Since the end of confinement it's been great to get outdoors and touch rock again.
In June, we spent a couple of weeks in the the Gorges de St May, 20km west of Nyons (Drome Provençale). It's one of our favourite areas because it's quiet and not well known, and the climbing is generally steep with good holds and colonettes. I'd wanted to return to do a great looking 7c+ called "Lezard a tete bleue", which was supposed to be very bouldery at the top. I found a very efficient sequence, which proved the key and it turned out to be fine.
Wherever we travel, we always make an effort to be friendly with the local climbers, it's nice way to make new friends and find out the latest info in each area. Such was the case this time, we were told about the latest spot a la mode, called Le Vatican. Wow, what a crag! Lots to go back for when it's cooler (and quieter).
Then back home for some more ace bouldering at Art Bloc in Nice.
In July, we spent three fantastic weeks climbing in the Valley de Cinca, near Bielsa, just over the frontier in the Spanish Pyrenees. This is one of our top ten favourite destinations. The scenery is beautiful, the climbing is amazing, it's not too far away and there's a great campsite. I think this was our seventh visit to the area, and again we got a very warm welcome from the family who run "Camping Bielsa".
We have already climbed lots at the well known crags of Foz de la Canal, Las Devotas and Super Devotas, but this time we climbed mostly at a new crag called Rincon de Sin. You have to understand that this cliff has been equipped by French climbers (mostly Guillaume Bouloumie and Dominique Brenguer), so the grades are generally stiff. Also, just like the other crags in the area, the bolting tends to be spaced, so you have to be prepared to climb well above your last bolt (or use a clipstick!). We found enough info on the Aure Verticale website (see attached) to get us to the crag (which is a steep 30 minute uphill walk). There are now over 100 climbs at Rincon de Sin, which will be included in the next edition of "Grimpe en Vallees d'Aure et du Cinca", due out next year.
Here is another link to find out more info: http://fanatic-climbing.com/rincon-une-nouvelle-falaise-frontaliere-dans-les-pyrenees-rincon-new-border-crag-in-the-pyrenees/
My favourite routes were Adidas (7c), Rosae (7c+), Paraguayo (7b), Marche Pied (7c), Good Time (8a), El Esquinazau (7b), Sorry Angel (7a+) and Planosphere (7c+).
The names can be found at the base of each climb, Guillaume, Dom, Pascal, Carine and Alain will probably be there to tell you the grades. Bon grimpe!
Photos show Carine on "Marche Pied" (7c), Celine on "Sorry Angel" and Carine on "Salamalecs" (7b+). All photos taken by Elaine Owen.
In June, we spent a couple of weeks in the the Gorges de St May, 20km west of Nyons (Drome Provençale). It's one of our favourite areas because it's quiet and not well known, and the climbing is generally steep with good holds and colonettes. I'd wanted to return to do a great looking 7c+ called "Lezard a tete bleue", which was supposed to be very bouldery at the top. I found a very efficient sequence, which proved the key and it turned out to be fine.
Wherever we travel, we always make an effort to be friendly with the local climbers, it's nice way to make new friends and find out the latest info in each area. Such was the case this time, we were told about the latest spot a la mode, called Le Vatican. Wow, what a crag! Lots to go back for when it's cooler (and quieter).
Then back home for some more ace bouldering at Art Bloc in Nice.
In July, we spent three fantastic weeks climbing in the Valley de Cinca, near Bielsa, just over the frontier in the Spanish Pyrenees. This is one of our top ten favourite destinations. The scenery is beautiful, the climbing is amazing, it's not too far away and there's a great campsite. I think this was our seventh visit to the area, and again we got a very warm welcome from the family who run "Camping Bielsa".
We have already climbed lots at the well known crags of Foz de la Canal, Las Devotas and Super Devotas, but this time we climbed mostly at a new crag called Rincon de Sin. You have to understand that this cliff has been equipped by French climbers (mostly Guillaume Bouloumie and Dominique Brenguer), so the grades are generally stiff. Also, just like the other crags in the area, the bolting tends to be spaced, so you have to be prepared to climb well above your last bolt (or use a clipstick!). We found enough info on the Aure Verticale website (see attached) to get us to the crag (which is a steep 30 minute uphill walk). There are now over 100 climbs at Rincon de Sin, which will be included in the next edition of "Grimpe en Vallees d'Aure et du Cinca", due out next year.
Here is another link to find out more info: http://fanatic-climbing.com/rincon-une-nouvelle-falaise-frontaliere-dans-les-pyrenees-rincon-new-border-crag-in-the-pyrenees/
My favourite routes were Adidas (7c), Rosae (7c+), Paraguayo (7b), Marche Pied (7c), Good Time (8a), El Esquinazau (7b), Sorry Angel (7a+) and Planosphere (7c+).
The names can be found at the base of each climb, Guillaume, Dom, Pascal, Carine and Alain will probably be there to tell you the grades. Bon grimpe!
Photos show Carine on "Marche Pied" (7c), Celine on "Sorry Angel" and Carine on "Salamalecs" (7b+). All photos taken by Elaine Owen.
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| "Welcome to Rincon" or possibly "Futur Incertain" (very hard). Photo by Elaine. |
