"J'ai joué ma vie dans un 7a+" : le secret de "King of Bongo"

“King of Bongo” is not your average 7a+. On paper, it looks like a simple warm-up route. In reality, it’s one of the most committing and tricky 7a+ routes on the Claret cliffs, north of Montpellier. In this third episode of Legendary Routes, Lucien Martinez revisits the route that trapped him: setting out for a gentle warm-up, he had a very difficult time, convinced he had risked his life on what was supposed to be just a run-of-the-mill 7a+. Because “King of Bongo” hides a story, the story of a false bolt, a cardboard cutout placed between the last bolt and the anchor, a relic of a time when locals subjected newcomers to real trials. As the conversation unfolds, Lucien recounts the hazing rituals of the 90s, the three now-deceased legends of the crag, the sociology thesis that immortalized these rituals, and the paradox of a collective spirit forged… by hardship. Not forgetting the very real photograph that recreates the fall on the infamous cardboard bolt. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:29 King of Bongo, a route that's not so “easy” 01:03 Claret, the winter crag that hides its true nature 01:34 Set out to warm up… and gets a rude awakening 02:20 "I risked my life on that 7a+" 04:06 "A cardboard bolt? What's all this nonsense?" 07:06 The 90s: No guidebook, no mercy 08:30 What's changed… and why the crag remains challenging 11:43 The paradox of hazing: building team spirit through hardship 13:26 The final photo that recreates the fall Every week, BlokCast is for climbers who want to go beyond mere performance. Athletes, experts, and key figures in the climbing community share their experiences to broaden your knowledge and enrich your understanding of climbing. Follow Voies de Légende: Instagram:   / lumartinez_93   Website: https://www.voiesdelegende.com/ 🎧 A podcast to learn, be inspired, and improve your climbing. Thumbnail photo by Sam Bié: Instagram:   / sambie_photography   Discover other episodes:    / @blok-cast   Follow the climbing media outlet BlokCorp: Instagram:   / blokcorp   Website: https://blokcorp.fr/ #climbing #cliff #climbing