Marie Paradis (1778 – 1839) was the first woman to climb Mont Blanc.
Marie Paradis
Paradis was a poor maidservant who lived in Chamonix at that time part of the Kingdom of Sardinia. On 14 July 1808, in the company of renowned mountain guide Jacques Balmat, she became the first woman to climb Mont Blanc, Western Europe's highest mountain.[1] The party camped on the Grands Mulets, and during the final ascent Paradis became fatigued and was assisted by her guides.[2] On the summit, Paradis was in such poor condition that she had difficulty breathing, was unable to speak, and could not see. Exhausted and quite undone by her efforts, she begged her companions to throw her into the nearest crevasse to end her misery. Mark Twain reports that she took her boyfriend with her, a detail not found in other sources.[3] In 1809 she recorded her experience in an "admirably graphic and picturesque" account.[4]Le Blond reports that Paradis made "quite a fortune" out of her achievement.[5]
Afterwards she was known as "Maria de Mont Blanc";[6]Charles Edward Mathews notes, in The Annals of Mont Blanc, that after her own successful climb she would leave refreshments for others who attempted Mont Blanc.[7] The second woman to climb Mont Blanc did so thirty years after her; when Henriette d'Angeville celebrated her successful ascent in Chamonix, she was congratulated by Paradis who had received her special, personal invitation.[8]
Much of what has been reported about Paradis comes from Alexandre Dumas, Henriette d'Angeville, and Mark Twain. Their encounters with her story, however, came 24, 32 and 70 years after the fact, respectively. Dumas wrote a fairly long passage about Paradis in Impressions de Voyage: Suisse, which chronicled his travels through the Chamonix valley in 1832. As critics have pointed out, Dumas was prone to embellishment. Moreover, he curiously reports the date of Paradis's ascent as having occurred in 1811, despite the fact that the person who recounted the details to him was in Marie’s climbing party.[9]
Though these historical accounts paint a picture of Paradis being essentially dragged to the summit, they may not be entirely accurate. In an essay published in the 1826 edition of The New Monthly Magazine and Literary Journal, climbers Dr. Edmund John Clark and Captain Markham Sherwill present a slightly different perspective in one of their footnotes. “On arriving at the Petit Mulet,” it states, “she was excessively exhausted, and almost fainting with fatigue; yet her resolution was not shaken, and, with a little assistance from her companions, she mounted safely to the summit of Mont Blanc, and redescended unhurt to the valley. Her real name is, Maria Paradis, but since that time she has been invariably called Maria de Mont Blanc.” This account paints a slightly different picture, one that says she may not have been quite as dependent on her fellow climbers as was reported by Dumas and others. Additionally, we can't discount the possibility that she may have experienced altitude sickness, which would explain her lethargy.[9]
^ abDoran, Jeffrey J. (2023), Ramble On: How Hiking Became One of the Most Popular Outdoor Activities in the World, ISBN979-8373963923
Bibliographyedit
Brown, Rebecca A. (2002). Women on High: Pioneers of Mountaineering. Appalachian Mountain Club Books. ISBN1-929173-13-X.
Clark, Edmund; H. H. Jackson (1826). Ascents of Mont Blanc. Colburn's New Monthly Magazine.
Le Blond, Aubrey (1903). True tales of mountain adventures for non-climbers young and old. Unwin. p. 203.
Mathews, Charles Edward (1898). The annals of Mont Blanc. Unwin.
Twain, Mark (1907). A Tramp Abroad. Harper and brothers. ISBN9781545230541.
January 01, 1970
marie, paradis, 1778, 1839, first, woman, climb, mont, blanc, paradis, poor, maidservant, lived, chamonix, that, time, part, kingdom, sardinia, july, 1808, company, renowned, mountain, guide, jacques, balmat, became, first, woman, climb, mont, blanc, western, . Marie Paradis 1778 1839 was the first woman to climb Mont Blanc Marie Paradis Paradis was a poor maidservant who lived in Chamonix at that time part of the Kingdom of Sardinia On 14 July 1808 in the company of renowned mountain guide Jacques Balmat she became the first woman to climb Mont Blanc Western Europe s highest mountain 1 The party camped on the Grands Mulets and during the final ascent Paradis became fatigued and was assisted by her guides 2 On the summit Paradis was in such poor condition that she had difficulty breathing was unable to speak and could not see Exhausted and quite undone by her efforts she begged her companions to throw her into the nearest crevasse to end her misery Mark Twain reports that she took her boyfriend with her a detail not found in other sources 3 In 1809 she recorded her experience in an admirably graphic and picturesque account 4 Le Blond reports that Paradis made quite a fortune out of her achievement 5 Afterwards she was known as Maria de Mont Blanc 6 Charles Edward Mathews notes in The Annals of Mont Blanc that after her own successful climb she would leave refreshments for others who attempted Mont Blanc 7 The second woman to climb Mont Blanc did so thirty years after her when Henriette d Angeville celebrated her successful ascent in Chamonix she was congratulated by Paradis who had received her special personal invitation 8 Much of what has been reported about Paradis comes from Alexandre Dumas Henriette d Angeville and Mark Twain Their encounters with her story however came 24 32 and 70 years after the fact respectively Dumas wrote a fairly long passage about Paradis in Impressions de Voyage Suisse which chronicled his travels through the Chamonix valley in 1832 As critics have pointed out Dumas was prone to embellishment Moreover he curiously reports the date of Paradis s ascent as having occurred in 1811 despite the fact that the person who recounted the details to him was in Marie s climbing party 9 Though these historical accounts paint a picture of Paradis being essentially dragged to the summit they may not be entirely accurate In an essay published in the 1826 edition of The New Monthly Magazine and Literary Journal climbers Dr Edmund John Clark and Captain Markham Sherwill present a slightly different perspective in one of their footnotes On arriving at the Petit Mulet it states she was excessively exhausted and almost fainting with fatigue yet her resolution was not shaken and with a little assistance from her companions she mounted safely to the summit of Mont Blanc and redescended unhurt to the valley Her real name is Maria Paradis but since that time she has been invariably called Maria de Mont Blanc This account paints a slightly different picture one that says she may not have been quite as dependent on her fellow climbers as was reported by Dumas and others Additionally we can t discount the possibility that she may have experienced altitude sickness which would explain her lethargy 9 References edit Brown 3 11 Mathews 118 19 Twain 171 Le Blond 203 204 Le Blond Mrs Aubrey 1903 True Tales of Mountain Adventure E T Dutton amp Company pp 203 204 Clark et al 24 25 Mathews 118 19 Brown 26 28 a b Doran Jeffrey J 2023 Ramble On How Hiking Became One of the Most Popular Outdoor Activities in the World ISBN 979 8373963923Bibliography editBrown Rebecca A 2002 Women on High Pioneers of Mountaineering Appalachian Mountain Club Books ISBN 1 929173 13 X Clark Edmund H H Jackson 1826 Ascents of Mont Blanc Colburn s New Monthly Magazine Le Blond Aubrey 1903 True tales of mountain adventures for non climbers young and old Unwin p 203 Mathews Charles Edward 1898 The annals of Mont Blanc Unwin Twain Mark 1907 A Tramp Abroad Harper and brothers ISBN 9781545230541 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Marie Paradis amp oldid 1210703944, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
