UKC

Currently in the Dolomites and it's a wash-out. Got the car with us and a ferry booked for Saturday 14th. Thinking of grizzing it out for another 2 nights, but the radar weather forecast isn't looking good but France is.

Any recommendations for someone in east-ish France for some multi pitch sport and/or via ferrata?

Briancon, loads of sport crags, decent guidebook, loads of via ferrata of all levels. We went when the dolomites was looking torrential. We also went to the dentelles near Orange, which may be dry if Briancon isn't. Climbing isn't world class, but a few 2-3 ptch routes and the area is very chilled! 

Hi, If your coming Briançon way and looking for via ferrata I have made a free guide app to the 26 via ferrata here, if you look on google play or Istore for Via ferrata Ecrins & Briancon it should come up. 

cheers Rob

I live nearby in the Champsaur & the weather has been very dry & doesn't look like changing soon

I don't know what the forecast is in Switzerland, but when this has happened to me I have twice headed to the Handegg area which has always provided good climbing even when there are patches of wet about. Huge range of stuff. And you can always check out the Sperone di Ponte Brolla en route and drive afterwards via the Nuffenen Pass where there are some brilliant long routes, quick drying on Poncione,. notably Picadilly di Bedretto and Tanti Auguri.

Great suggestion thanks, the weather looks a lot better there.

Rob: the app looks great, thanks for building it!

And you'll probably find the climbs rather more amenable than those I suggested in my Swiss alternative. 

Weather models and forecasts for Cortina starting Monday mid-day look dry stable sunny for the next 5 days.

So much as I love climbing around SE France (and rarely visit Dols because of the notorious rain), I'm going to take this special opportunity to enjoy the Dolomites now while there's actually some nice weather coming.

Ken

Wonderful road-cycling under blue skies this afternoon Monday. Big views special with accents of white -- because yesterday and last night it snowed down to 1800 meters.

I decided to put off climbing until tomorrow, because my fingers and shoulders were so thrashed from climbing hard single-pitch yesterday. I assume tomorrow we'll stick to low elevation rock -- give the high routes time to consolidate before enjoying those with the special environment of surrounding snow.

Looks like day after day of nice weather for the foreseeable future here in the Dolomites. This morning we had already extended our sleeping reservations an extra day (and cancelled contingent reservations in France / Haut Durance / Briancon). Likely tomorrow morning we'll try to add another yet day to our reservations for this great opportunity around the Dolomites.

Ken

Thanks for all the suggestions. The weather did take a turn for the [much] better so we ended up getting some great routes done and had a lovely trip. The only issue now is how we both transfer our qualifications to Italian and move over there...

...and doing all that before October 31.

Holding out for that blue passport...

If you are in the building trade, an electrician, competent at managing property amongst many other things, you'd do just fine here...