Some climbs are more than just lines on a rock; they’re childhood dreams. For Victor Guillermin, Aloha was all of that and more.
For any climber from the North of France, Aloha holds a special place. Tucked away at Kronthal, this is the hardest route in northern France, and in the last 15 years, only three climbers have managed to clip the chains. For Victor, a self-described “Northman,” the challenge felt almost personal. “I saw a video of Julius Westphal climbing this when I was a kid. I never thought I’d reach the level where I could climb it myself.”
Years ago, as a kid, Victor stumbled upon a video of Julius Westphal climbing Aloha. That short clip planted a seed. He dreamt of climbing the line. Years passed, training sessions stacked up, and Victor decided to send it, and send it in one day.
This spring, Victor made the pilgrimage to Kronthal and gave it everything. Each burn on the line brought him closer to a childhood vision, not just the physical cruxes but the proof that what once seemed out of reach was now his reality. On his third burn, he sent it, adding another name to Aloha’s short history and a milestone in Victor’s own story.
A Fight in Lebanon
This wasn’t Victor’s only dream project in recent years. Another big chapter unfolded far from France, in Lebanon.
A video of David Lama climbing there caught Victor’s eye and sparked his curiosity. When he finally got the chance to visit two years ago, he went for a line called Avataara, which turned out to be tougher than expected. For seven days, he fell at the same move. The mental battle was relentless; try, fall, repeat. On the very last day, in the rain, he topped out, soaked, exhausted, and overjoyed. Read more about it at Victor Guillermin on Repeating Avaatara (9a) in Lebanon – Tenaya Blog
More Than Just a Route
For Victor, these climbs, Aloha, Avataara, are more than grades and gear. They’re reminders of why we climb: to chase dreams, share what we can with others, and to find out who we really are when we’re fighting at our limit.