Léo Billon and Enzo Oddo free Voie Lafaille on Les Dru

• Thursday 14th August 2025

Renowned French climbers, Léo Billon and Enzo Oddo, have made the first free ascent of the Voie Lafaille on the West Face of the Drus in the Mont Blanc region of Chamonix, France.

Named after the first ascensionist, Jean-Christophe Lafaille made the first ascent of the route solo and in winter between February 12^th to 21^st in 2001. After his ascent, Lafaille described it as "the most beautiful and hardest route I’ve ever climbed in the Alps!"

PlanetMountain reports that Léo Billon and Enzo Oddo made a quick ascent of the route using aid last summer prior to returning for their free attempts this year. Returning this year, Billion and Oddo made two further trips this summer – between June 28^th and 29^th and then again July 10^th and 12^th – prior to making their final free ascent.

During his first ascent in 2001, bad weather forced Lafille “off route” as he approached the summit. Billon and Oddo worked a variation pitch to Lafille’s original line, as well as adding a direct finish. Billon and Oddo made their final push to free the Lafille between August 5^th and 7^th. During their ascent, Billon and Oddo both led all the hardest pitches.

PlanetMountain wrote that having climbed the two final difficult (F7c) pitches, Billon and Oddo then climbed the final two easy pitches, moving together before topping out on the summit at around 2 pm. They then abbed back down to the niche, collected their stashed equipment, ate and then continued their descent, making a third bivi before returning to Chamonix the next day.

Whilst the Voie Lafille was originally graded A5+, the free version now has three eighth graded pitches – including an F8b+ and two F8a pitches – as well as one F7c+, three F7c pitches, a F7b, four F7a/+ and several easier pitches.

Léo Billon, a member of the Chamonix High Mountain Military Group (GMHM), summarised both the crux pitch and the route as a whole saying, "The crux pitch, graded F8b+, is absolutely beautiful. The route as a whole is outstanding, offering an incredible variety of styles - delicate slabs, technical cracks, overhanging walls, and an elegant prow – all on superb-quality rock."

PlanetMountain has more information and photos on the route, including a description of the variation Billon and Oddo climbed; click here for that.