After 35 years, the legendary sport climbing route “Le Bombé Bleu” at Buoux, France, has finally been ascended. The first ascent was achieved on February 11, 2026, by 17-year-classic French climber Erwan Legrand.
The route, bolted in 1991 by Marc Le Menestrel, had develop into one of the most sought-after and elusive projects in the world of sport climbing. Numerous elite climbers, including Ben Moon, Chris Sharma, Iker Pou, Charles Albert, Nico Pelorson, and Alex Megos, had attempted the climb without success. Le Menestrel himself described the route as representing “the impossible,” noting in Grimper Magazine that he could barely hold the crucial holds when he initially equipped it.
Legrand’s ascent marks a significant moment in the climbing world. He reportedly completed the climb barefoot, a technique he attributes to his upbringing and training with his father, François Legrand, a dominant competition climber in the 1990s. “I’ve always climbed barefoot in the pan of my father. I find it rather nice and I’m quite used to it,” Legrand told Grimper. “Since climbing barefoot is really quite different in terms of body positioning. You don’t make the same foot placements on the moves. It’s really a gesture to learn.”
The crux of “Le Bombé Bleu” involves a demanding diagonal dyno – a dynamic movement – from a one-finger pocket to a shallow two-finger pocket. While Nico Pelorson completed the crux move in 2021, Legrand is the first to successfully link it with the rest of the route. The climb begins with 5.11d climbing to a ledge, followed by a short 5.14c/d section after the crux, offering no opportunity for rest.
Legrand announced his success on Instagram, stating, “I’ve been dreaming of this moment for so long, and finally, after fifteen difficult attempts, it finally happened. This ascent means so much to me, more than any other. Succeeding on such a magnificent, mythical, and historic route on my home crag is better than anything I could have dreamed of.”
In December 2025, Legrand had announced that he had successfully completed the crux move and linked it to the following 5.14c/d climbing, but fell with only a few moves remaining. He has not yet commented on the proposed grade for the route. A 2023 documentary by L’Équipe Explore highlighted the route’s difficulty and recounted previous, unsubstantiated claims of ascents.
The ascent of “Le Bombé Bleu” has been widely celebrated within the climbing community, solidifying Legrand’s position as a rising star in the sport. Further details regarding Legrand’s ascent are expected to be released in the coming days.
