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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 3, 2012 - 04:09am PT
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Les Calanques
"Les Calanques, situated between Marseille and Cassis, is one of the largest rock climbing areas in France. The climbing is enormously varied with technical slabs, steep overhangs in caves, multi-pitch routes up to 250m long in the mountains, and steep single pitches right on the sea's edge. In total there are around 2,500 bolted sports routes and around 1,000 trad routes."
An article in English about the Calanques:
http://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1980_files/AJ%201980%2021-32a%20Lucchesi%20Calanques.pdf
Marseille and the arrondissements:
http://carto.marseille.fr/geoweb/portal.do
The Calanques seen from the air:
http://pcafpageperso.free.fr/Calanques/Pages%20calanques/Calanques_Carte.html
Photos of some of the walls (Pierre Pisano): http://www.pierrepisano.fr/albums/photos-calanques.htm
Area in En Vau where the Hemming traverse can be seen:
http://www.camptocamp.org/uploads/images/1260737499_777333066.jpg
Access issues:
http://les-calanques.org/
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xajqaz_calanques-l-escalade-interdite_sport
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xfyvac_la-creation-du-parc-national-des-calanques-de-marseille-version-longue-mdd-tv_news
Climbing restrictions: Climbing in the Calanques is restricted from the 1th of July until the end of the second week of September every year. In my view the best time for planned climbing there is from medio September until medio October. It's often "too" hot even in the shadows during summer.
Topo: http://www.topo-calanques.com/
Routes: Photos and drawings of historical interest (G. Albert): http://www.riouetlescalanquesdudralbert.com/Escalades/escalades.html
A book about the history of climbing in the area: "Des rochers et des hommes. 120 ans d'escalade dans les Calanques." By Bernard Vaucher. http://www.amazon.fr/rochers-hommes-descalade-dans-Calanques/dp/2909907740
Some photos from the area (though not only Marseille): http://www.panoramio.com/photo_explorer#view=photo&position=0&with_photo_id=71029004&order=date_desc&user=5399157
Traverse climbing - cliffs and ocean (go to 2:50 and you get the feeling)
[Click to View YouTube Video]
How to get to some of the sport climbing crags by help of public transport:
Luminy
Bus 21 Luminy from Centre Bourse to Luminy. From Luminy you can reach Cret St. Michel, Morgiou, Aiguille de Sugiton, Le Virage, Paroi des Toits, Socle de la Candelle and more. 20 min to 60 min to walk from Luminy to the areas/crags.
Les Goudes
Bus 19 Madrague from Castellane to the end-station. From there change to bus 20 Callelongue to Callelongue. From Callelongue you can walk to the different crags in the Les Goudes area. 15 min to 60 min walk.
Colline de Lun
Bus 23 Beauvallon from Rond Point du Prado to Beauvallon. 20 min to walk from Beauvallon.
Pastre
Bus 45 Marseilleveyre from Rond Point du Prado to the end station. 25 min to walk.
Roy d'Espagne
Bus 44 ("Roy d'Espagne" or "Floralia Rimet") from Rond Point du Prado to the stop closest to the cliff(s).
How to get to Centre Bourse, Castellane and Rond Point du Prado:
To take the old harbour (Vieux Port) as starting point. From Vieux Port it takes 5 min to walk to Centre Bourse and 20 min to walk to Castellane. From Vieux Port you can also reach Castellane by subway. At Castellane you can change subway line and get to Rond Point du Prado.
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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I always wanted to climb in the Calanques but never got there.
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schwortz
Social climber
"close to everything = not at anything", ca
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nice of you to compile info like that
i went there in 2001 in the middle of august. it was hot. i couldnt find anyone who was willing to climb with me. and large areas were closed due to fire danger. i did some bouldering/soloing on really easy/small stuff but it seems i missed out. and i hear that if you know where to go, and can access shady coves from a boat, then climbing in summer can be quite enjoyable....cest la vie...for another time
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bentelbow
climber
spud state
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I was just there a couple of weeks ago. The place is awesome. You used to be able to take the tourist boat to the clanques but the place is becoming a national park. So now have to be approached on foot.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Do you have to brush away the cobwebs on the trad routes?
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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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photos?
Photos of cliffs, food or bottles of wine would be appreciated.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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So if you're climbing there, and carrying pitons, do you go calanque, calanque, calanque?
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Most climbers there bong, bong, bong.
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Dickbob
climber
Westminster Colorado
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Spent 4 or 5 days there before going to the Verdon about 13 years ago. Great place.
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 3, 2012 - 01:27pm PT
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Donini
There are around 1000 routes on the Adventure climbing list of the Calanques, the most important areas being le Devenson, l'Eissadon, l'Oule and Castelvieil. The adventure routes are mostly bolt-free (non equipee). Among the routes are some routes known for their excellent climbing and other routes deserving their cobweb. Though I am not the right person to ask since I am a sport climber mostly climbing sport routes.
A link to a site showing you the way to 996 adventure routes (click on 996 voies):
http://www.topo-calanques.com/TA/voies_ta.htm
Darwin
For pictures from the area - see as an example the last link in the OP. Not much climbing - but a lot of pictures from the area.
Mighty Hiker
A calanque is a fiord (fjord in Norwegian). Placing pitons is called "pittonage".
Bruce
The quality of the sport climbing cliffs I know well is excellent. The quality of the rock at the adventure cliffs, Devenson as example, is said to be variable. There are routes on excellent rock and other routes on rock of variable quality.
If you climb routes from 5c (American 5.8/5.9) and up you very seldom find polished routes.
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 1, 2012 - 08:32am PT
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Georges Livanos, alias Le Grec - King of Les Calanques
"Contrary to « professionals » and today’s young climbers, he only climbed during week-ends which during his years started only the Saturday afternoons and during his summer holidays which were a maximum of 4 weeks – in his time no 35 hours week and no RTT - le Grec used public transport: so to go and climb on the Bertagne peak, with Sonia and his friends, they were taking the tramway to Aubagne, then the bus to Gémenos and then walking to the foot of the wall. To go to Chamonix, he took the railways and was driving a Vespa to go to the Vercors, it was the vehicle he used for his work as a sales rep for printing material, with which he travelled up and down the Bouches du Rhône, the Var and Vaucluse during 10 years. He waited until his pal Robert Gabriel stopped climbing in 1956 (for wedding reasons) to find a new rope mate, Marc Vaucher who had a Citroen DS and at last enjoyed the comfort and saving time that a car is giving you. Le Grec never learned how to drive as also he never learned how to swim. For a Marseille man that is really taking the cake! Himself stated that he was « a Sunday climber » and not a true « sportsman » as the young stars of today navigating in the 8th grade! Despite this, his list of ascents is still today amazing and above all of high quality: Oh the Livanos routes! Repeating them sufficed to convince oneself that you were part of the better ones! They were a must : "The one who did without bivouaquing the Livanos pillar at Archiane could consider the big North walls…" …Bruno Fara, Climbing years 1970), that is in the Vercors as in Dolomites, then in the 1950s and 1960s, there were much less French climbers there. This is how he concluded his scoring at the end of 1978, when, aged 55, he stopped climbing after 40 years of activity"
The following is a quote from his book Au delà de la verticale:
'The eagle doesn't hunt flies' said one of Tartarin's companions. One day, I had myself written to Robert Paragot : "When you have hunted lions, rabbits look meager. And I will quote "Robert Gabriel: "If I killed myself in the Calanques or in easy ground, I would not dare go out any more".
“Le Grec” lived to be 81 before he died in 2004.
http://www.summitpost.org/georges-livanos-le-grec/774008
Georges Livanos in CASSIN, once upon a time the 6th grade (1982)
"To Have or to Have not" Hemingway: a quotation from Georges's book:
"I will quote Gervasutti, as his judgement much more serene, is one of his peers, his rivals, although this competition always was marked with the highest fair-play: 'He is the man that never backs down once the goal is set. Comici and the Dimai brothers climb the Cima Grande di Laveredo North face in several instances, going up and coming down. Cassin would have stayed on the wall a week, but he would have climbed it. Other climbers are certainly more brilliant: so for example, Comici and Soldà. Comici climbs for pleasure, physical and spiritual, loosing often the result at stake. For Comici, climbing is an end. For Cassin, climbing is a mean. One should not judge Comici solely from his ascents ; many alpinists, in this case, would be superior to him. Cassin, in his case, must be judged from his record, and from this point of view, he fears no comparison." "About his lightning victories, the indestructible 'Veni, vidi, vici' has been used. It defines well the indelible iron mark of the Cassin's style. Caesar revised by Hollywood can be seen in the title of a movie full of gunfire of all calibers : 'I go, I shoot and I come back'. So then... Cassin a hero of swashbuckler novels, of western movies? D'Artagnan and Buffalo Bill? Cassin superman of comics? Why not?"
Video:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5y7zr_1-le-grec-georges-livanos-1-3-homma_sport
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Aug 13, 2012 - 01:26pm PT
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That ain't Les Calanques, I didn't see no topless shots.
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saa
climber
not much of a
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Yeah, I tried to buya place there with enough land to plant all your tents, (those of you I know not all 4000) but it was to expensive. Even La Palud (sur Verdon) was too expensive.
As for Cham, i don t think it s gonna fly either. I can buy a space for Darwin , Whisper and Jax but that s it.
Now what about Brrittany? Who is willing to tackle the granite of Armor. Lots of boulders to FA and small routes too.
Cheers from France
S
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splitclimber
climber
Sonoma County
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looked at the guidebook for the area and was blown away with all the routes. squeezed? maybe. :)
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 1, 2012 - 04:20pm PT
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 20, 2012 - 01:34pm PT
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Calanques, Roy d'Espagne, Secteur Dalle Grise, where Patrick Edlinger climbed the world's first or second 7c at the age of 19 in 1979. The name of the route: Nymhodalle, route H. Source: Escalade Les Calanques (Andre Bernard, Gilles Bernard, Pierre Clarac, Herve Guigliarelli and Bernard Privat)
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