Ceuse Rock Climbing

Limestone... Duh. Amazing routes... Check. Longish approach... Yes. Can be crowded on weekends, but seclusion can be found if that is what you are after. Singular brilliant cliff band crowning a hilltop. Face curves from West to South to East so sun and shade can be had pretty much anytime you want, to cold or wet in the dead of winter, the top of the cliff is a ski slope. Summer follow the shade, late fall follow the sun. The cliff is divided into about 12 different sectors and each has its own character, some are lower angle and more broken, others sport stunning stripes of blue and orange, some are just plain huge and others quite dark and intimidating.

Great routes from 5.10 to as hard as you can climb. Single and multi-pitch sport climbing. A rack of 15 or more draws and 70m rope will do on most routes. Note that the guide book only mentions length if routes are over 35m, so if you have a 60m rope beware.

Because of the long approach, many climbers stash their ropes/quickdraws/shoes and harnesses under the boulders at the cliff they plan on climbing at the next day or a favorite spot and just hike up with clothes, food, and water. This practice has led to problems in the States, most notably with bouldering pads, but at the time I visited, it seemed standard at Ceuse.

How to get there

You could technically survive here without a car, but it's much easier and faster to just drive from your previous location. You can get to Gap, the nearest major town by train, then potentially take a taxi up. Most folks tend to be in vans, like most small-town climbing places. 

Where to stay

There are two campgrounds.

1) Maison de Ceuse (3.50 euro/person) - This is higher up the road that offers more of a parking space vibe if you have a van or car. It does have an small area for camping. It has high speed internet (300 Mps inside, 15- 30 outside the building). As of 2024, they only have one bathroom and one shower facility that offer coin-operated hot showers (0.50 euro - 1 euro was enough hot water for a short 2-3 min shower), which can result in lines. They seem to be building another small building, which seems to be for more toilet/shower. The office hours are limited between 9 am -12 pm, 3pm - 7pm. 

2) Campground Guerins (8 euro/person) - This offers a more campground-esque experience as there are bays surrounded by trees. They have a larger facility for showers and toilets. The internet is on a old system and is terrible (< 5 Mps) and you need tickets from the front desk to use.

There is also plenty of Airbnb options and Hotels in Gap that are reasonably affordable and only a 20-30 min drive away for more comfort.