In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
We climbed Capitaine Courageux in mid February - I came off at exaxtly the same level, though I was climbing closer to the wall. I wasn't leading at the time, so I just swung into the hollow on the left. Tony was climbing after me, and made it as far as the top cave, before he too came off, after the ice broke off. Francois (who was leading) was going to set a belay at the cave, but the ice was fairly crap, so he continued up to the top.
Until my weeks climbing, I was very much in the leashed axes is best camp. However, after a week of wonderful ice, where my leashes just slowed me down, and my fairly stright axes were harder to place, I'm a complete comvert to leashes, curved axes.
By the way it was my first ever 'slip' on ice. The climb was great though, and my favouite of the week.
Great photo's by the way.