Balmat

Jacques Balmat (1762–1834) was a French mountaineer and hunter from Chamonix, Savoy. He is best known for making the first ascent of Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps, on 8 August 1786, in collaboration with Michel-Gabriel Paccard, a physician from Chamonix. The expedition was supported in part by Horace-Bénédict de Saussure, a prominent naturalist who promoted exploration of the Mont Blanc region.

Balmat operated as a local guide and guide-hunter, drawing on his knowledge of the Chamonix valley and surrounding glaciers. The successful ascent demonstrated that high mountains could be reached through careful planning and teamwork, and it is considered a foundational event in the history of modern mountaineering. After the climb, Balmat continued to work as a guide in the Chamonix area and remained a notable figure in early Alpine exploration. He died in 1834, leaving a lasting legacy in the annals of mountaineering.

Balmat’s achievement is closely linked with the Balmat–Paccard ascent, a milestone that helped inaugurate a broader era of alpine exploration and scientific interest in high-altitude climbing.