Les Calanques 2004
climbing expedition
participants:

We have many times heard of this climbing paradise, so we decided to finally go with my friend Regis to the Calanques. This is a rock-resort (or even a mountain "nest" but since it is situated immediately at the Medditerranean and quite short - up to 600 metres elevation, so the brain somehow does not want to call it "mountains"). It is situated just next to Marseille. 

The hitch-hiking journey there was not a smashing success: it took us three days from Poland. Still the way back was fantastic: less than a day and a half. Still generally it is difficult for me to say: go hitch-hiking to France. Unlike to Germany, where it was as always brilliant. 

On the spot we would sleep under a rock in the l'Ours sector, a bit beyond so-called Grotte de l'Ours (Bear's Cave), which is, however, no proper cave but just a rock-roof several metres wide. Under "our" roof some climbers from Poland had built stone-walls making it two comfortable "bedrooms" two people each. So the tent proved useless. More to that! We had luxuries there: otherwise how would you call a free:

bedroom	bathroom	or dining-room?

The other issues were also not very problematic: water was a 40-minute walk away (tap at the parking lot next to the last stop of bus 21 in Luminy), therefrom ten more minutes by bus to the Geant supermaket, where it is relatively cheap (although still more expensive than in Poland). To be able to bring enough water you have to get big plastic bottles in Geant and walk down to Luminy every three or four days - you have to take a rest from climbing anyway. We had 32 litres for two people and it was more than enough   :-)

W bought the climbing guide-book in the centre of Marseille (I cannot recall the adress but you can find it on the web) for a "humble" price of EUR 22. We had a bit bad luck, though, as we went in May and in coming October there was a new updated release to be on sale. Ours was dated 1997 but it was not terrible outdated ;) We bought also a map of the region and so we were well equipped.

Yet, I am talking of some down-to-earth stuff whereas the first to blow us down were the views!

At first those of the sea...
...and then those of the rocks!

Climbing? Oh yes, we went there to climb! In the Calanques there are six regions, over ten sectors each. We have been in two regions: Luminy and Morgiou, and this was enough to climb 8 days and would be enough to climb 4 weeks. In the other regions there is equally much climbing to be done, so you can easily plan your trip for several months ;-)

The difficulties you can find there are from French 3 to 8b (many that difficult routes) or even 8c (several ones). We were climbing routes between 5b and 6b and there are awfully many of such routes. There are also equally many sevenths. On the other hand, our going in May was not the brightest idea. The majority of walls face south or south-west, so between 12 and 6 p.m. already in May it is really hot there. Even in the night it was 18-20 degrees Celsius.  One can obviously look for walls facing east (quite a few) or north (really scarce) but they usually require a far walk. To sum up: it seems best to go there in March-April or Semptember-October as long as there are no rains forecast as we heard it can rain heavily there. 

To walk to the rocks takes one from 20 minutes - nearby sectors in the Luminy region - to 1,5 hours  - far end of Cap Morgiou, where there are fantastic traverses just over the water! A several rope-lenghts brilliant sea and mountain adventure! :-) After having climbed a 6a routes with a very demanding protection I am of the opinion that it was certainly worth living or even surviving through it ;) 

One can of course walk much farther - the Calanques are full of tourist tracks - but it is a bit too far to be able to climb and come back after that (time!). That's why to climb in other regions one should probably stay elsewhere. We have heard that there is a camping in Cassis (Regis was there a year later - there is!), so one can stay there and walk chiefly to the farthest easter region, which is called En Vau. 

In turn it is worth getting to the regions of  Marseilleveyre and Sormiou directly from Marseille, not Luminy (some other bus goes there but I do not know the number) and - perhaps - one could also find there a good place to stay for free. I strongly advise against camping - all the Calanques region is mountains, so it is not easy to find a flat plateau to put up a tent and if you even manage it would be rather easily visible, which may result in the wardens catching you, as is it FORBIDDEN to camp free in Les Calanques (National park). 

To come back to climbing (gosh, I keep forgetting we went there to climb! ;) The rock is limestone, usually quite solid, although sometimes one can find loose fragments (it is worth having a helmet - everybody have them there!) with EXCELLENT friction. Even the routes, which are described as slippery are actually better off than those in Polish Jura, which are seldom being climed! The type of grips is a bit different than in Polish limestone resorts - it is hard finding a classical deep-finger grip, even if there is one, it is flat on top. Generally the character of routes reminds me rather of "Silesian Dolomites" (disused mine of dolomite in Bytom, Poland) than Jura. 

An exquisite characteristic of Calanques are multi-rope-lenght routes. Due to the height of walls (up to 120 metres) there are many possibilities and we would climb routes up to six rope-lenghts and no more difficult than 6 whereas no easier than 4.

The protection is usually very good and bolts dominate (new from Petzl and old from Simond). In general there is a bolt every two metres or so and it is situated just BEFORE to difficult move, so perfectly where it should be. Perhaps there are exceptions but scarce and one can really climb much and safe at that. It seems worth adding that there are relatively few people and we had to queue to (just several) routes only once - on a national holiday.  The whole expedition cost us ca. EUR 150 each but one can do it cheaper as we did not save on food. Were rather interested in tasting local specialties (not in restaurant, however, but in Geant - why not?)

To sum up, I can recommend Les Calanques to all climbers (maybe apart from the super-extreme ones ;), who have at least two weeks at disposal and are ready to climb good routes with good protection in a beautiful spot.