Orpierre Trial: Two CAF instructors convicted after fatal climbing accident

Orpierre—with its sun-soaked cliffs, golden limestone, and laid-back reputation as the place where climbers chasing vertical adventures mingle with those chasing naps beneath the crags—seemed eternally carefree. But since the tragic fall of 16-year-old Camille on April 18, 2024, that carefree spirit has been shattered. On July 3, 2025, a French court delivered its verdict: two climbing instructors were convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Today, within the tight-knit climbing community, the rope feels tighter than ever.

Climbing loves to share its uplifting narratives: self-improvement, knowing smiles at belay stations, shouts of triumph. But it also carries silences—heavy, painful, inconsolable. Camille never returned from the climbing camp organized by the CAF of Roanne in Orpierre. At the criminal court in Gap, judges tried to pinpoint precisely what failed: the planning, the oversight, or simply a crucial yet routine detail—the length of a rope. Behind that rope that was tragically too short lie questions that proved painfully long, but which the judges finally answered without compromise.

Two-year suspended sentence after the tragedy in Orpierre

Over a year after the tragedy, the Gap criminal court finally unraveled the thread of responsibility. On July 3, 2025, two former senior members of the Roanne section of the Club Alpin Français (CAF) were sentenced to two-year suspended prison terms for involuntary manslaughter due to negligence following the death of Camille. The court also issued a permanent ban preventing them from supervising any sports activities, alongside a €20,000 fine for the club itself.

This severe judgment matched the prosecution’s recommendations from May 15, which highlighted serious organizational failures. Defense lawyers had sought acquittal, unsuccessfully.

The tragedy unfolded on the cliffs of Orpierre on April 18, 2024. The village in the Hautes-Alpes region—accustomed to teenagers' laughter and the quiet murmurs of focused climbers—had never known such silence. Camille was participating in a ten-day climbing camp with around twenty other youths supervised by eight volunteer instructors from CAF Roanne. As she began her rappel descent, disaster struck: the rope, too short, slipped freely through her belay device. Severely injured, Camille was airlifted to Grenoble University Hospital, where she died two days later. Orpierre had lost its equilibrium, and the climbing community, its innocence.

A rope too short, vigilance too loose

PGHM mountain rescue investigators quickly identified the cause of the accident: the rope was far too short for the chosen route. 50 meters instead of the required 80—this tragic oversight separated Camille from a safe descent. A shocking yet simple mistake, worsened by the absence of a basic precaution—tying a knot at the end of the rope, a safety step repeated endlessly during climbers' training. The rope slipped freely through the belay device, turning an ordinary rappel into a fatal fall.

“For me, mountains have become synonymous with death.”— Camille’s mother, during the trial

But how could such a fundamental error occur during a supervised climbing camp? Investigations revealed a critical detail: two identical ropes—same color, same appearance, but different lengths—were on site. Amid confusion, Camille and her partner took the wrong rope. No instructor double-checked; no adult saw disaster coming.

A tense trial, responsibilities under scrutiny

Ten months after Camille’s fall, the trial of CAF Roanne opened in Gap on May 15, 2025, in a highly charged courtroom. Jean-François Chadeyras, former club president, and Philippe Diot, former climbing section head, stood trial alongside the club itself as event organizer. Prosecutors minced no words, describing serious organizational flaws, insufficient oversight, and inadequate communication. Despite eight instructors supervising 21 youths, no measures prevented the fatal error.

Responsibility was dissected by judges, who sought to pinpoint precisely when vigilance failed. A poignant moment came with testimony from Camille’s parents. “If I had known she would be climbing unsupervised, I would never have entrusted them with my daughter,” Camille’s father declared, as reported by BFM DICI. Her mother, deeply shaken, added: “For me, the mountains have become synonymous with death.” Climbing community representatives attending the trial, including Orpierre’s mayor, stressed unanimously that in climbing, safety isn’t a mere recommendation—it’s an absolute imperative.

Verdict: Instructors guilty, unprecedented sanctions

On July 3, the Gap court closed the judicial chapter on Orpierre with a verdict both anticipated and stern. Judges clearly identified negligence by the two main instructors: lack of prudence, inadequate oversight, and a blatant lapse in vigilance. Jean-François Chadeyras and Philippe Diot, found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, each received two-year suspended sentences. But beyond symbolic punishment, it’s the permanent ban from supervising any sporting activities that resonated deeply. This exceptionally strict sanction ends their involvement—even voluntary—in climber training forever. CAF Roanne was fined €20,000. While the club escaped formal suspension, its credibility suffered immense damage.

Even before the judicial ruling of July 3, 2025, administrative authorities had acted decisively. As early as 2024, the Loire Departmental Council for Youth, Sports, and Community Life (CDJSVA) temporarily suspended four CAF volunteers: two for one year, two others for two years. The Loire Prefecture went even further, imposing an exceptional 15-year ban from supervising sports activities upon these same four individuals. Never before had the French climbing community witnessed such administrative severity. Now, adding to these already heavy sanctions, is the court’s decision: a definitive ban for the two principal instructors, Jean-François Chadeyras and Philippe Diot.

For CAF Roanne, the cumulative impact of these sanctions was devastating: membership plummeted, camps were canceled, community life ground to a halt. That year, no climbing camps took place—not only out of respect for Camille’s memory but under the weight of a vigilance now seen as indispensable.