UKC

Can anybody advise on guidebooks for the Ariège region? We're looking at 10 days out there at the end of the summer and I don't really know where to begin. The article on here about the Dent d'Orlu (which was what got us interested!) lists a large number of guidebooks, each of which seems to be a definitive guide to very small areas or even individual mountains. Is there a more selective guide I could track down that would give an overview of the area and help us make up our minds where to consider going? There's so much out there I'm finding it impossible to know where to begin!

I've found loads of topos to individual routes on the CAF Montagnards Ariégeois website, but again there is almost too much to look through. Any suggestions either of a single guidebook/website I could browse, or of particular areas people would recommend, would be very welcome...

In reply to jonny taylor:

There's no selective guide to my knowledge. Guessing from your profile that you would be looking for low-mid grades, I would look at Auzat, Calames, Sinsat and Dent d'Orlu for starters: plenty to keep you busy for 10 days!

In reply to jonny taylor:

Let me know what you're most interested in (multi, single, bouldering, mountain/valley, limestone, granite, gneiss) and the grade range, then I'll suggest a few places to look into.
John
http://www.chezArran.com

In reply to jonny taylor:
Yep, lower grades. I back us on Les Enfants de la Dalle, but for a route of that size that's going to be as high as we'll want to stretch in terms of grade I imagine. On shorter stuff where speed is not so critical we'd be looking up to 6b sport - or at least what counts as 6b in Sardinia, that's the only place I've really done any sport.

In reply to john arran: there for the multipitch, though I imagine we'll do some single pitch stuff too. I'm not a great fan of baking heat when climbing, so shaded and/or mountainous would be nice. In terms of rock type, I'm easy. I've got a bit of mileage on sardinian limestone, but not very much on granite or gneiss (though it would be nice to sample some).

Thanks both for your replies!

In reply to jonny taylor:

Well you're certainly on the right lines if you're looking to try Les Enfants de la Dalle, which is stunning route I can't recommend highly enough.
Another place I'd recommend would be the Pic Rouge de Belcaire in the Bassiès area. I've just done the easiest line - Friscounette - but that was lovely and the harder ones look maybe even better. Friscounette is very much a trad route with some bolts, whereas I think the others have more bolts. Whatever you do you should plan to top out, as the pointy rock summit and 360 panorama make you forget the walk-in had been so hard!
Lower down it really depends on the temperature at the time. If it's low 20s rather than high 20s you should be able to get up on some of the higher sectors of Sinsat (like Peppermint or Pubis), where the limestone quality is phenomenal. If it's hot you may be better off at Auzat, where the granite routes are usually only 1 or 2 pitches but where you can easily find shade. Another option would be Alliat, particularly sector Loubetière at that grade but there are a couple of very good 6a's on most sectors - that's in the shade all afternoon. If you get a cloudy day you could look at Calamès, either single or multi-pitch. And for a change one day head to Appy for some Gneiss climbing with a great view over the Ariège valley.

In reply to jonny taylor:

There is a French guide to La Dent d' Orlu, by J.D.Achard (2002). I have a copy but both since I borrowed it myself and I'm going to climb there myself at the end of summer, I can't lend it to you.

In reply to jonny taylor:
Hopefully this might help you get a feel for the area - http://climb09.com/rocktour.htm

In reply to jonny taylor:

http://cafma.free.fr/

for all your topo needs