135m, 6 pitches. An entertaining climb up the obvious arete to the summit ridge of Sainte Victoire, best combined with Le Crépuscle des Ayatollahs below. Well described (in French) on the camptocamp.org website.
Start at the base of the arete, which is also the top of the Ayatollahs route below.
Pitch 1: 3b: Easy scramble up to a ledge where you will have to build a belay station.
Pitch 2: 4c 25m. Traverse right off the ledge and take an airy step across and up to a rusty bolt. Continue up the corner. The belay above has a new bolt and a rusty old piton.
Pitch 3: 4b 20m. Climb the gentle but smooth ramp up and right via a rusty bolt, then shortly after cross easy ground to a belay with a single bolt.
Pitch 4: 4a 35m. Climb the slab above past another handy bolt to the foot of the arete proper where there is a belay with a new bolt and an old one.
Pitch 5: 5c/A0 35m. A cracking pitch. Climb the pocketed slab above, looking out for an old piton almost hidden in a pocket. Easier ground leads to another slab which is the crux, well protected with new and old bolts. One hard move, well protected, which is easily aided. Then up the broken crest of the arete easily in a fine position. Belay is two old bolts slightly low down.
Pitch 6: 4a 20m. Climb up a short steep (crumbly) wall past an obvious bolt then slightly right past a bush and to the top. Belay possible on a block well back from the edge (thread).
Descent: Walk north a short distance to pick up the main ridge path and follow it east. Choice of the green, black or red path down, all steep, all eventually joining with the brown path below. Follow the flash marks carefully especially in scree areas to avoid losing the way.


Le crépuscule des Ayatollahs

Henri Gal, Henri Gentil et Raymond Giusti 1957.

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