The strong Frenchman Seb Bouin succeeds in the first ascent of his project Les Rois du Lithium in Pic Saint Loup. He opened the 9b route in spring 2023 after completing the first ascent of ACL (9B).
Seb Bouin succeeds in the first ascent of another tough route. In the climbing area Pic Saint Loup he frees his line Les Rois du Lithium. The route checks in at 9b and, like many of the Frenchman's routes, places high demands on strength endurance.
An experience report from Seb Bouin
This section of the wall has interested me for a long time. Even from the ground, Les Rois du Lithium looked like the perfect line, with a 20 meter long hardcore end. When I rappelled, I couldn't imagine that there would be so many perfect holds. From the first attempt I was amazed by the movements and the line.
Les Rois du Lithium is basically divided into two parts. There is an easy approach in area 8b that prepares you for the main part. Then follows a wonderful strength endurance part with 22 heavy moves in a row. The line and the trains are just fun. Every attempt was a pleasure, it's like surfing a wave.
Les Rois du Lithium is probably my favorite grade 9b climb. This is where difficulty meets beauty and it's just plain fun.
When it comes to a demanding project, the fun factor is extremely important. When you enjoy the challenge and are inspired by a wall, you know you've got the right project.
I attempted this route for the first time in the fall 2023 season and I was incredibly motivated to complete this route this spring. It took a while to master the 22 difficult moves because there was no room for error.
The last difficult move is particularly breathtaking. From two bad gastons you have to get to a bad crimp with your left hand and generate momentum from there. I crashed up there a few times.
Another challenging and inspiring project in Pic Saint Loup is Wolf Kingdom. It will be even more difficult than Les Rois du Lithium. I'm looking forward to a new challenge!
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Credits: Cover picture Seb Bouin | Black Diamond