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| Binky on the classic (as in Front Cover) of Sabine (5c) at Auzat |
Some climbing destinations broadcast their delights far and wide and are well know and secure on ‘the circuit’ but others can creep up on you askance, having been mentioned in passing in a busy pub or briefly alluded to in magazines. The Ariège was one of the latter, initially, I didn’t even know exactly where it was with any certainty, I had heard of huge routes on the Dent d’Orlu and a few Brits who had moved out to the area, settled in and never come home - but not much more.
A little research pinned it down to the French Pyrenees, close to Andorra and the Spanish border. A bit more digging found that RyanAir flew to Carcassonne, about an hour from the area, and as an underused route the prices were less than reasonable; late 2006 four of us flew in for a long weekend, (£30 return from East Midlands) to check the area out. Considering it was the 1st week in November we were impressed, gorgeous weather, quiet crags, granite and limestone to go at, in four busy days we visited four crags, did 30 routes and got a small feel for the area.
We were back the following Easter to do a bit more exploring, and then kept then popping in on a regular basis at least once a year.
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| Poisson d'Avril (7a) Calames |
By 2011 I was at a bit of a loose end with ‘projects’ so contacted John and Anne Arran who I had never met but knew lived in the area to see if they wanted to help write a guidebook the Ariège - they were keen, so in February 2012 we loaded up the car and drove down spend a few months the area. In the event it was a great move - instead of the usual scenario of jetting off somewhere for two weeks, rushing around like mad dogs then heading back home to sort the mess out, we could take our time, pop out to take critical crag shots, or go back to check approaches etc as the book progressed.
John and Anne proved to be superb ‘checking machines’ doing 26 routes on one particularly intense day on Sibada - and most importantly, promptly writing up the information in a useable format. Many other locals chipped in with advice about routes and grades and things moved on nicely.
Long time buddy Colin Binks called in on a regular basis on his travels between the UK and Spain, and as winter turned to summer a large and jolly Rockfax/UKC team came out for an intense week's climbing and checking routes in glorious weather. By the autumn the book was well advanced, we popped back in for another week in the area in September (on the way to the Costa Blanca) help to tidied up a few loose ends. The book was published in December - possibly something of a record; less than 12 months from 1st keystroke to being on the shelves. So once again and just before Christmas, we trekked back across France again to spend more time in this great area - this time with a boot full of shiny new books.
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| Calames - plenty of routes (200+) to go at there |
So what’s the area like? Quiet is the 1st word that springs to mind, and varied is the 2nd. Despite several large campsites in the main valleys the area always seems almost deserted. Apparently July and August are busy with holidaying French, but for much of the rest of the year, you will often have crags to yourself. The rock faces in all directions, there are routes from tiny roadside stuff to 20+ pitches. There is granite and limestone and gneiss, there are mega-caves and huge slabs. There is also a bit of trad around for those who like that sort of thing, on the Dent d’Orlu and Sinsat, though a bit of uphill hiking will be required. On top of the climbing, there is skiing, canoeing, caving plus, cycling (on and off-road) mountain walking and ice climbing and even Cathar castles to visit. Of all the places we have climbed this is one of the most varied, especially when you consider that the area isn’t much more than 30 miles across.
As an added attraction, the main Ariège valley is at a height of only around 450m, but the surround peaks rise to over 3000m. Climbing and skiing are possible on consecutive days and the option of driving uphill to escape the summer heat is a real attraction. The 1st time we visited Andorra is was 14C at Chez Arran and -9C with a savage wind at El Pas de la Casa - we were seriously underdressed!
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| South Face of the Dent d'Orlu - 26 pitches big enough for you? |
Main Climbing Areas (numbers refer to routes in the guidebook)
Calames - 190+ routes. One of the main venues in the area, high-quality limestone, with a full mixture from slabby to very steep, from 4+ to 8b+ and from tiny to seven pitches. The crag is south facing and can be very popular at weekends - once of the few crags you might have to share.
Alliat - 125+ routes. Another limestone area, with a selection of cliffs scatted across a wide hillside. The crags get afternoon shade which is useful in hotter weather. Many of the best routes are in the upper grades, with the big wall pitches of the Passe Murailles and the fine sculptured lines of Le Livre being the showcase venues.
Auzat - 185+ routes. A lovely set of granite slabs and buttresses scatter across the hillside above the old aluminium smelter. A good set of grades, lovely rock and even some small multi-pitch climbs all add to the attraction of the place, as do the easy accessibility and tree-shaded bases.
Sinsat - 190+ routes. The spectacular rocky mountain that runs along the side of the main for several kilometres has a full range of climbs broadly split into single pitch routes down by the river and bigger ‘mountaineering’ type routes higher up the hill.
Dent d’Orlu - 30 routes. A huge granite peak, and a summer-only venue. There are a trad and bolted route here up to an astounding 25 pitches long, and many finishing on the summit of this spectacular mountain. Early starts and the ability to move quickly are a good idea here if you don’t want to spend a night out or get caught in an afternoon storm.
Logistics:
Season: climbing is possible year-round and although snowy weather can make things tricky in the depths of winter there are many south-facing cliffs. Summers are hot, though the option to go high is available.
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| CC on Los Bire Fireal (5c) at Sinsat |
Where to stay: As mentioned there are many campsites in the area, several of which have cabins and/or caravans to rent - check out the Tourist Info. Several ex-pat Brits have good accommodation in the area - a web search for Base Calames Chez Arran, La Gite de Borde, My Pyrenean Adventure and The Forge is a good place to start.
Guidebook: Rockfax France: Ariège (£24:95 -312 pages) by Chris Craggs, Anne and John Arran was published in December 2012
and covers the majority of the good climbing in the central part of the Arège valley and several of the outlying cliffs. It includes 25 crags and almost 1400 routes. It also covers brief details other activities available in the area including cycling and snow-related activities.
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