UKC

Going to my cousins wedding in Tolouse on saturday, then staying over for the week with the family. I am looking for some recommendations for some family friendly summer sport climbing spots in the Ariege, looking for single pitch (0m) 6a-7c.

Thanks

In reply to oakapple:

On cloudy days pretty much anywhere but this time of year it's unpleasantly hot climbing in the sun, so try Auzat (granite, great for easy grades some good harder ones too, in shade PM), Alliat (limestone, many of my favourite routes hereabouts, spread over several good sectors/crags, in shade PM, and Sibada (limestone, good and very accessible, in shade AM.

In reply to oakapple:

Just to add that Alliat and Sibada are both in Graham Lynch's excellent new 'Niaux' topo guide, in English. I believe there are places you can get this in the UK before you leave but we also have a small supply of them here for sale at the same price (20€) if you're interested. Just drop me a line to make sure we'll be in. Address and other contact details on our site at http://www.chezarran.com

In reply to john arran:

Hi John


Thanks for the recommendations Alliat looks like it covers all the bases. Coming from Cornwall climbing at Auzat looks like it would be like a naughty busman's holiday!

I may give you a bell early next week if I cannot find a copy of the guide.

Thanks again

James

In reply to oakapple:

>Coming from Cornwall climbing at Auzat looks like it would be like a naughty busman's holiday!

The granite around here is very different to that in Cornwall. Here it's generally square-cut features and good crimps with very little of the gritstone-like roundedness I recall from climbing in Cornwall. I liken it more to Tremadog but with superb friction, and of course there are bolts everywhere! There's a lovely gneiss crag here called Appy, which feels a bit more like the more coarse-grained granite of many places, so if you want a busman's holiday maybe that's the place to go!

In reply to oakapple:
I'd second Alliat. We went there (on John's recommendation!) a couple of years ago in June and it was excellent. Short walk in. Some steep ground if I remember correctly below a few of the crags, so maybe watch out if you have small kids, but nice and quiet too.

In reply to john arran:
Thanks John for the Alliat recommedation. Got the crag about midday on Friday, crag was still in the sun but got on a couple of routes in the first sector which where partially shaded by some trees, tops were absolutely roasting though!! Had lunch with the family down by the grotto and went on the 2.30 pm tour which was really interesting and worked out perfectly for waiting for the Les Spouglas sector to come into the shade. Really pleased to onsight "Cathare" after the weekends wedding celebrations and post wedding cheese and wine sessions, I had to leave a krab on way down as I only had a 50 m rope. Also had a go on the 8a straight up but the cheese, wine and "Cathare" had taken their toll!!

I went with the whole family and the grotto was prefect for the grandparents and the baby to hang out in the shade, it also had a picnic table and chairs for lunch and a fenced flat area. The walk from the car park is also really short and on a good well maintained path. Would like to go back and explore some of the other sectors.