Henri Sigayret

Biography

Henri Sigayret, born on April 27, 1934, in Banyuls-dels-Aspres, France, was a singular figure in French mountaineering, a high-level climber, Himalayan mountaineer, mentor, and prolific writer. Often nicknamed "Sig" and later "Sherpasig," he was an independent spirit, often critical, who left his mark on both the rock faces he climbed and the readers he captivated with his stories of the mountains and Nepal, a country he had made his second home, both in his heart and in his life. Born in the South of France into a family of teachers, he spent his childhood torn between the plains and the mountains, against the backdrop of the upheavals of the Second World War, which instilled in him a particularly keen sensitivity to the tragic aspects of existence. As a teenager, his family's move to Grenoble opened the doors to mountaineering for him: on the rock face, he discovered a form of absolute freedom that channeled his passion and gave meaning to his need for independence. He quickly distinguished himself through his ease, tenacity, and an almost spiritual approach to climbing, nurtured by the masters of the time. Henri Sigayret's entry into the world of high-altitude climbing was late: while many were already thinking about slowing down, he chose instead to set off for the highest peaks of the Himalayas. He thus became one of the few Frenchmen of his generation to reach the summit of Annapurna, a decisive experience that confirmed his attraction to these remote mountains and to Nepal. Over the course of his expeditions, he forged deep bonds with the Sherpas and local communities, eventually settling permanently at the foot of Everest, starting a family, and developing a highly critical perspective on mass tourism and the excesses of commercial mountaineering. Alongside his life as a mountaineer, Sigayret produced a prolific body of written work: expedition narratives, Nepalese chronicles, polemical essays, short stories, and autobiographical texts followed one another in quick succession. He blended memories of ascents, portraits of climbing partners, reflections on commitment, denunciations of Western hypocrisy, and a constant tribute to the dignity of mountain peoples. His direct, sometimes rugged, but always profoundly human style made him a unique voice in mountain literature, far removed from the mere glorification of the "conqueror of the pointless." Until his final years, he remained true to his dual roots in his native Pyrenees and his adopted Himalayas, occasionally returning to his village of origin for public gatherings where he shared memories, passionate outbursts, and bursts of laughter. Surrounded by his loved ones, he passed away at an advanced age, having witnessed the passing of many of his climbing partners, as if he were closing the book on an entire generation of mountaineers. Through his life and his books, Henri Sigayret leaves behind the image of a man of principle, free spirit, sometimes unconventional, but always driven by a passion for the mountains and a profound respect for those who live there. Henri Sigayret died on July 18, 2021, in Perpignan.