Catherine Destivelle

Catherine Destivelle, born on July 24, 1960, in Oran, Algeria, is a French climber and mountaineer. In 2020, she received a Lifetime Achievement Piolet d'Or for her achievements and contributions to the world of mountaineering.

Introduced to climbing at a very young age, she had already climbed the most difficult routes in the French Alps by the age of twenty. By the end of the 1980s, she had become one of the world's best climbers, amassing records, trophies, and honorary distinctions. The 1990s marked a turning point towards mountaineering, as she participated in expeditions to the Himalayas and became the first woman to climb the three major north faces of the Alps solo in winter. Highly popular, she has been the subject of numerous news reports and documentaries.

Catherine Destivelle grew up in Paris and was introduced to climbing at a very young age in the Fontainebleau forest. At 15, she could climb the toughest rocks. At 17, she spent her weekends scaling the highest peaks in the Alps. Around the age of 20, she embarked on a career as a physiotherapist, but after five years, the lure of the mountains proved too strong, and she began competing in international climbing competitions. From 1985 to 1988, she was considered the best climber in the world. In 1990, she returned to mountaineering with a series of incredible ascents, including solo winter climbs of the three most legendary Alpine faces—the Eiger, the Grandes Jorasses, and the Matterhorn—making her the greatest climber of all time.