Jacques 'Pschitt' Perrier

Born

1947-01-01

Biography

Jacques Perrier, nicknamed "Pschitt," born in 1947, is a mountain guide and climber, a monument to French heritage, whose name has inscribed itself in the history of climbing, particularly in the Verdon Gorges. A mountain guide with the Ecrins Guides office, he has witnessed more than four decades of climbing evolution, leaving his mark on both big walls and sport crags. Hailing from a pioneering generation, he made his mark in the 1970s and 1980s by opening routes that have become legendary, particularly in the Verdon Gorges, a mecca of French free climbing. His dual role as a high-level climber and passionate equipment builder has allowed him to lastingly shape the vertical landscape of southern France. Pschitt opened or equipped major routes such as "Pichenibule", "Les Rideaux de Gwendal" and "Les Spécialistes" (the latter being one of the first French routes rated 8b+), which pushed the limits of difficulty in their time and attracted generations of climbers from around the world. He also left his mark on the Cimaï with achievements such as "Sortilège", an 8b route that he repeated at the age of 56, demonstrating exceptional sporting longevity. His activity was not limited to the cliff: he made numerous extreme first ascents in the mountains and icefalls, including the "Goulotte Pschitt" in Ailefroide. In 1999, he won the Icefall Bouldering World Cup in Cortina d'Ampezzo, confirming his status as a versatile and innovative mountaineer. His vision of climbing, focused on freedom, transmission, and passion, led him to invest in equipping major sites, contributing to the democratization of sport climbing in France. His name is inseparable from the history of the Verdon, but also from the development of the cliffs of the Var and Cimaï, which have become international references thanks to his work and commitment. Jacques Perrier has also appeared in several documentaries and films dedicated to climbing and its great figures. He notably appears in productions tracing the history of free climbing in France, alongside Patrick Edlinger, Patrick Berhault, and other legends in Jean-Paul Janssen's documentary trilogy Overdon, Oversand, and Over-Ice. His career has been celebrated in numerous specialized media and documentaries, which highlight his role as a bridge between generations and his unwavering enthusiasm for verticality. Today, Pschitt remains an essential reference, embodying the pioneering spirit and passion for climbing, and still inspires young climbers with his longevity, modesty, and commitment to free climbing and the opening of new routes. Even in his sixties, he continues to impress the community, for example, completing "Témoin d’usure" (8a+) at Faron, near Toulon, at the age of 63. Jacques Pschitt Perrier's contribution to the history of free climbing is immense, both in terms of the quality and difficulty of the routes he created and his influence on the evolution of the practice and mentalities in the mountain world.