The French Alpine Club of the Eastern Pyrenees celebrates its 140 years !
On 1881, the Prades and Perpignan clubs are born. Six other clubs were created in the department, including the youngest Prehistoroc in 2012 !
Testimony of Jean-Pierre Bobo :
There is almost 63 years, I registered for the CAF in Perpignan . Despite long absences in the department, I have remained loyal to the section my entire life. On 1958 I had 17 years and I remember those beginnings as if it was yesterday ; it was like a baptism for me on entering this mythical alpine club which then only had 75 years of existence. It’s Palm Sunday 1958 that I took my first "official" steps at the brand new Rimbaud climbing school above Collioure, I was going to do my first recall there. I had slept badly that night , the event upset me so much. Would be- I live up to ? The Perpignan section was very young, recently separated in April 1957 from that of Prades, she was becoming an adult. She was still modest but there reigned among her members a family spirit as the relations between us were fraternal.. Within it the group of climbers was in the minority, we were barely a handful, the bulk of the section made up of hikers. Between the two there was a healthy competition. The group met in the basement of the "Café de France" then a dance hall. ( place de la Loge , now the tourist office) Thursday from 18 heures 30 with 20 heures. High school student, I wouldn't have missed the Thursday meeting for the world. This is where the Sunday outings took shape and the big plans for the coming summer in the central Pyrenees or the Mont-Blanc massif.. The distribution of material for the Sunday race also took place on Thursday.. On 1958, we were not far from the end of the war, barely 13 years. The material was heavy both the carabiners and the eyebolts ; the ice ax had a wooden handle, the crampons 10 spikes ; the strings most often used in hemp, I still smell it ; we barely saw the first nylon strings appear. Despite the heaviness of the bag, I felt proud Knickers like pants, big rock climbing shoes on the feet but proud to look like a climber on Sunday morning , then a rare character in the streets of Perpignan. To get around the Caf used a small bus driven by a member of the transporter section. The CAF of Perpignan was young and dynamic, animated then by devoted climbers like Jo Marill and especially Henry Cases, my teenage idol, peerless glacier. I got to know Pierre Sala there, with whom during 10 years ago I was going to roped both in the Pyrenees and in the Mont-Blanc massif. The rocks of "Rimbaud", those of Massane and already those of Tautavel were our "cathedrals". Sunday afternoon saw the "high mass" being held around the "aiguillette" or the "saber stroke". Our discussions around future projects were going well and it was tired but happy that at night we were coming home. The Perpignan section then knew through conferences with projections how to attract the mountaineering elite. Came to Perpignan , received by the CAF Gaston Rebuffat, René Desmaison but above all Lionel Terray who gave me the immense joy of climbing a whole day with me alone on the very modest rocks for him at Rimbaud. Lionel whom I was to meet later in Chamonix for more serious races. I would be grateful all my life to CAF and its leaders for opening the mountain "window" to me. ; this one has never left me in my life, she has always been with me in my thoughts. It is with joy and emotion that I write these lines on the occasion of 140e section anniversary. I wish him to keep this pioneering spirit, of land clearers that we had then. Happy birthday CAF and Bon Vent.
The clubs of the department met on the weekend of 12 June on the Canigou massif. The idea is to make a crossing by bike by practicing a CAF activity at each stage. Saturday morning, it's multi-pitch climbing at Pilier Saint-Martin. L’après-midi, direction Ria, put on the caving suits to get in the Aven Pérez. Festive bivouac at Espira de Conflent campsite. Sunday, descente du canyon du Llech.
Weekends the way we like them !
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