Jebel Khazali is clearly visible 8km south of the village of Rum. It’s a vast mountain with climbing on all sides. In 2008, Xavier Giraudet and I started a route on the west face, but it was not until 2014 that I completed it with Rémi Laborde and Rémi Thivel. The Atayek Hamad Route (300m, 6c+) is very beautiful with excellent rock—it has quickly become one of the classics of Khazali. We descended by rappelling Le Couchant (Remy-Remy, 1986).

In the fall of 2019, after accompanying some clients for a week in the heart of the magical Rum sandstone, Rémi Laborde, Stéphane Marigot, and I found ourselves at the foot of the north face of Khazali, where two very nice surprises awaited us. As we climbed a large honeycombed wall to establish Zalabia Route (300m, 6c), we were already dreaming of the incredible cracks we would encounter on Au Grès du Vent (200m, 6c+/7a), ascending the big red pillar not far to the right.

– Christian Ravier, France