Jacques 'Pschitt' Perrier

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.