La flûte en chantier 8c+ by Solène Amoros

Solène Amoros, a french multi-pitch specialist, has set a new PB by doing La flûte en chantier (8c+) in Verdon. (c) Theo Cartier

"I’ve been trying the route a little bit for the last two seasons, and this year I trained specifically for this. It is an incredibly beautiful line, with two (very bad) parallel tufas. One of the first lines you see when you arrive in the cave. It is composed of 3 sections: a physical 8b, a powerful 8b+ on bad holds (the crux) and an 8a+. The first 8b is composed of big moves in a 45° steep wall for about 15 m, it's not that hard but difficult enough to consume a consequent part of your energy balance. Then it’s less steep, and a good but really painful rest allows you to breathe a bit before the crux section: 15 intense movements without any possibility to shake or chalk. It is super hard to pinch and to be precise enough on the holds of this single tufa during a few meters. The feet are really bad and you need to rush forward until the moment you have to traverse to another tufa.

It’s a big traverse move and I sent the route the first time I stuck it. A 5 stars drop knee section leads you to another big rest. And then you're only left with a final 8a+, 20 m long and very stressful during the send! When I sent it, a little breeze was cheering me on, it was perfect. This year, it took me 10 days to send, divided between 3 trips. I was working and training in between and could go every two weekends only. In the end, I don’t really remember the send go but more so all the other tries and high points. Maybe because it obsessed me until the next one? I really enjoyed the process, the training and the good stress of giving everything for a route. Especially when the route is in a place as beautiful as La Ramirole. The Verdon gorges are a peaceful and quiet area that I really love, and I can’t wait to spend more time there in the next years."

What are the hardest MPs you have done the last two years?
Alibaba (8a+ - 240 m) in September
La Ramirole (8b max -150 m) in May
Hôtel Supramonte (8b max - 400 m except for the last easy pitches that were wet at the tile) last November
Lignes de vie (8a+ max - 150 m) in Grenoble last summer
Asproman (8a max - 200m) in Ailefroide 2 years ago 🙂.

What is your next plan and what about this winter?
I'm going to climb and bolt new routes in Albania for the next two weeks and then start training again to climb 9a on day 🙃