It all started with an normal day at the office in 2013. I was hiking the Bec des rosses with Sébastien Baritussio, a photographer based in Verbier. Suddenly, arriving at the top of the bec des rosses, we met our friend Aeschbach Mike, swiss icon of freeriding and an amazing human being. He was shooting with Peter Charaf for his project to do a documentary on the Bec des Rosses, this legendary mountain of Verbier, host of the Verbier Xtreme, final of the FWT.
I never met Peter, but I knew his reputation of Film-maker & photographer. It was the luck or something like the God of freeriding which made our pass crossed this day, and we couldn’t imagine what would have follow…
Later in the day, we received a call from Mike asking us to come by the Chalet Bellevue for talk about a project Peter had. Mysterious as it was, we just ran there to know more. Mike, Peter & Xavier Rosset had the crazy plan to make a crazy lifestyle shooting, eating a fondue at the sunset at the top of the Bec des Rosses. And it was the beginning of our story inside the entreprise of Peter Charaf.
A week later, we were filming this action. After 3 hours of hike ( normally 1h20 ), slowed by the equipment we carried, cameras, tripod, travelling, fondue and of course wine, suse & chartreuse ( it is really cold up there…). Time to setup the tent, digging a hole to protect us from the wind, create a homemade living room/kitchen, melt some snow and we were ready to contemplate the sun set and the night rise, illuminating the val de bagne and the Rhone valley. Beautiful.
Morning tea was a benediction, a warm drink for compensate the cold night at 3223m. Sadly, our sunrise was blur by the fog and we had to wait several hour to start the run down. Compared to the evening, where the motivation and the courage was as hight as the bec, the morning was a bit more wise and we forgot our idea to ride the left (riders) of the face. We took a easy route down, first cause of the 25kg each we had in our bag, but also cause of the few energy left from the night.
Amazing experience shared with Sébastien Baritussio, Mike Aeschbach, Xavier Rosset, Seb Mayer & for sure Peter Charaf.
We also participate of summer part of the documentary where we followed José Carron and Romaine Boillat on the classic tour du bec, joining the Sentier des Chamois. It was also another chance to work with Théo Michaud and his drones. And contemplate the beautiful landscape of the cabane Louvie. An amazing 2 days of shooting with great people, as if Peter was a magnet of incredible human being and experiences.
The movie is available in DVD on their website, after 3 years of work and sacrifices. It is 2 hour of pure beauty and a treasure trove of information regarding the Bec des Rosses & the val de Bagnes. Show your support by go see the next premiere or wait for the VOD launch. Hope you will like this movie, part of history of Verbier and also some of the best souvenir of my last years…
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