Rock Climbing trip to the French Alps

You will make your own way to Gap and check into your hotel today. We can help you plan your journey here - we have become experts at this!

We suggest meeting in the hotel reception at 18h30 to meet up with other participants on this holiday before going out to dinner in town. We can also recommend and book restaurants for you in advance.

Your rooms will be available for checking in from 16hrs but depending on what time you arrive, we can arrange for you to leave your bags in the hotel so you can go and explore Gap. Gap is a beautiful Alpine town with a Provencal feel. There is a charming pedestrianised area with bars and restaurants spilling out on the the streets and squares and narrow lanes with boutique shops and treasures to explore.

Rock climbing in the Ubaye Valley offers a unique experience in a wild, unspoilt setting. With its dramatic limestone cliffs and stunning alpine backdrop with some sites offering stunning views over the dramatic Serre Ponçon lake, the area is a paradise for climbers of all levels. The routes vary from technical slab climbs to vertical walls and adventurous multi-pitch routes, providing plenty of opportunities for progression and exploration.

There are various sites to choose from including the Méolans, locally the spot in the Ubaye with 151 routes from 3 to 8c with the majority between 5a and 6c. This historic site is not easily mastered. Despite its so-called 'easy' routes, it remains a high-level climbing destination. Most of the routes are spectacular, with some even claiming that the walls of certain sectors rank among the most beautiful cliffs in the south of France. There is also the Seuil area, one of the most popular climbing bases in the Ubaye with 81 routes from 4c to 8c and the Herbez, mainly the reserve of experienced climbers but with some easier routes.

The focus on today will be climbing technique, rope work and belay skills, leading and seconding.

Lunch will be a picnic on site.

Your guide will drive you back to Gap at the end of the day.

Orpierre is a charming village renowned throughout the world for its cliffs and sport climbing. Entirely surrounded by cliffs, the village lives to the rhythm of the climbers who can be seen from the square itself, in action on the overhangs of the Château cliff, the slabs of the Belleric or the summit of the Quiquillon. This is the "village that climbs".

There are more than 600 well-equipped routes for all levels from 3c to 8c with slabs to impressive overhangs, everything a climber could ever want, so indulge yourself!

Your guide will choose routes based on yesterday's climbing. This is essentially a single pitch climbing day but there is the possibility for more advanced climbers to pay a supplement for an extra guide to do a big multi pitch climbing route if they wish.

Lunch can be either a picnic or a restaurant lunch in the village.

At the end of the day you can soak in the ambiance of Orpierre village with a drink in one of the bars before your guide takes you back to Gap for the evening.

You will be checking out of the hotel this morning so need to pack up your bags. These can be left at the hotel to pick up later or you can take them with you in the minibus.

Our main objective for the trip is the Pic de l’Aiguille (2,140 m), a striking limestone summit overlooking the Champsaur valley. The east face offers a superb 11–12 pitch route (up to grade 5b) that is well-equipped and perfectly suited as a first big multi-pitch experience. Expect beautiful slab climbing, some enjoyable dihedrals, and airy but never extreme exposure, all with protection and the reassurance of your guide nearby.

You will climb in pairs, taking turns to lead and second, while your guide supervises, assists, and steps in if needed. This makes it a true learning climb, a chance to consolidate the skills you’ve built earlier in the week on shorter routes.

Because this is a more committed objective, your guide will assess the group’s readiness on the day. If it’s deemed too challenging or the weather is not playing ball, there are excellent alternative routes.

If you prefer to climb fully guided without the responsibility of leading, it is possible to arrange a second guide at supplemental cost so everyone can enjoy the ascent at their own comfort level.

Topping out on the summit, with views stretching across the Écrins and Dévoluy massifs, is a fitting reward and a memorable highlight of your alpine climbing adventure. And a little claim to fame, for those of you from the UK, this was Cerys Matthew's first multi pitch route!

At the end of the day, we will drop you back off in Gap (around 17h30) in time for an evening restaurant and to catch the night train back. If you would like an extra night in Gap to travel back tomorrow, we can help arrange this for you.