Climbing and Mountaineering

The area offers some of the most varied climbing found in the Alps. Whether you're looking for sports routes, multi pitch, alpine or just bouldering on limestone, granite, conglomorate or schist. We have it all, with fast access and three hundred days of sun a year. For the other sixty days...come ice climbing!

The main Durance Valley is lined with limestone cliffs and you can take your choice of venue. Tree shaded single pitch in the heat of summer or the 500m face of Tete d'Aval with its vertical and overhanging faces. Routes of all heights and grades abound, making it ideal for those who want the full-on climbing holiday; or equally, the family who want to mix climbing in with other activities.

A short walk from the chalet are the conglomorate cliffs of Rue de Masque and Mont Dauphin. A truely bizarre experience where routes ascend 'vertical potato fields' made up of a mix of every local rock type welded together.

 Within easy driving distance is Ailefroide. Here, world class boulders sit at the foot of multipitch granite faces; and where the valley runs out, the alpine experience begins. The Pelvoux, Pic sans Nom and the 4000m Barre des Ecrins, are famous names from alpine history with routes to challenge even the most experienced.

The Queyras and Ubaye valleys are the beautiful hidden corner of the Alps. Fewer roads, longer walk-in's and less crowds.

During the winter months the cold freezes the hundreds of streams draining the high valley walls and the area becomes an ice climbing mecca. It's so good, they hold an International meet here every year in January.