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Calanques beta from Cassis

Original Post
Ben Thesing · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 55

Hello all,

I have an upcoming trip to cassis to do some climbing in the calanques. We are going to be car-less, so we will be limited to the crags closest to cassis. Namely, Port miou and en vau. Does anyone have any general advice to pack in as much climbing as possible in a few days?
Looking to do some moderate climbs (5.7-5.10) and maybe some of the multi pitches. Is it worth trying to climb at cape canaille?

Thank you!

Ilana Jesse · · Colorado Springs, CO · Joined May 2011 · Points: 165

You will have a blast. No car means no break-ins! En Vau has an awesome 6b, Super Sirène, that you should give a whirl. I actually did a write-up on the area 3 years ago, but you may find the information helpful. Enjoy! The Calanques are beautiful.

thrillseekersanonymous.com/…

kenr · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 16,608
Ben Thesing wrote:moderate climbs (5.7-5.10) and maybe some of the multi pitches.
I think most of the worthwhile stuff is either harder or easier than that moderate range. And most of the climbs in Calanque d'En Vau are multi-pitch (for the single-pitch, need to have the "big blue" non-select guidebook, and anyway the short routes I've done were not outstanding). Because En Vau has been on the American (and European) climber tick-lists for thirty years now, most of the worthwhile non-hard routes are highly polished.

Note that French grade 6b is usually said to be equivalent to USA Yosemite 5.10c. Then add the polish factor. And also consider that the bolts are pretty far apart on many En Vau routes -- and many sections are less than vertical, so if you fall you can hit something. Often recommended to carry a few Trad pieces to supplement your draws. (Don't believe everything you hear about "Euro sport climbing" being risk-free).

Cassis is a spectacular (and expensive?) seaside location - (perhaps prettiest developed-beach location on French seacoast) - surrounded by wonderful spectacular hiking and trail-running. But most of the best climbing rock (discovered and opened after the Calanques became a notorious American tick-list entry) in that region around Marseille + Cassis + Toulon is at other crags within an hour or two of driving from Cassis (the RockFax Cote d'Azur guidebook provides a good intro selection, but some of the best new unpolished routes are in the latest French-language guidebooks).

Some other ideas:
  • instead of hiking in to Calanque d'En Vau, get you and your climbing gear there and back by kayak - (optional side trip to paddle inside a sea cave toward Calanque de l'Oule).
  • go to Calanque d'En Vau by (motored) boat ride, then hike back to Cassis.
. . . might need to make special arrangements to cross (? swim ?) the last 100 meters to shore

  • get a taxi to Col de la Gardiole trailhead, then hike down to Calanque d'En Vau, then hike back to Cassis - (IGN 1:15000 Calanques topo map highly recommended for this).
  • easier climbing: Special to this region are spectacular interesting seaside climbing traverse routes. Some of them are mostly spectacular scrambling and hiking with a few short technical climbing cruxes. See links to detailed English-language descriptions + reports for some of my favorites.
  • La Ciotat (next seaside town E from Cassis, reach by bus or taxi?) Parc du Mugel has some fun + spectacular scrambling + moderate climbing on puddingstone - (perhaps some DWS around Figuerolles?)
  • 5.10a multi-pitch you will remember a long time: Baise Jump on Cap Canaille (cliff overlooking E side of Bay of Cassis). Very sustained fun moves on sandstone with modern bolting. Two ropes needed to rappel down to bottom of route. These two rappels for entry are memorable already, because they're both in free space, with the bottom of the first upper rappel barely touching the cliff to get the anchor for the second rappel. Obviously you need to be really sure you're starting down from the correct rappel point at the top of the cliff.
  • city tourism Marseille: bus or taxi for an evening in the old port ("Vieux Port de Marseille") would be a worthwhile "tourist" thing.
  • trail run? For a longer ultra-spectacular hike / trail run, get a taxi ride W to Luminy, then hike (run? scramble?) back E to Cassis by the seaside trails - (IGN 1:15000 Calanques topo map highly recommended for this).
  • bike? Rent a (road) bike and if have strong legs for uphills ... pedal over Route des Cretes (E from Cassis) or Col de la Gineste (W from Cassis). The single-lane asphalt loop on S side of Mt Faron above the Bay of Toulon is also a remarkable hill ride (but starts a substantial cycling distance from Cassis).

Ken
Rich Kelly · · Boulder · Joined Sep 2001 · Points: 549

My wife and I were in Cassis last summer and did a little climbing there. You can pick up an English guidebook at the tourist office out at the beach. There are two cliffs within walking distance (20-30 mins from center of town). We visited Vallon which had a handful of 5.8s and 5.9s on the right hand side which were pleasant. The nearby Calendal cliff has a handful of moderates as well. Have fun!

En Catimini at Vallon (5.8)

scott rourke · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 15

The whole coast is linked by trails so you should be able to check out a lot of different areas. There is bus service to Luminy which provides access to tons of routes. It's an amazing area.

Ben Thesing · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 55

Thank you everyone for the great advice!!

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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