours, l objective established by the doublet. “We were the ideal partners: I have more experience in ski mountaineering but it is very versatile in the mountains, with enormous capacities for long-term efforts”, summarizes the sports doctor and emergency physician, previously a military doctor.
After an end-to-end recognition in 2020, they therefore embarked on their crossing on April 3, with the support of Valentine’s companion, the mountaineer and photographer. Ben Tibbetts, co-director of the 33-minute film with Jake Holland. The 107 km skiing in the cold obviously caused physical damage, especially for the Chamoniarde.
It is often said that we are machines, but here, the film shows that we are very human. You see me vomiting and being at the bottom of the hole, sometimes I barely advance. There are times of doubt. When I arrived, I was even a little unhappy because I had been sick and felt like I had been a burden to Hillary. We missed our 24 hour target. But too bad, I held on to the end mentally, and saw the face I had, others might have given up. “
“It’s still an extraordinary adventure”
Valentine Fabre and Hillary Gerardi therefore enter the closed circle of the twenty or so athletes who have completed the Haute Route in one go. “It is a pride to show that women are capable of doing this. I now realize that it’s still an extraordinary adventure, ”smiles Valentine, who is also passionate about climbing, mountain biking and paragliding.
An XXL challenge which therefore allowed the native of Paris to take place this week alongside Jérémie Heitz moved like all the Grand Rex in front of Crossing : “It’s flattering and even crazy enough to find yourself in the same program as an athlete coming down such incredible slopes. At the same time, maybe he tells himself that Chamonix-Zermatt non-stop is something he will never do. In case, neither do we, Valentine.
Montagne on stage on tour throughout France
After starting on Monday at the Grand Rex, the 21st winter edition of the mountain film festival will have a series of dates in France until December 17, including Bordeaux (November 23 and 24, the 22nd is full), Lyon (from 23 to November 25), Lille (November 24 and 25), Rennes (November 26 and 29), Strasbourg (November 26 and 29), again the Grand Rex in Paris (November 30), Nantes (from November 30 to December 2), Toulouse (December 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7), Nice (December 7 and 8), Marseille (December 9, 10 and 13), Montpellier (December 9 and 10). Single price of 16 euros. Programming, full dates and ticketing here.