remontaient

/ʁə.mɔ̃.tɛ/remonter
1.
verbInd1stImpPl3

were coming back up

went back up

were ascending

Les plongeurs remontaient doucement à la surface.

The divers were slowly coming back up to the surface.

2.
verbInd1stImpPl3

dated back to

originated from

Leurs problèmes remontaient à plusieurs années en arrière.

Their problems dated back several years.