Solenne Piret, impossible dreams do come true

Solenne Piret was born without her right forearm, but this has never limited her climbing talent. On the contrary, it has represented an additional incentive to test herself and constantly improve, to dream big, in all vertical spheres. For her, who has bouldered up to 7B, climbing is in her genes. Her parents met in Fontainebleau, the town on the outskirts of Paris famous for its boulders, and Piret grew up among chalk, crashpds, ropes, quickdraws and days spent in the sun, at the foot of the crags. This sport didn’t immediately captivate her, on the contrary, and after her initial climbs she chose to devote her time and efforts elsewhere, before touching rock again in 2017. This time though she was hooked, and she quickly made impressive progress, earning a place in the French Paraclimbing Team and winning, in 2018 and 2019, her category of the Paraclimbing World Championships. More recently she has been ice climbing, on toprope, but this changed in January 2023 when she decided to take things one stage further still and lead Sombre Héros, the classic icefall at Ceillac, first ascended in 1980 by none other than Jaques Perrier and Jean-Marc Troussier. "I'm super proud of myself!" Piret quite rightly explained. With two bright eyes and a huge smile on her face, Piret is a shining example of determination and will to live.

Solenne, when did you get into ice climbing?
I tried ice climbing for the first time in 2018. I found it fun but a bit too complicated for me, and quite limited as I was convinced I wouldn’t be able to climb steep ice. I think the tuning point came last year while ice climbing in January 2022.

Climbing runs in the family, but you haven't always loved it. How come?
I didn't always like it because it meant family outings on Sundays, and when you're a teenager that's not particularly cool. And then of course I had a good excuse for not succeeding, and no one pushed me to try harder. I didn't have a role model to identify myself with and show me what was possible.

In the end you found the motivation within you. Is this one of your main traits?
I think so. I think I often question things. But I also have this strength to know how to put these doubts aside, to believe in myself, to listen to myself and above all not to let others limit me!

Indeed, you took up climbing again after a long time off. Did you then make quick progress?
Yes, the level increased quickly, also because I had the short-term objective of joining the French Paraclimbing Team, so I immediately got in touch with the right people to train me.

Does climbing dominate your life?
No, I am an architect and do this parallel to my sports career. I work on my own for private clients.

Nowadays you’re very self-confident, you have a well-established career, both as an athlete and in day to day life. But what was it like growing up without a forearm?
It was not easy to grow up with this difference, even if I was always lucky enough to be surrounded by the right people. As a child though I’d dream of being like the others, so I used to hide my arm. And I was very good at it! Some of my classmates took months to realise that I don’t have one! I was a daydreamer, and I often took refuge in my imagination.

What did you dream?
Of having a very stylish lifestyle, as well as being a top athlete.

You made them come true
Yes, but at the time, these were just impossible dreams. I really never thought that one day I would become real.

What do you dream of nowadays?
I would like my category of paraclimbers to climb 8a. I’m not sure I’ll succeed, but I am convinced that it is possible. 

What do you see in your future?
More time spent in the mountains, and more different activities. Mountaineering, multi-pitch, skiing, paragliding… all those that made me dream as a child.

Piret thanks: Petzl, SCARPA