Patrick Gabarrou – apostle of the summits
A devoted mountain lover, Patrick Gabarrou never misses a chance to share his passion. With us, he has been doing so since 1980.
"I am fundamentally a dreamer, a contemplative person, but I also passionately love action, the tangible, and direct contact with the elements. I get inspired by mountain photos I see, I imagine a line across a face and set to work. The route has to be beautiful. The dotted line on the photo, which represents the path, must look like an arrow pointing to the sky."
Meeting Patrick means immediately being captivated by the mountains, because his unwavering enthusiasm when speaking of his climbs is contagious. In this spirit, he gives many lectures about the mountains, which are highly appreciated. He tirelessly preaches the mountains — a world unto itself, but also a place for encounters and sharing.
Patrick has been our athlete for many years. As soon as he began his higher education in philosophy, he knew his desire to live outdoors would take over. The student became an aspiring guide and settled in the Mont Blanc region. He specialized in mixed routes (combining ice and rock).
Patrick Gabarrou now has over 300 major first ascents in the Alps and around the world, from Alaska to the Himalayas via Patagonia. In the Mont Blanc Massif alone, he has opened — always with partners, companions, friends — 20 new dream routes, including "Divine Providence", "Frêneysie Pascale", and "Ciao Walter". And 6 new routes on the legendary North Face of the Grandes Jorasses.
His most recent feat took place on the south face of the Matterhorn, “Padre Pio, ladder to the sky,” a fantastic 1,300m high route, completed in 2016 at the age of 65.
July 1976 – at 25 years old Patrick is an aspiring guide, wearing a pair of round glacier glasses.
For this mountain devotee, his long career has made him a sharp observer of the evolution of techniques and equipment: proof lies in his mountaineering boots, which at the beginning weighed twice as much as the ones he uses today. His collection of ice axes is just as impressive: his first ones had straight wooden shafts with heavy steel picks, while those he now carries are ultra-ergonomic and made of lightweight aluminum and carbon.
"I’m not the best alpinist there is, but I had the chance to approach big faces with a fresh and curious perspective, and to benefit from the evolution of gear to open new routes. When I see what pioneers like Lionel Terray, René Desmaison, and Walter Bonatti climbed with, I’m in awe."
At Camp 2 on the Nepalese side of Everest in 1992 with the “Eric Escoffier” glasses — a high-mountain model with flashy colors that didn't go unnoticed! The “mono-lens” appeared in our catalog, offering better protection by covering the face more fully — but this pair was probably one of the heaviest. The corded arms made their final appearance.
His eyes have also witnessed the trends and transformations in high-mountain eyewear. He has worn every generation of glasses from the 1970s to today, from metal frames to injected plastic ones, and from mineral lenses to photochromic NXT lenses...
Mont Blanc Massif in 1995 with the Micropores — an evolution of the “Vermont” and “Yannick Seigneur” models. These glasses were given to all French guides and aspiring guides, as well as instructors from ENSA, for whom Julbo was the official supplier. It's a model still seen on trails and mountainsides today. The corded arms seen on the “Eric Escoffier” were replaced by adjustable arms that allow the glasses to be put on and taken off much more easily. Imagine — for the first time, you could put on glacier glasses with just one hand!
In Flaine, early 2000s with the “Surf” glasses, among the first models made from injected plastic. For Patrick, it’s probably one of his favorite models. Wraparound, lightweight… and matching the colors of the time! Plastic is advantageous in high mountains because it's much less sensitive to cold. The arms kept a metal core covered in foam for comfort and secure fit, just like the Micropores.
With the Julbo Nomad in 2002, a sleek model with removable side shields and a full plastic frame. This material, which allows for more curved and wraparound designs, is highly appreciated because it’s more resistant to twisting than metal. The wraparound arms adapt easily to different face shapes.
Known for his exploits as an alpinist, Patrick is also an excellent skier — he was the French champion in ski mountaineering. He never misses an opportunity to use his skis. We saw him skiing down Mont Blanc alongside a certain Laetitia Roux. Footage.
Filmed in 2016, this video produced by tech giant Google offers stunning images of Patrick atop Mont Blanc. You’ll spot the “Dirt” and “Pipeline” models with Zebra photochromic lenses, which first appeared in 2006.
