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In the history of the Verdon
On Sunday 24 April 2022, Seb Bouin became the 2nd climber in the world to achieve a 9c, thanks to his successful linking of the “DNA” route in the Gorges du Verdon.
La Palud-sur-Verdon or Rougon are the base camp for climbing in the Gorges du Verdon, and most sites are no more than 10 minutes away, on the right bank of the Gorges du Verdon.
Climbing topos are on sale at the tourist information offices in
Castellane
and
La Palud-sur-Verdon.
Don’t leave without them.
➜ Tip: Take a detour to the left bank of the Verdon Gorge. Even though the routes are less ambitious, they’re still full of charm.
Few places have marked the history of a sporting activity like the Gorges du Verdon. At the end of the 60s, climbing began and the first routes were opened. The Verdon became a meeting place for mountaineers from Marseille and Nice. Pioneers include François Guillot, Patrick Cordier and Bernard Gorgeon.
Climbing is evolving from a summit to be conquered to an experience to be lived. Patrick Edlinger catapulted climbing to the forefront with “La vie au bout des doigts”. The Overdon and Vertical Opera documentaries give media coverage to the Gorges du Verdon site. The myth is born.
“The abysses of the Verdon … were summarily known only to the boxwood cutters of La Palud and Aiguines who, with the help of ropes attached to the cliffs, fetch stumps or roots of this shrub to make boules games”. Édouard Martel – 1928. Discover this ancestral tradition at the Musée des Tourneurs sur Bois in Aiguines.
350 m: La Demande, opened in the late 1960s, is the longest and first route opened in the Escalès. Many others will follow, l’Offre, Pichenibule, Ulk, la Ula, Tom et je Ris… The twenty kilometers of gorges offer several hundred routes from 100 to 350 m high.
Many of them are accessed by abseiling from the top, which limits the number of approach walks. The climbing is technical and challenging, and the feeling of emptiness is omnipresent – so it’s best to manage your emotions! The Verdon will leave you with unforgettable memories. Routes up to 8c.
➜ “Climbing is a bodily expression like dance. Except that the choreography is dictated by the holds, it’s the Vertical Opera” Patrick Edlinger – La vie au bout des doigts by Jean-Paul Janssen.
Have you already got some climbing under your belt and dream of the grand canyon of the Verdon? Discover the sensation of vertigo under your feet? Try out this special technique at the queen of cliffs, the Escalès. You descend on a top-rope from the summit before climbing 20 or 30 m suspended 300 m from the ground. And maybe rub shoulders with vultures…panoramic views and thrills guaranteed!
The Verdon also has single-length routes – yes, it does! Col d’Ayen, Félines, L’école buissonnière, Petit Eycharme, Chasteuil… beautiful little cliffs to get you started, tame the rock and push back your limits.
If you’re already a climber, you can improve your skills and dare to try a harder route. Or simply enjoy immersing yourself in the atmosphere of the Verdon without being a fan of the big routes…
It’s impossible to climb the Verdon without admiring these giants of the air, the vultures, and envying their lightness. Their breeding season coincides with the climbing season, and some routes pass close to their nests.
To preserve the tranquillity of this endangered species and that of other birds of prey, each year the Parc du Verdon shows you the routes to avoid.
The Gorges du Verdon are among the most beautiful climbing routes in the world.
Plenty of exposure on Europe’s tallest cliffs!
Limestone of unforgettable beauty and quality in a grandiose natural setting.
Preparing well
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