My parents introduced me to climbing when I was about 2-3 years old, but they were a bit disappointed when I chose to become a sports climber. They didn't agree with my decision; my father, who is a Mountain Guide, thought that the only way to live with the mountain was to become a Mountain Guide, but I didn't want to follow in his footsteps - I wanted to be a sports climber.

So, when I was 18 and had to choose what to do, I left and went to Buoux where I climbed and lived in a cave for several months. Then I started traveling. It wasn't easy without money; I wanted to be independent but I needed help from the others. I'm extremely grateful to all those who helped me - even though I never asked, they were always there for me. I'm a proud person and I waited until I had achieved something before returning home; I wanted to prove that I could do it.

It would be difficult now to go back and live in a cave, without any money, but at the time it didn't feel that hard because I was free. I was young and doing what I enjoyed; it was a great experience. That kind of lifestyle is difficult to keep up in the long run, but to do it as I did when you're young is good. You learn that you can't continue like that forever, that it's O.K. for a certain period, but then you want to achieve the other goals you've set yourself. In life you need to know what you really want, otherwise you like things but never achieve anything.

I imagine that you're concentrating on Rock Master now?

Yes, but I'd prefer not to talk too much about the comp, because at the moment I'm not feeling too good. But I hope to feel better soon because I really like Rock Master and I've always arrived here on top form. But above all I'm preparing for the end of the year - this is really important - I'm in second place in the World Cup and there's only one comp left. Bindehammer is first and François Petit is third: we're all very close and the final will be conclusive.

Do you feel "under pressure" to win or to be one of the favorites?

No, I think less about it now than a few years ago. On a certain type of route I can still hold my own, but I never consider myself to be the favorite, and even less so now. Here at Arco I don't feel any pressure, I just want to have a good comp and the only thing that's important is to climb well. There is perhaps just one comp that I'd really like to win, and that's the World Championship. Perhaps I'll feel the there pressure a bit, not from the others but from myself: I want to arrive on from and if I ruin everything by climbing badly I'll be very disappointed.

At times one has the impression that the route setters can greatly influence the outcome of a competition...

I know, and we all need to talk about this, climbers and route setters alike, so as to realize exactly what we're doing. Climbing isn't all about strength; the comp should be a mixture of technique, tactics and also strength.

It seems however as if the routes are becoming ever more powerful...

Also because the route setters have less and less time to devise a route. But it's important that they remember that there is more to climbing than just power.

i don't know, but I rely more on technical ability than strength. But if competitions become solely a question of brute force, then that can't be good for our sport. Throughout my career I've had so many satisfying experiences and I'll continue to compete because I still enjoy competitions. But if the routes become more powerful and less technical, then I'll stop.

Is more strength required because routes are becoming ever steeper?

No, no, because there are plenty of new holds which enable you to make something good on routes which aren't that steep. There are some large holds, not jugs, but rounded slopers, which enable you to set technical routes, with dynos, crossovers, footchanges, heelhooks, egyptians, a bit of everything. The only problem is that route setting is harder and more time consuming.

What do you mean when you talk about technical routes and "technique"?

It's hard to put into words, but a route is technical when something has to be discovered, when something isn't obvious. Precision, when you need to place your foot or hand in a precise spot, or even when you need to put your body into a really weird position; all of this is technical. if the routes are too simple, where there are small holds everywhere for your feet, then that isn't technical at all.

Could the idea of "technique" losing importance be due to the fact that some athletes are "born" on artificial climbing walls?

Some time ago all top climbers climbed mainly outside and only sometimes inside, now though the champions have begun to climb inside only, and this is true of some route setters, too. This is a big problem because even though climbing walls have become more technical, they are never like real rock. I'm certain that it's much harder to improve one's technique indoors.

Wouldn't it be logical to train indoors for climbing competitions?

Yes, but there are still some strong climbers, like Yuji Hirayama or Cristian Brenna, who tell me that training on plastic just isn't enough and that to be on form, both physically and technically, they need to climb on rock.

How can you explain this?

Because climbing on rock is very different from climbing on plastic. It's much more complex, it requires different muscle groups, you need to control yourself physically much more, you use your hands and feet in a completely different way. When you don't climb on rock you lose a lot and you don't feel good. When I don't climb much on rock, I don't climb well in competitions.

This seems a bit strange...

Yes, and in fact there are some strong climbers like François Petit who never climb on rock, and when they do perhaps it's only to take photos for climbing magazines; I like François, he's honest, a good person, even if we don't share the same ideas about climbing and we train in different ways.