I did the route 11 years ago, when lifts were operational and the approach casual. Older, and doing a 3500' approach, with heavy packs for a bivy, we got in the vicinity of the route by noon ... no way we were going to make it back without a second bivy.
Still, it was a great outing ... Lac Blanc, the views, reminisced about our first route on the Geant 40 years ago, luck on our side and it did not storm.