UKC

This has just popped up on the Chamonix climbing group on FB, from the Calanques group.

https://www.facebook.com/descalanquesetdeshommes/

It looks like there may be moves to ban climbing in large areas of the Calanques, possibly due to folk breaking lockdown and climbing. Anyone more local know anything more about this?

Steve 

I had come across something similar on the FFME site:

"In the National Park of the Calanques, the Board decides to protect climbers from themselves by banning climbing on the areas it manages.

As a result, the following sites are no longer allowed: En Vau, Castelviel, devenson, Eissadon, candelle and Cap Morgiou."

A worrying development,

Chris

I take it that these measures are purely covid-19 related rather than long term?

It looks like the measures are permanent or at least semi permanent, and not Covid related.  

A lengthy post but it seems the French Climbing Federation (FFME) took responsibility for maintaining the routes and indemnifying the multiple land owners.  They had a big claim, €3m  against them, last year and stopped this arranegment on 31 Dec 2019.  The National Park have therefore banned climbing befcuase they dont want to accpet any liability.   

It looks like there might have been some (sensible) back-peddling on this. As suggested the FFME and no longer going to guarantee maintenance of the cliffs, and so a ban was suggested. This was followed by a bit of an uproar the new suggestion is that the cliffs be designated as 'natural' climbing sites. That means no organised maintenance and climbers will be responsible for their own safety - a bit of a novel idea,

Chris

As you probley know Chris this is happening across France on other crags also because of huge claims, So not only the BMC getting claims , this is starting to happen across Europe and further afield.

keith s