St Auban

There is a lot of rock climbing around St Auban.

The local climbing (3 km away) is mostly bolted single-pitch routes, although there are some much more challenging multi-pitch climbs available. 

An excellent article has been written on the village community website giving the history of rock climbing at St Auban and a bit about the different routes.

Local climbing guide books are supplied in the apartment.

For guided rock climbing have a look at the website Arpille Adventure based at the campsite in St Auban.

Aiglun

The shop Rocapic at Toulon have a very interesting article about climbing at Aiglun (40 mins from Les Basses Beaumettes), on their site, even if you can't read French, the photos alone can give you virtual vertigo.

The Verdon Gorge

We are only 40 mins drive from the Verdon Gorge which needs no introduction to rock climbers, exposed and vertiginous being the first two words that spring to mind when one thinks of the Verdon Gorge.

Climbing at Annot

Tom Payne October 2005

The following websites may be of interest to those wishing to climb in the area, there is also information about climbing at nearby Gréolières and Courmes at the very bottom of the page:

• Verdon Aventures et Nature
• Provence Web
• Grimpe.be an index of climbing websites sites around the world (Cabris, Annot and the Verdon Gorge are nearby)
• A bloc useful site about bouldering and climbing at Annot

• Climbing website about Cabris near Grasse

• Atoutroc Topo for Escragnolles

• Index to climbing websites around Nice

• Gorges du Loup topos

• Mons topos

• St Jeannet topos

• Denali-sud

• Climbing at Aiglun click on Falaise d'Aiglun on the site
• Montagne du monde good photos of climbing at Aiglun

Via Ferratas

There is an exciting Via Ferrata at Puget Theniers within easy driving distance, designed by the late climber Patrick Berhault. GPs Coordinates  Latitude: 43.95 / Longitude: 6.9

To get to the via ferrata, walk for 15 mins along a foot path from the car park. The Via ferrata takes about 2h 30 mins to do. At the end there is a 30 minute walk back down an easy path with stunning mountain views.
 

Height at start 520m

Height at finish 777m

Height gain 257m

Length 750m

Difficulty D+

Price 3 euros / person

You can hire all the equipment at the Office du Tourisme at Puget-Théniers. It is worth phoning in advance as they do tend to close for a very French long lunch hour or three - Tel: 04 93 05 05 05

See the via ferrata page of the gite tonic website for more information.

If the very vertiginous thought of doing a Via Ferrata brings on an attack of heeby-jeebies, then why not consider doing one underground! The world's first Via Souterrata can be found at La Mouliere (thirty minutes drive from Basses Beaumettes). For more information and photos about the via Souterrata have a look at the caving page.

Le Parcours aventure dans les arbres

Forests of adventure have become very popular in France recently. They usually involve a tree top level walk round a forest, crossing rope bridges and swinging from tree to tree. The minimum and maximum age limits vary but are usually about 6 -77 yrs old. The Parcour aventure at Caille has just opened a new Tyrolienne (zip wire), which is 470m long! We have several Parcours aventure / forests of adventure near Les Basses Beaumettes:

Le Parcour aventure at Caille

Greo'branch at Greolieres les Neiges tel. 04 93 59 73 17