UKC

Hi!

I'm looking for recommendations for climbing areas in the Pyrenees.

I already know a bit about the Ariege and the Pic Du Midi d'Ossau - what are the other good areas? We're fairly bumbly, so we're probably after "sporty" stuff in the fives or hard scrambling / easy climbing type mountain routes. We'd also like to be in an area where we can do good mountain walking as well as climbing. Looking at the crag map there are crags all over the place, but a lot of them seem to be the sort of 15m behind-the-campsite valley crags that you wouldn't really plan a trip around!

What are the major areas of crags that we should be looking at, and where are the obvious places to base ourselves for them?

Thanks!

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Calames and Auzat were both good for those sort of grades.... if I remember the names correctly. I think they are both in the same valley as Ax-le-Thermes.... but I'm away from home right now so can't check spellings & locations.

In reply to Andes:

Thanks!

Those are all in the Ariege region, though, aren't they? (They're certainly in the Rockfax Ariege guide...)

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Some suggestions.

Generally I think walking shouldn't be an issue anywhere.

Around the Aspe Valley : lots of slabby multi-pitch (and aid climbing) on the Mature Chemin de la Mâture. Long quality mountain multi-pitch at the Pène d'Udapet Pène d'Udapet. Across the border in Spain, excellent routes in the Riglos Riglos. Nice walks around Lescun (Pic d'Anie, Ansabère, etc) and possibilities for mountain multi-pitch on the Aiguilles d'Ansabère.

Around Cauterets : Climbing at Pont d'Espagna and Péguère (http://www.camptocamp.org/sites/287524/fr/le-peguere-et-le-ceriset). Major site at Rodellar on the Spanish side Rodellar. Walks around Vignemale and Gavarnie.

Around Luchon: Cavallers on the Spanish side (major crag again), the hard-for-the-fingers Pène-haute Pène Haute and a collection of less important crags on the French side. Easy access to quite a few 3000s.

In reply to drolex:

I second the Cavallers/Travessani suggestion. Lots of easy trad, ridge scrambles and plenty of sport climbing. From 1700 to 3000 m a.s.l. The hike up to the Ventosa i Cavell refugio is beautiful, the food in the refugio great, and the climbing good

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Also, even though Cavallers is not on the French side, you'll get by in French

In reply to Ramblin dave:

The Pic d'Espade is in a spectacular setting - not sure how much there is in the 5s though

In reply to Ramblin dave:


Yes, they're in the Rockfax Ariège guide.

Before we moved to Ariège we stayed in several places along the Eastern half of the French Pyrenees, checking them out for climbing, snowsports and liveability. While other areas had some advantages, Ariège won by an enormous margin for the quality and diversity of the climbing - there simply wasn't a comparison with the other areas we visited for year-round climbing potential. There are quite a few places that look to have good mountain routes, and Cavaillers is great for summer, but the valley cragging in Ariège really is unparalleled in the region.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Some really good information here, thanks!

We're probably going to be visiting in late September, for what that's worth.