Mary Paillon

Mary Paillon was born in Oullins, Rhône, into a family with a background in medicine and mountaineering.

Her mother, Jane Paillon,[1] was an experienced mountain climber with successful ascents of Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, and Belledonne to her name.

[4] In the winter of 1890, together they traversed the Belledonne range in the Dauphiné Alps, and in 1891 they made the first female ascent of the Méridionale d'Arves.

[5] They climbed the Meije Orientale with Émile Rey in 1893, marking the third ascent of the peak by women, and Mont Pelvoux in 1897.

In the period of 1895–1905 she was one of three female contributors to the Alpine Journal (edited at the time by her brother) and was responsible for fourteen of the seventeen pieces written by women.