[roddersm]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any recommendations for good single pitch sport crags in and around the verdon with good routes from 6a-7a+?

Will be heading out there for 2 weeks at the end of august and probably won't want to climb in the gorge everyday because i'm scared of heights and don't like big runouts 

I've heard that theres a good crag on the oppisite side of the gorge, has anyone climbed there? 

Also might head to beoux, is there good routes there in the 6s and early 7's worth doing?

Cheers.

[Mirf]

Try Aiguines it's at one end of the verdon gorge and faces North making it ideal in warm weather. I remember the routes there were excellent and pretty long. Bauchet is very good 5+-8b+ though I went last year and there had been a bit of a landslide on the descent route making it a little unstable though knowing how well looked after these crags are it's probably been sorted out by now. Buoux is amazing I aslo visited a place called Venasque last year which is pretty good and not far from buoux. Ceuse isn't far if you don't mind the walk.The Jingo wobbly guide is very useful and has hundreds of crags listed there's so much climbing in the south of france your'e sure to find something. hope this helps

[SA Chris]

There are some single pitch climbs in verdon, remember seeing them in the guide. On the east side within walking distance from the parking at the bottom by the tunnels. Sorry, can't be more specific.

[roddersm]

Cheers guys. Will defo try do get to buoux. Also has anyone climbed at volx? is it any good? are both these places drivable in a day from la palud? Are there any guides, bar the verdon guide, that people would recommend for the south of france area( i have the ceuze guide also)? for general cragging around buoux and volx?

Also any not so scary recommendations for the gorge 6a-6c(7a or above is fine outside the gorge)? Not so big run outs, exposure etc?

[Jaspersharpe]

Wouldn't bother with Volx at those grades. Buoux has hundreds of three star routes in that grade range. You could spend the whole two weeks there and barely scratch the surface. Have a look at the comments on Paul's thread so I don't have to repeat myself!:

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,11819.msg206829.html#msg206829

Have fun. 

[RichK]

Bauchet is very good 5+-8b+ though I went last year and there had been a bit of a landslide on the descent route making it a little unstable though knowing how well looked after these crags are it's probably been sorted out by now.

I was there around the same time and yeh, the gully approach was a deathtrap. On our last day there it seemed like locals we're dealing with it so I'd guess its been sorted. Great, shady crag but the bolting is a little sporty. 

[SA Chris]

Also any not so scary recommendations for the gorge 6a-6c(7a or above is fine outside the gorge)? Not so big run outs, exposure etc?

La Demande is the obvious choice. Couple of minor runouts, I think we placed one friend on the exposed 3rd to last pitch and one wire on the last.

Long route, but never feels too exposed as it follows a series of cracks and corners with OK sized belays. Careful of the heat at the end of august though.

[mrjonathanr]

There must be tons of now-developed crags but from past memories I'd look into Chateauvert and and La Loubiere. Ceuse isn't that far and is magnificent, do some homework re routes in the grade-range you're after tho. Whilst Buoux needs no recommendation it will be hot and probably humid, so watch those finger tendons in the pockets. The higher crags will have better conditions, the COSIROC website might give you some ideas.

[roddersm]

Cheers guys. Yeah did the demande before and wil probably spend a day on that. Will maybe give volx a miss then by the sounds of it. Basically I'd like to be pushing myself onsighting which would be about 6c - 7a+.Might even try the old dogging which would push this up to 7a+-7b.

 Wouldn't climb at my max in the gorge due to the fear factor also will be climbing mostly with the girlfriend and need to be sure we can both climb out of the pitches so prabably wouldn't climb above 6b there.

 Buoux sounds like the best bet and had planned to go there anyway, ceuse will probably give a miss as I think you need to be climbing 7b and above to make it worthwhile. Any othere recommentations let me know, especially places drivable from la palud. cheers.

[SA Chris]

Chateauvert is even lower than Buoux isn't it?  And is in a sheltered river valley so gets very little wind and faces dead south, so might not be an ideal summer option, although there are some shaded bits on the right side. Great crag though.