Rocher de Freÿr  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Elevation:  400' Lat, Long:  50.2202, 4.8949 Map Page Views:  1,946. Good page? (2 likes)    Administrator:  Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Brian in SLC on Feb 11, 2010 Make this area a Favorite What's New  Printer View Add Area  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

BETA PHOTO: Rocher de Freÿr from the plateau by the parking lo...

Description 

Rocher de Freÿr is perhaps the most important climbing area in Belgium. Known as a destination climbing area since the 1920's, there's over 600 routes, 1000 pitches, on various buttresses, towers and faces on beautiful limestone overlooking the Meuse River.

With grades from easy to very very hard, there's a bit of something for all folks.

14 different formations, some reaching right down into the river, provide plenty of variety and terrain for climbing, all set in a lush forest. Steep cliffs up to 400 feet high provide for great position, nice views, and plenty of exposure.

Trails all start from the top of the plateau, hiking down to the base of the crags with short to very short approaches from the parking area. Some of the routes top out very near the road making climbing with all your kit a nice option at the end of a day.

Popular classic routes tend to be very polished. Protection is typically bolts, but, some folks find a small rack of nuts and cams useful for some of the runouts between the slick/slippery stances.

Campsite available run by the Belgian Alpine Club. There is also a fine hut, the CAB Refuge Duschesne, available for a stay. Both locations are very inexpensive (especially comparted to nearby hotels!).

Please use the toilet at the hut as there are no facilities at the crags. The hut also has hot showers and running water.

Getting There 

Travelling on the A4/E411, get off on the N97 and travel west towards Dinant/Anseremme. Take the N94 exit, either towards Dinant or Dréhance (faster as the road past Dréhance goes to Anseremme, avoiding a bit of traffic in Dinant).

From Dinant, take the N95 to Anseremme. Keep driving on N95 and as the road bends around to the south, it'll start up a hill. Go past Anseremme around 2 km cresting at the Plateau de Freÿr. Look for "Le Chamonix" Cafe on the left (east) and then immediately on the right (west) a parking lot. This is the main parking lot for climbing.

Once past the main parking lot, the road continues south and descends off the plateau towards Falmignoul (and towards the bigger town of Beauraing).

For a fine view of the rock, find the N96 across the Meuse River from the main bridge in Dinant (near the train station), drive south past the Château de Freÿr and look to the left (east). Several pullouts available for parking a car.

Also note if travelling by train, there is a stop in Anseremme, which would be a fairly short hike to the camping area.

The Classics

Featured Route For Rocher de Freÿr

Les Cinq Ânes 5.7+  International : Europe : ... : Les Cinq Ânes

An undeniable classic. Les Cinq Ânes has fantastic exposure and phenominal position as it climbs up the steep, main prow of the formation.Pitch 1: scramble on low angle rock, gaining the lower angle ridge crest and rising up to the right towards steeper ground. Step to the left and climb a corner system which morphs into a chimney. Belay at the top of the chimney. Around 90 feet long.Pitch 2: climb on bucket holds up and to the right. Traverse to the right gaining the arête (whoo hoo!). ...[more]   Browse More Classics in International

Photos of Rocher de Freÿr Slideshow

Add Photo

BETA PHOTO: Club Alpin Belge Refuge Jean Duchesne

Crag overview of Freyr.