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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.
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 following websites may also be of interest to those wishing to climb in the area:
Climbing at Annot
Tom Payne October 2005
"Annot is about 50 minutes drive away, via the fairytale castle at Entrevaux. The climbing is just a short walk from the parking at the train station, and consists of bouldering and single-pitch routes up to 20m on the countless sandstone and conglomerate blocks scattered on the forested hillside above the town. Erosion has formed beautifully sculpted scoops and perfect pockets giving delightful technical climbing at all levels. The bolting is generous, the grades fair, and there's plenty of shade for the belayer. The guidebook costs 13 euros from the climbing shop "Le Degaine" at the south end of town and covers hundreds of routes and boulder problems."
Climbing at nearby Greolieres and Courmes
Rocher : Bon à très bon calcaire gris.
Altitude : 1000 m.
Orientation : Sud-Est.
Hauteur des voies : 20 à 25 m.
Type d'escalade : Dalles et murs athlétiques.
Nombre de voies : 60.
Difficultés : 5 à 8b.
Accès : De Nice, emprunter l'autoroute A.8 et sortir à Cagnes-sur-Mer. Aller à la Colle-sur-Loup et suivre la D.6 puis la D.3 jusqu'à Gréolières-Village. Prendre alors la route de Gréolières-les-Neiges sur 2 kms. La falaise se trouve sur la droite, dominant la route. Le sentier démarre derrière un gros bouquet d'arbustes.
Rocher : Très bon calcaire.
Altitude : 600 m.
Orientation : Ouest.
Hauteur des voies : 20 à 25 m.
Type d'escalade : Murs athlétiques.
Nombre de voies : 40.
Difficultés : 3 à 8a+.
Accès : De Nice, emprunter l'autoroute A.8 et sortir à Cagnes-sur-Mer. Aller à la Colle-sur-Loup et suivre la D.6 jusqu'au croisement de Bramafan. Prendre ensuite à droite en direction de Courmes, traverser le village puis à droite la route qui descend . Après 50 m, se garer à gauche sur un chemin de terre où débute un sentier (balisage rouge).
Via Ferratas (under construction)
There is also an exciting Via Ferrata
at Puget Theniers within easy
driving distance, designed by the late climber Patrick Berhault. See the via
ferrata page of the
gite tonic website for more information.
If the very 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:
Adventure Forest Gorges du Verdon
Greo'branch at Greolieres les Neiges tel. 04 93 59 73 17