Bernard Blier

La Grande Descente is a documentary about ski alpinism that takes place in Mont Blanc. It was directed by Georges Strouvé in 1953 and produced by Armor Films. It features Lionel Terray, Bill Dunaway, Marianne Terray, Suzanne Thiollière and Jean Bruneau.

History, advice and demonstrations of mountaineering in the Mont Blanc massif by the renowned guides of the National School of Ski and Mountaineering from Chamonix. The film starts with an historical summary illustrating the aspirations and methods that lead man to conquer the mountains. Armand Charlet teaches mountaineering techniques and takes his students to the field for glacier or rock exercises. Gaston Rebuffat makes demonstrations of particularly dangerous climbs. At altitude, people move in solitude, cold and silence, like circus acrobats without spectators, but nothing stops the modern mountaineer.