Robert Paragot To Receive Piolets d'Or Lifetime Acheivement

In 2009, the first Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Walter Bonatti. Bonatti became somewhat the patron of the award and in hommage to the man who gave his spirit to it, it is now called: the Piolet d'Or Lifetime Achievement - Walter Bonatti Award.

Robert Paragot will become the fourth recipient of this prestigious prize. A true amateur, the Parisian who started his climbing at Fontainbleau began his alpinism career in 1950, with the north face of the Drus. In 1954 he took part in one of the most incredible ascents in mountaineering history - the south face of Aconcagua (6995m, Argentina): the last 2000 metres of the ascent were climbed in alpine style with four bivouacs.

The climb was the first in a series of innovative expeditions: 1956, with a small team, on the Mustagh Towers (7273m, Pakistan), 1962 Jannu (7710m, Nepal), and in 1966 the north face of Huascaran (6768m, Peru). In 1971
he led an expedition to climb the west pillar of Makalu (8481m, Nepal).
Robert Paragot, previous president of the GHM (High Mountain Group) and the FFME (French Mountaineering Federation) still climbs with his old climbing partners today. The generations of climbers that have followed in their footsteps owe much to the spirit of friendship and respect practised by them in their achievements.

Read more about the Awards and the 2012 panel of judges on the Piolet d'Or website>>>