Nabot Léon

Approach # 1h40

Take the path east towards the Lac Bleu from the midstation of the Aiguille de Midi cable car. Follow a faint path marked with cairns to cross the foot of the Blaitière glacier and gain the true right moraine of the glacier. Ascend the moraine to reach a steep snowy saddle. 50m before the Blaitière cliff, go to a niche on the right which separates the “Lames Fontaines” cliff (cairn). Climb up by a faint path to the exposed terraces leading to the ledges at the foot of the “Pilier Rouge”. Traverse rightwards along these ledges.
Pass a little crest. Nabot Léon starts 20m before the ledge begins to descend. The cliff is a series of corners and cracks which does not make it easy to locate the start. Look for a rawplug style 10mm bolt (goujon) 5m up, at the foot of a system corner cracks which look less compact than the others.

Route

L# | 5c | 30m | Short wall then corner cracks (1 bolt) L# | 5c | 45m | Traverse to the right then up an open corner. When it splits in two take the left one after the bolts. (2 bolts + 1 piton) L# | 5c | 40m | Short wall on the right, then layback the edge on the left and then the corner a little to the left. L# | 5c | 35m | Compact wall (5c) to the right, then a superb slab, 5b. (4 bolts) L# | 5b/5c | 35m | Traverse rightwards for 3m, climb a short, strenuous chimney then above a beautiful corner exit to the left onto the pillar.

It is possible to climb another two pitches to the top of the pillar. From there one can follow “Osez Joséphine” for 200m, 4 pitches.

Descent

If you stop after pitch 5, by abseiling. However, use the line of « Majorette «, otherwise the rope jams on the first abseil. If you continue to the top of the pillar: abseil down the Eau Rance d’Arabie. N.B. do not go to the end of the ridge, but after having passed two belays relatively close together, look behind a large boulder on the left which is slightly below the line of the abseil. It is not recommended to abseil down the gorge on the right.