Haute Provence, Ceuse and Buoux, legendary crags where sport climbing became a thing, a region still hosting some of the world finest sport routes. Sure it’s what dreams are made of but not necessary the most adapted for climbers having a human level. If like us the 6th grad is where you are most of the time with the odd 7a, you will be interested by the coming posts. Currently exploring Haute Provence in France, our first stop was in Orpierre and we surely will come back !
Traveling and accommodation
Our last stop was in Les2Alpes as we were already missing skiing. The road down to Orpierre from Grenoble is the D1075, almost a direct connection, that road is in amazing condition and is treat to drive with the van. Probably our favorite road so far as it also offers a breathtaking scenery. Orpierre is near few major cities thus, finding either a flight or a train shouldn’t be too hard. Marseille, Grenoble and Nice being good bets for those flying. Train wise consider that the Eurostar goes all the way to Gap or Sisteron, from there Orpierre is roughly 50km, quickly done with a rental car for example.
For those traveling around in a car or a camper, Orpierre has an excellent car park behind the church. The place was quiet during our whole stay, a fresh water tap as well as toilets sealed the deal for us. The main climbing areas are maximum 15min away from this parking, it doesn’t get much better than that. If you’re looking for a bit more comfort, Orpierre also has a nice camping facing the crags. For those in the look for a solid roof, you will find plenty of B’n’Bs in Orpierre, home-away (.co.uk) is probably also worth looking for apartment rental.
The crag
Orpierre is constituted of 4 main cliffs, divided in 6 main areas with every possible orientation and steepness. While 2 of them are more multipitch oriented, the 4 others are mostly single pitch ranging from 15 to 35m, from 4 to 8c. In total more than 300 routes in the latest edition of the local guidebook. The beauty of it is that about 70% of those routes are below 7a, a lot of routes then for those playing in the 5th and 6th grade and still quite a few for those seeking some harder climbs. We climbed in Orpierre for 5 days, visiting only 3 sections: Chateau, Cascade, and Belleric. Each of these offer quite a different climb and orientation. We Moved around as the sun went in order to remain in the shade as much as possible. If planning on a winter trip, chasing the sun will be just as easy.
The rock formation in Orpierre is very interesting as it is composed from multiple layers of limestones that have been bunched, bent and cut, creating very interesting shapes. Those make you wonder about the incredible forces at stake which created this, millions of years ago. Climbing wise it means mostly flat surface holds at different angles, grain is rather smooth, pockets and tuffas a rare occurrence. While climbs around the same section of a wall will likely remain similar, the variety of climbing styles is such that you will most likely find something suiting your aspirations and style.
The most popular and the easy routes are starting to get polished but the level is still quite acceptable. If the route becomes noticeably harder due to the polished holds, the latest version of the guidebook will edit the route grade accordingly. The high quality of the equipment and the constant work on the crag done by the locals deserves to be mentioned.
Everything else !
For our single rest day we decided to go up the rocher Saint-Michel, a peak overseeing the village. While not particularly hard, once at the top you will enjoy an amazing 360° view of the area ! A map of the hikes around the area is available from the tourism office for 1€50, the trail network being very well marked no further maps should be needed for a day out.
While Orpierre is a rather small village, some small details make your stay so much more enjoyable. For example the grocery shop doubles with an actual French bakery, great fresh bread available through-out the day, big win in my book! You will also find a very nice climbing shop, perfect place to get the latest edition of the local guidebook, the owner being the editor,I’d recommend having a chat with the owner about the latest updates.
Conclusion
Orpierre was our first stop in Haute Provence and it ticked all the boxes ! I would strongly recommend this crag for anybody looking for a sunny climbing holiday. Between the village, the short approaches, the variety of climbing styles and the possibility to climbing almost all year round, there is definitely a lot to like about Orpierre. For those planning a long stay, the local guide book also includes other crags in the valley and the one beside.