Verdon - Lame Fatale

 Verdon, the classic Patrick Edlinger play ground
With its rock faces, low alpine surroundings, the deep canyon and scenic nature it´s just a big playground for a number of sports, climbing, hiking, canyoning, biking and not to forget Climbing & BASE jumping!!
It´s just one of these places I have to go to at least once a year!

Anna Backlund on a Verdon steep classic!

The approaches can be kept quite short, a 5 meter hike to the rappel point direct from the road. So in this case the combo with good French cuisine most be under good control if you don't want to gain to much waste pondus.
But, there are some exceptions, as always.
For me I have found some of the best routes starting from "Malines" driving the Rue du Crete anti clockwise from Palud sur Verdon village.
Still not a huge approach, but at least its a little warm up before the climbing starts. And once on the top of the route, your more or less at the car!

the habitats of Gorge du Verdon

Ackommodation in and around la Palud sur Verdon is very easy in many ways. During high season with warmer temperatures the camp sites are numerous and cheep.
There is also a few R B´n B´s but the old French version of the same, Gite du France, is really a good and well worth the money option.
In Palud there is one just opposite the church and close to everything in the center of the village.

la gorge - the Grand canyon of Verdon

Best season for climbing is, for me personally as a Scandinavian, spring or fall. Many times late november and early december is a good time with still stable weather and good friction. But, most of the time that means climbing on the south facing walls.
It can also mean a few days of rain or even snow!

One of my favorite routes are "Lame Fatale" 6c/7a, an 8 pitch route in the section of "Malines" (described above)
It has a few neighbors with really high quality as well, but the cool thing with Lame Fatale, as the name says, is the upper sections exposed climbing on these limestone type blades.

Topo, route most to the right

Take the ridge road from La Palud sur Verdon towards the chalet Maline (anti-clockwise on the map). Park at the first real car park on your left, carved in the rock, after a fairly sharp left turn.
From the car park, return to the beginning of the left turn. A cairn marks the entrance to the descent path, 45min/1h, with some sections of exposed down climbing to a fix rope at the bottom. Keep an eye open for the red dots!
At the foot of the cliffs, follow the foot of the wall for about 100 meters, pass under overhangs, until you see a large yellow pillar. A well marked path joins at the bottom of the route.

7 or 8 pitches, deepening on your belays, takes you back up to the road. Enjoy the second and the second last pitch specially!

Second pitch note; Technical crossing in slab.
Do not stop at the first belay. When it joins "Chan", continue to climb another 10 meters (short steep wall) to reach a belay (2 bolts) on a small terrace. Take care when belaying the second on this one.

The travers of pitch 2, Lame Fatale

Exit pitch on Lame Fatale

Equipment

50m rope

15 QD´s

Extra sling/biners for a few of the belays

We got a snowy situation

The forecast turned out to be just as right as we thought it would be!

Second last day was supposed to be filled with heavy rain and even snow. And yes, they was right!
But with the steep Verdon walls of the gorge, the climb could go on!

Tour du boulangerie 

la vue d´Early bird

Traversing the Gorge a la Slackline!

// Everydayadventure

Les Fils de l’haltère et du Pan - Verdon

Verdon, in the Alpes de haute provance, is one of the most mythic and respectful places to do long sport climbs in France.Beautiful suited in the area of Alpes cote d´azur, this national parc is a most to visit for any climber. Or for anyone that just like respectful and impressive nature. One of those places that makes one to think, if not before even more, but of how lucky we are to be on this planet and all things we should try to do to save it.

Driving in to la Palud sur Verdon

To try to recommend any routes here is both easy and difficult, there are a number of classics, of course, but during the week we climbed here I can't say any of there routes made me disappointed!

There is one thing though to consider, the engaging part in the climbing is not to be underestimated, since many times the distance between the bolts can be somewhat spread out. But as the legendary Patric Edlinger once said, "we should have places the bolts closer, if we just had more bolts..."

And on the good side, its not ncececcery to bring many quick draws, so the rack gets lighter!

If there is to be one big backside here it could be that the approaches are a bit to short and easy. Often its made by just taking a few meters from the road and then just rappelling down the route, and climb back up. So its comfortable to be a bit rounder, with the good french restaurants and food with all the good cheese. So you better take care!

Just to give an idea I have listed a couple of routes that is a good introduction to the area and maybe a few "must do" routes.

The top 1 would then be the classic "ULA", put up in 1972 by B Bouscasse and M Coquillat.

It´s a super preforming system of cracks of different sizes over 10 pitches, with a grade up to 6b. But look up, its Verdon 6b, old school. 

Anna on ULA, Verdon

The approach is made by rappelling les dalles grises, which is easiest and most obvious. Or by foot from the parking at pont sublime and sentier Martel. Bring a head torch!

Once fully equipped with bolts it was re-done in 2011, with only the belay bolts left in place. So now its a traditional climb again. But, a route that can be a long line of climbers in high season. So chose the time for this. It can be slow!!

Classic gouttes d´eau

For a newer but outstanding multi-pitch sport climb the "Les Fils de l’haltère et du Pan" at the sector of Malines is one of the most enjoyable limestone routes I have climbed.

A route that also involves a little of spectacular approach as well, down climbing to the very bottom of the gorge.

The FA was done in 2011, maybe they moved the bolts from ULA to here 😎😏, by Pascal Faudou.

It starts with a steep section of 6a crack, followed by a numberous amount of high quality pitches. The FA´s has really put in a good piece of work to find the best line here.

Approach

Access the route from the Belvedere parking, a little de-escalation, the route is a bit expo.

The trail starts at a cairn at the W end of the bend (red dot marking). Follow the path, which is well marked by cairns and marking. Switch backs and down a couloir to slip into a ledge / fault that joins a ridge on the left side. Go down and up in front of another couloir to join some stairs / metal bars. Descend by following the metal bars, et voila!

45min/1hour

The climb

It starts a bit right ot the "lame Fatale", in the middle of a bunch of trees. A little physique start up a steep wall, but very good protected, thanks Pascal!

Next pitch goes up and then out rightwards, over some gouttes d´eau, to a belay at a couple of trees.

Pitch three is the hardest which first builds up some nice confidence but then strikes back with a bunch of fingery moves on steep rock. A full on and long pitch.

This one together with pitch four is just a beauty for a climber, all on solid high friction rock.

Pitches 5 to 7 is all classic limestone climbing.

Pitch 8, has it all, crack, diedre, roof and lunules...

Pitch nine, starts with a bit physique small roof, and the steep wall to the top belay.

The retour is made via a small path back to the road just above.

Equipment for Verdon

2x50m ropes, a lead rope and a tail-line makes the best service in my opinion

Anna on depart of Les Fils...

10-15 QD´s

A few mid size cams are sometimes useful to place between bolts

A head torch, can be good if you need to walk out 

Time to go

Can be very warm in the summer but it is always possible to find walls in the shadow

April - June and September - December normally works fine.

Unfortunately a car is needed to get around and to get here to start with.

Places to stay

There is a really nice Gite de France in la Palud sur Verdon

Camping is also possible in the village of Palud, just check when they are open

For a number of choices, check out this link

In Saint Maire there are more hotels and Gites, but then it involves everyday of driving

Others:

An other high class route is A Tout Cœur - at secteur Dingo

Hauteur 150m/5 longueurs + 2 more to get back to the top, 6b+ Max

Things to do on a rest day, visit Saint Maire and the old church

BASE

Beau...

Les Fils de l’haltère et du Pan

Beau et belle

BASE is an ok restudy activity as well

Links

ULA

Les Fils de l’haltère et du Pan

// Kolonn körning är rätt ok, så länge man är först