Jean Couzy facts for kids
Jean Couzy (born 9 July 1923 – died 2 November 1958) was a brave French mountaineer. He loved climbing mountains! He studied aeronautical engineering at a special school called the École Polytechnique, which means he learned how to design and build airplanes.
Jean Couzy: A Life of Climbing
At just 27 years old, Jean Couzy joined a famous climbing team. This team, led by Maurice Herzog, went on a big adventure in 1950 to climb a huge mountain called Annapurna. Before this, Jean often climbed with his friend Marcel Schatz, who was also part of the Annapurna team.
First Ascents and Famous Climbs
Jean Couzy was known for being one of the first people to reach the top of some very difficult mountains.
- Makalu Expedition: In 1955, Jean Couzy was part of the 1955 French Makalu expedition. On 15 May 1955, he and another amazing climber named Lionel Terray were the very first people ever to reach the top of Makalu. Makalu is one of the world's tallest mountains!
- Alps Adventures: Jean also made history in the Alps, a famous mountain range in Europe. He was the first to climb several challenging routes there:
- The "la Couzy" route on the Aiguille de l'M, near Chamonix. This is a classic, tough climb.
- A super difficult route on the north-west face of the Olan.
- The "Couzy route" on the North Face of the Cima Ovest in the Dolomites.
A Tragic Accident
Sadly, Jean Couzy's climbing career ended too soon. On 2 November 1958, while climbing on the southern side of the crête des Bergers (which is part of the Bure plateau) in the Dévoluy Mountains, a rock fell and hit him. He passed away from his injuries.
Jean Couzy is buried in the cemetery in Montmaur. This cemetery is right at the foot of the mountain where his accident happened, a quiet place for a great climber.
