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Climbs 209
Rocktype Limestone
Altitude 117m a.s.l
Faces N

Crag features

A short, but interesting crag consisting of a two kilometre-long fin of rock, with one face pointing north and the other south. The climbing on Mouries Nord is mostly technical wall-climbing, with pitches around the 20m length. The crag is very family-friendly, in particular, the Prairie sector at the east end of the crag has a wide, open grassy-meadow at its base - ideal for a relaxed family-day. Many of the easier routes are now quite polished, so expect to have a slippery time on some. Being north-facing, this side is a good place to come to escape the sun, and logically, is not somewhere you'd naturally head if it's cold. Consisting of a fin of rock, the routes have no rock above them to cause seepage, and so could be worth a look if it has been raining and other places are seeping. 

The south side of the fin is the place to head in winter and for some easier sectors. It is fully covered in the local guide. It provides a sunny contrast with some impressive slabby walls and many  easier routes than Nord.

N.B. The sectors are listed  L to R for Nord (the reverse of the normal approach and the local guide which goes R to L ) and the routes on those sectors are listed L to R. On Sud the sectors are listed R to L and the routes from L to R. Bonkers or what? The other bummer is that many of the routes on the Sud don't have names.

I've taken the liberty of rearranging sector(s) Arlesian and Gamma Globulin on the Sud side as the local guide is confusing to say the least.

 

Approach notes

 For Mouries Nord from the centre of the town of Mouriès (where the Tourist Information office is situated), head north along Cours Paul Revoil - it soon becomes Avenue des Alpilles. Turn left onto Route de Servanes and follow this out of town, passing a turning on the right to the golf course. Soon, the road turns sharp left then sharp right, and in 150m a track leads off to the right (sometimes floods) to a small car-park. Park here (or on the main road if the car park is full) and follow the track along the base of the north side of the crag to reach the climbing. The first few walls are short, polished, and not included - it gets a lot better further along.

For Mouries Sud take the D24 (signposted Les Eygalieres) until the road makes a sharp turn R. Follow a track alongside an avenue of Cyprus trees. Park on the L as the track enters woods and a path heads up left to the rocks.

Follow the path up towards the ridge for 100m then fork L along a smaller path (intermittent blue painted 'climbers' and cairns) contouring the hillside for 550m. Arriving at a grassy bay sector Dalle A Minos is on the R of the bay and the impressive sector Arlesian is 100m further (DON'T touch the ruined walls beneath!). Gamma Globulin is over a 'col' to the L.

 

Access Advice

Between June and the end of September you should check if access is allowed at:

http://www.bouches-du-rhone.pref.gouv.fr/

Found the so called easier grade routes at Sector Java extremely sustained and undergraded. Rayons de lune has got to be harder than 5c (5+). On a British crag it would get E3 5c.
Pencarth - 21/Oct/14
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