Rock Climbing in Southeast of France

Introduction

This page describes some of the nicest cliffs in southeast of France and especially in the Alpes Maritimes. This area offers around 3,000 sport routes, most of them at only one hour drive from Nice (French Riviera).

Cliffs described:

Peillon, the Cave
Castillon
Gorges du Loup, Déversé
Gorges du Loup, Jurassic Park and Cayenne
Gorges du Loup, Mesa Verde
La Turbie, Grande Face
St Martin Vésubie, Le Trou du Diable
Céuse

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Nice (Courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Peillon, the Cave

Peillon is one of the nicest cliffs. Both the routes and the area are fantastic. One can climb all year around, except in July and August. The routes located on the right of ”La violence et le sacre” remain in the sun all day. The rest of the cave is in the shade in the afternoon. Most of routes are long, overhanging and with lots of tuffas.

The routes are well bolted and most quickdraws are already in place. Just check out the slings.

Peillon cave (© P. Gatta) .
Peillon cave (© p. Gatta)

Routes: 30 routes from 6b to 8c

Parking: the parking is located on the road toward Peille. 1.5km before Peille, take left a dirt road for 200m. GPS: 7º 23’ 56.2" E / 43º 37’ 34.1" N.

Cliff: 35 minutes walk. The trail goes under the Cime de Rastel. 300m after the Cime, take the trail to the left going down between the area Paul Arene and the cave. Then, take right for 300m. GPS: 7º 23’ 27.0" E / 43º 47’ 0.7" N.

The routes from left to right and my preferences:

Le pilier de Vannes 6c+/7a
Cent milles pattes 7a+ (**)
La discrète 7a
Suzan Vanke 7b+/7c
La femme adultère 7b+/7c (**)
Inaal ding dingue dong 7c+/8a (**)
Y'a pas d'arrangement 8a (exit by Paret), 8a+ (straight exit) (***)
Johnny Guitar 7b+
Coup de foudre 7b+ (**)
Paret 7c/7c+ (coup de foudre then follow up) (***)
Super croix 8b+
Das Boot 8b (** very bouldery)
Rue Gamma 8c
A bout se souffle 8b (***)
Batman 7c+ (**, original...)
Saharagga 8a+ (Batman then above on the right) (**)
Vizir 8a+ (Batman then above on the left)
Le souffle du vizir 8b+ (A bout se souffle 8b+ and the end of Saharagga) (***)
Le souffle du ragga 8b+ (A bout se souffle 8b+ end of Vizir) (**)
Au bout de la rue 8b+ (A bout se souffle then end of Rue gamma)
Docteur Buttman 8b+ (Batman then join A l'envers à l'endroit)
A l'envers à l'endroit 8a+ (***, 90 mouves, fantastic)
Voyage au bout de la nuit 8b (1 anchor 7c)
Le corbeau 7c+/8a (***)
Tout reste à faire 8a+ (***)
La violence et le sacre 7b (**)
La guerre du feu 7b
Lucie naon 7a+ (*)
Captain cavern 7a+ (***)
Goupil 6c (***)
La cinquième colonne 6c
Mathilde 6b+ (*)

Philippe in Le Souffle du Raggha, 8b+ / 5.14a (© P. Gatta)

Anna Gatta in Tout reste à faire, 8a+ (© P. Gatta)

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Philippe in Saharagga, 8a+ (© P. Gatta)

Castillon

Castillon is THE winter cliff. It’s so hot that one can climb only from November to March. There are two areas: Traduction and Arcade. Arcade is the oldest and the best one. The routes offer different styles and overall very nice. The left part is overhanging (45º) and very resistive, the routes on the right side are of different styles.

The first routes have been open by Axel Franco and Philippe Maurel. Later on, Pascal Clémenti signed a convention with the FFME and the mayor so he and Philippe Gatta could keep opening new routes.

Philippe in Trace Directe, 8a (filmed by A. Gatta)

Philippe in Mortal Kombat (© P. Gatta)

Routes: 55 routes from 6b to 8c+

Parking: the parking is located in a sharp curve 1.5 km before Castillon toward Sospel. GPS: 7º 28’ 52.7" E / 43º 49’ 42.6" N.

Cliff: 20 minutes walk. From the parking, follow the trail which starts under the bridge of Caramel. The area Traduction is visible from the trail after 10 minutes of walk. Keep going for another 10 minutes for Arcade area. GPS: 7º 29’ 4.0" E / 43º 49’ 33.6" N.

My selection of routes:

Graded 6: Phantasmagoria 6c+, Derniere croisade 6c, Tomb Raider 6b+, Time Crisis 6c+
Graded 7: Fatal Fury 7a+, Star Gladiator 7b+, l'Ov 7c, Lost Eden 7c, Doom 7c+, Mortal Kombat 7c+ (R1), Empire du Milieu 7c+
8a : La Niaque, Trace Directe, Full Empire, Succes Fou
8a+ : Final Fantasy
8b : Barjoland, Mortal Kombat 7c+ (R2)
8b+ : Ultimate Doom

Gorges du Loup, Déversé

Deverse, also called Pupuce Surplomb (name of an aid climbing route) is the hardest cliff in term of difficulty. The first free climbing route was Déversé Satanique, open by Bernard Duterte in the mid 80’s. Now grated 8a+ « soft » it remains a fantastic climb. Deverse offer 50 routes above 8a (5.13b), including three 9a (5.14d) : KinematiX (first ascent by Andreas Bindhammer), Abyss (opened and first ascent by Alex Chabot) and PuntX (opened by Cédric Lo Piccolo and first ascent by Alex Chabot).

The cliff is very overhanging and completely off rain. But, if it’s raining for several days; most tuffas will be wet for a while. It’s best climbing there from May to October. It’s one of the few cliffs to remain « cool » in summer.

The routes are well bolted and most quickdraws are already in place. Just check out the slings.

See the detailed routes description, more photos and videos.

Video of Philippe in Qoussaï, 8a+ (film by A. Gatta)

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Anna Gatta in Deverse, 8a+ (© p. Gatta)

Routes: 70 routes from 6a to 9a.

Parking: follow the road D6 from Pont du Loup and Gréolières. The parking is on the left just after the first tunnel. GPS: 7º 0’ 1.55" E / 43º 44’ 19.5" N.

Cliff: 5 minutes walk. From parking walk along the road for 100m, then take the steep trail on the right. GPS: 7º 0’ 5.4" E / 43º 44’ 20.7" N.

Philippe ins Dies Irae, 8a+ (5.13c) (© A. Gatta)

Super Tango, 8a+ (5.13c) (© P. Gatta)
Philippe in Super Tango, 8a+ (5.13c) (© A. Gatta)

My selection of routes:

Graded 7: Ligne Noire 7a, Satan petit coeur 7b, Mekanik 7c. Avoid the routes on the left of 7pm JP show.
8a : Pas vu pas pris(R2), Once I had a friend (R3), Sika (R1), Vigor, La ligne noire (R2), Cascade
8a+ : Déversé Satanique, Dies Irae, Qoussaï, Super Tango (R1), Pas vu pas pris (R3)
8b : Soul Sacrifice
8b+ : Hot Chili Beans Volcano, Karoshi

Gorges du Loup, Jurassic Park and Cayenne

Jurassic Park and Cayenne are both on the right side of the Gorges du Loup (looking down). They are great cliffs in summer and they are in the shade in the afternoon.

Cliff of Jurassic Park (© P. Gatta)

Jurassic Park: 33 routes from 6b+ to 8c+
Cayenne: 22 routes from 6c to 8b

Parking: follow the road D3 between Bramafan and Gourdon. Park your car along the road at a placed marked 593m on the IGN map 25000. A dirt road goes down toward the bridge of l'Abime. GPS: 6º 59’ 38.2" N / 43º 44’ 31.5" E.

Cliff Jurassic: 35 minutes walk. Follow the dirt road to the pont de l'Abime and the water pipe. Follow it to the right along the GR 51. Pass 7 tunnels (head torch) until the bottom of the cliff of Jurassic. GPS: 6º 59’ 38.8" E / 43º 53’ 52.8" N.

Cliff Cayenne: from Jurassic keep going along the trail for another 5-10 minutes. GPS: 6º 59’ 33.8" E / 43º 43’ 48.6" N.

Le Néant des dalles 7b+ (© P. Gatta)

My selection of route voies at Jurassic Park:

Graded 7: Perfolactyle 7a+, Diplodocus 7b (R2), Le Néant des dalles 7b+, Amazonia 7b+
8a : Diplodocus 8a (R3, great)
8a+: Psychopat 8a+, Cro-minus 8a/8a+

Diplodocus, 8a (© P. Gatta)

My selection of routes at Cayenne:

Graded 7: Septembre noir 7a+, Poulet boulet 7b, A strap Titi 7c, Cayenne 7c+, Shakti 7c+
8a : Sika cassecouille 8a, Cédric n'aime pas les slashs 8a/8a+
8a+: Mesquineries 8a+

Gorges du Loup, Mesa Verde

Very nice cliff around the river of Loup. One can climb from spring to fall. The cliff is on the sun in the morning but the bottom of the routes in the shade. The routes are mainly resistive, slightly overhanging or vertical.

Cliff de Mesa Verde (© P. Gatta)
Cliff of Mesa Verde (© P. Gatta)

Routes: 31 routes from 6c to 8a+

Parking: village of Pont du Loup.

Cliff: 20 minutes walk. From the Village, go under the confiserie (candy shop), follow the trail which goes along the river. The cliff is just after the green bridge. GPS: 6º 59’ 45.3" N / 43º 43’ 45.6" E.

See the detailed routes description and photos of Mesa Verde.

My selection of routes :

Graded 6: Willy Wanca 6c+, Contrat permier envol 6c
Graded 7 : Pas de bras pas de chocolat 7a, De la terre au ciel 7b, Ma vie en l'air 7a+ (R1), Castel Rock 7a+, Les Nicois font du ski 7c (R1), Pizza Partie 7c, Petit Poucet 7c+
Graded 8 : les Nicois font du ski 7c+/8a (35m), Arrow Head 8a (verry nice route)

La Turbie, Grande Face

La Grande Face, also called « Jacob », is the sector of La Turbie with the highest number of routes graded 7 (25) and 8 (19). The routes offer various climbing styles with lots of tuffas and multiples routes over 30 meters high. This place is amazing with a direct view over the sea and Monaco.

Routes: 52 routes from 6a to 8b.

Parking: La Turbie.

Cliff: from the Parking take a small trail going down to the crag, pass a small tunnel, continue straight up hundred meters to the top of the Tête de chien. Take a small trail onto the right going down. The trail progressively turns toward the East and goes to the bottom of the North Face. Continue to the right, following the bottom of the North Face until the corner of the Grande Face at the start of the Crépuscule route. GPS: 7º 24’ 12.8" E / 43º 43’ 50.9" N.

See the detailed routes description and photos of Grande Face.

My selection of routes :

Graded 6: Monte Queue 6c+
Graded 7: Le Pays ou rèvent les fourmis vertes 7a+, Blue Oyster cult 7b+, Pendulum 7b, Ozone 7c, Coiffeur pour hommes 7c+, Un enfant de toit 7c
Graded 8 : Terre de feu 8a+, Heart Breaker 8a

Saint Martin Vésubie, Le Trou du Diable

The cave of Trou du Diable can be seen from the road going to Saint Martin Vésubie. The cliff offers 15 routes plus many connections. The routes are longs, sometimes up to 40m. Bring a lot of quickdraws and a 80m rope. The cave is at 1100 meters, it's in the sun until 1pm which is perfect for summer.

Parking: follow the road D31 from Saint Martin Vésubie to Venanson. There is a small parking along the road close to the sign 56. GPS: 7º 15’ 4.2" E / 44º 3’ 50.2" N.

Cliff: 10 minutes walk. The cliff is marqued on the map IGN 3741 OT. From the post, follow the steep trail going up to the cliff. GPS: 7º 14’ 57.7" E / 44º 3’ 55.0" N.

My selection of routes :

Graded 6: Le Caribou Rose 6b+ (R1), 7e ciel 6b+ (R1), Absolum 2022 6c+ (R1)
Graded 7: Flash Back 7b (R2, 40m), Les colonnes d'Hercules 7b (R1), La lumiere des coprs caverneux 7b+, Le Caribou Rose 7c+ (R2, 40m)
Graded 8: La rétraction des corps caverneux 8a, La voie de Marc 8a+ (R2, 40m), La rétraction du diable 8a+/8b

Céuse

Photos