François Bernat-Salles, born in 1855 in Gavarnie (
Hautes-Pyrénées was one of the great
mountain guides of the Pyrenees.
Like most inhabitants of the mountain village of Gavarnie,
François Bernat-Salles was a modest farmer and shepherd. With the arrival of
tourists wishing to explore the mountains, a demand for guides and porters
created, which was for many farmers an opportunity to make some extra income.
François Bernat-Salles began as a bearer of Célestin Passet . With his strength
and his knowledge of the mountain, he became a first class guide.
He worked for prestigious clients: Henry Russell, Roger de Monts,
Henri Brulle and Jean Bazillac.
In 1888, he accompanied Roger de Monts and Célestin Passet
for the first ascent of the north face of Mont Perdu. This feat earned him a
recommendation by Henri Brulle, and the following year he is part of the team Brulle,
Bazillac, de Monts & Celestin Passet at the Vignemale . Three days later he
did the north face of Mont Perdu.
He ended his life as he had begun as a modest shepherd. He
is buried in the cemetery of Gavarnie, in the square of Pyrénéistes.
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