Two 21-Year-Old Mountaineers Die in 1,000-Foot Fall in French Alps

Two 21-year-old mountaineers were found dead on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at the foot of the north face of Ailefroide in France’s Écrins Massif after falling several hundred meters while climbing toward the summit. The two men had been out of contact for two days when their families alerted the High Mountain Gendarmerie Platoon (PGHM). Aerial reconnaissance of the area subsequently located their bodies below the mountain.

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The climbers had set out Wednesday, September 16, to climb the central pillar of Ailefroide, a 12,972-foot (3,954-meter) peak on the border of France’s Hautes-Alpes and Isère departments. Both men were described as experienced mountaineers. According to the initial investigation, the pair had climbed the Devies-Gervasutti route on the north face and were approaching the upper section of the route when an incident occurred. The exact circumstances remain unclear, but the gendarmes said the accident resulted in a fall of several hundred meters.

The PGHM in Isère worked with the PGHM in Briançon to conduct aerial reconnaissance of the remote mountain terrain. The bodies were located and identified before being recovered and transferred to funeral services.

An investigation has been opened to determine what caused the fall.

The two men were from the Hautes-Alpes and Haute-Savoie regions.

Ailefroide is one of the major mountaineering objectives of the Écrins Massif and a defining peak of the area around the village of Ailefroide, which serves as a base for climbers and mountaineers. At nearly 13,000 feet, the mountain rises high above the surrounding valleys and features a number of classic alpine routes. Its north face and central pillar are serious mountaineering terrain, with long rock and mixed climbing routes requiring significant technical experience. Behind Mont Blanc, Ailefroide is the second most popular mountaineering spot in the French Alps and a mecca for serious climbers.

The accident comes as the summer mountaineering season in the Écrins draws toward its close and before the region transitions into its winter season.

The deaths are the latest serious incident in the massif, where steep terrain, altitude and rapidly changing alpine conditions can make even experienced mountaineering objectives hazardous.