Charles Albert
Biography
Charles Albert, nicknamed Mowgli or Barefoot Charles, born September 10, 1997, is a French climber, bouldering specialist. Charles Albert is known for his high-level bouldering achievements (8C/8C+) barefoot. Charles started climbing around the age of 7, with his father and the Avon climbing club. He mainly practices bouldering, on the site of Fontainebleau and has distinguished himself for a few years by his "minimalist" style, that is to say climbing without the traditional bouldering equipment (neither slippers nor crash-pad). Around 2015, his high-level barefoot achievements began to be reported in the specialized media. In February 2016, he won the French Junior Bouldering Championship. Charles Albert has barefooted several high-level boulders, around 8B+/8C, mainly in Fontainebleau, such as Gecko assis (8B+), La Pierre Philosophale (8B), Mystério (8B). In 2016, aged 19, he repeated barefoot The Alchimist (8C) through the original release (left), which he rated 8B+. The same year, he rehearsed La Révolutionnaire (8C)5 and The Caliper (8C+) using an original method. In 2017, he produced the 8C seated version of Délire Onirique in Fontainebleau. In January 2019, he made (still barefoot) the first ascent of "No Kpote Only" in Fontainebleau, for which he offered the rating of 9A. Until then, only the Finnish Nalle Hukkataival had offered such a rating for "Burden of Dreams".
Known For & Full Filmography6 Titles
Drama Series - 2010, 16 episodes • as Self
Every fall the REEL ROCK Film Tour brings the year's most exciting new climbing films to live audiences around the world. For 2010, the tour features six amazing short films, with stories from the cutting edge of alpine climbing, bouldering, sport climbing, and traditional climbing.
Movie - 2017, 2h 15m • as Self
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to climb 8c barefoot? going on a rampage round the forest crushing the boulders you often dream about? Then wonder no more. Explore the forest of Fontainebleau with Jimmy Webb, David Mason, Philippe Ribiere, Marc Le Menestrel and Charles the bare foot Climber as the crush there way around the hardest problems in the forest, including 8c barefoot first ascents. 8b flashes and many many more hard ascents.
Movie - 2022, 2h 15m • as Self
Capturing the greatest stories and sends from the year in climbing, the new films of Reel Rock 16 will deliver a joyful dose of inspiration, heart, and humor. The Reel Rock 16 lineup is our biggest release yet, with films starring Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, Alex Johnson, Charles Albert, Pete Whittaker and Tom Randall. FEATURING FOUR WORLD-PREMIERE FILMS Bridge Boys A horizontal big-wall adventure on the longest, most ridiculous crack climb ever attempted. Featuring: Pete Whittaker, Tom Randall Big Things to Come An elite boulderer’s struggle with a project propels her on a decade-long journey of self-discovery. Featuring: Alex Johson Barefoot Charles Meet the opera-singing, cave-dwelling Frenchman who climbs futuristic boulder problems sans chaussons. Featuring: Charles Albert Cuddle A massive link-up of 17 alpine summits pushes a famed climbing duo to the brink - and into each others' arms. Featuring: Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, Adam Stack
Movie - 2024, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
Immerse yourself in four gripping new climbing films from across the globe: a visionary first ascent on Japan’s mythical Mt. Mizugaki; a climbing community held together in war-torn Ukraine; a treacherous free ascent of Jirishanca in the Peruvian Andes; and an exploration of Mallorca’s deep-water soloing.
Movie - 2022, 2h 15m • as Self
Discreet legend of Fontainebleau, Charles Albert, nicknamed Mowgli, continues to push the limits with his barefoot block creations. Climbing without slippers forces him to find original methods, to compensate with the strength of his arms and fingers. "Climbing is not just about a grade", he explains, "We have the possibility of doing what we want, climbing blindfolded, barefoot... All while seeking fluidity in our movements. The only limit to creating new challenges is your imagination.” He very rarely appears in the specialized media, has not made the Olympics or even major international competitions. Yet he is one of the best bouldering climbers in the world. For the record, in January 2019, he was the second in the world to offer a 9a rating for his long-standing project "No Kpotes Only". A year later, his boulder will be downgraded to 8c/+, still remaining one of the most extreme passages on the planet.
Movie - 2024, 2h 15m • as Self
Barefoot bouldering master Charles Albert sends his hardest problem yet, L'Ombre du Voyageur (9a/v17) - a spectacular roof crack with a dizzying array of movements.