If you’ve skied in Chamonix, you might have been to the mighty Aiguille du Midi to access the spectacular terrain up there. If so, you probably experienced the excitement and tension skiers feel as the tram ascends the steep, daunting north face. You would have also noticed many skiers carrying a type of pole you’d never seen before: quite long, without straps, made of lightweight aluminum and covered almost entirely by colored foam with matching baskets. These are “Les Bâtons d’Alain,” which literally means “Alain’s poles”.
Their creator, Alain Desez, is a 64-year-old mountain guide who has lived a minute’s walk from the Aiguille du Midi base station for the past few decades. Initially, he wasn’t a Chamoniard but a Bleausard, a term used to describe climbers from Fontainebleau. This forest, southeast of Paris, is a French bouldering Mecca, where it all kicked off for many famous alpinists. Desez grew up in Fontainebleau in a time when risk tolerance was rated on a much different scale than it is today. From bouldering, Desez quickly moved on to bigger mountains and in 1990, he summited Mount Everest. In his backpack, Desez carried one of the first types of paragliders and attempted to take off from the summit, but conditions forced him to first descend to the South Col and fly from there.
Always ebullient and motivated by many activities — he was a ski instructor at Club Med before qualifying as a certified IFMGA mountain guide, a paragliding instructor, and a scuba diving instructor — Desez quickly decided Chamonix was the ideal place to set up his base camp for life.
But despite being at the crossroads of hiking and mountaineering, Desez could never find a set of poles he liked. He was looking for something light yet sturdy enough to push hard without breaking, which usually meant it was not adjustable. He wanted an extended grip for steep terrain but didn’t want to hang onto cold material. He explains: “I was looking for a new type of shepherd’s crook to suit various terrain types and morphologies.” He explains. “Not satisfied with what I found on the market, I decided to create my own poles and give them my name.”
After a few prototypes, Desez had developed something he liked. He registered a trademark in 2007, launched production in 2010 and won the famous Lépine competition for best inventions the following year. Today, he produces 8,000 pairs of poles yearly, all made in a small factory in Italy’s Valle d’Aosta, on the other side of the Mont-Blanc tunnel. “I was a bit overwhelmed by the success,” he says, “it was as if the poles didn’t belong to me anymore, that they had taken flight on their own. People call them Chamonix poles now.” Indeed, they’re everywhere in the mountaineering capital of the world. “It’s a social bond,” he adds.”People recognize each other, talk about it, and it creates a little community.”
Desez’s poles are very light: 205 grams each, less than a pound for a pair. They come in five lengths, from 105 cm (41”) to 140 cm (55”). It’s recommended to choose them longer than usual: 125 cm for people around 1,70 meters tall (5’7″), 135 cm for those around 1.85 m (6’), and 105 cm for kids. The concept is to hold them at different parts of the handle depending on your terrain and activity. You’ll grab the top of the handle when skinning, but you’ll hold them lower when skiing. Offset one hand high and one hand low when traversing the fall line. They have no strap to limit your position or drag you down into an avalanche, but you can add one if you (really) want to. Slightly flexible tungsten carbide tips ensure safe performance on all types of surfaces, and with two screw-on baskets, it’s easy to switch from winter to summer activities. And of course, with a choice of twenty colors, it’s easy to find a set that matches your ski suit.
Initially designed for hiking, Desez’s poles quickly spread to the skiing world and won over the mountain community. Now, numerous mountain guides, ski instructors, patrols, and rescuers are among the users. The prestigious ENSA (Ecole Nationale de Ski et d’Alpinisme), the Institute for training ski instructors and mountain guides, also adopted them. Their reliability, length and long grip convinced steep skiers, who appreciate their hold on the highest angles of the slopes. Many ski-touring enthusiasts who want the same equipment as the pros now choose these poles, as do hikers and long-distance trail runners, who need support when they reach their body’s limits.
Because of what they represent, they also became perfect souvenirs from Chamonix. A large display stands at Snell Sport, the classic sporting goods store in the center of Chamonix, where you can find everything you need for any mountain activity. “People like their look,” agrees Desez. I’ve created a palette of solid colors and models representing country flags, rastas, and camos, so you recognize them immediately.” His success extends far beyond the Mont Blanc valley, with orders from other parts of Europe, Scandinavia and North America. It has also led to copying, and several brands have adopted his style.
If you ever get the chance to go up to Aiguille du Midi with Desez to ski the Vallée Blanche, you’ll have a great time, that’s for sure. But you’ll also be amazed by the number of people who approach him to talk about his poles. Some even try to buy the pair he’s skiing with for the day.
As a rule, Desez stays away from the crowds on fresh powder days, laying tracks between crevasses and seracs. He loves to explore every facet of the glacier, and he’s happy to enter huge ice caves when he finds one. You’ll recognize him from afar with his typical guide’s slalom turns and, of course, his long, colored poles.
