Orpierre: 670 Bolted Pitches on the Limestone Above a Medieval Village
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
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300
XP
+100 France
= 400 total
1 day
Orpierre: 670 Bolted Pitches on the Limestone Above a Medieval Village
300 + 100 XP
Orpierre is known above all for climbing. The limestone cliffs that overhang the village — Le Puy, Le Château, Le Belleric, Le Quiquillon, Les 4 heures, L'Ascle, L'Adrech and Les Blaches — stand between 30 m and 150 m high and carry close to 670 well-bolted pitches, and climbers make around 50,000 ascents a year on them. The first routes were opened in the 1980s and there were about 450 of them by 2012; the commune owns most of the cliffs and one of its employees is responsible for bolting the rock. Below them, the old centre is a 14th-century village that was once a seat of the Prince of Orange.
Required Activities
1
of 3
Climb a pitch on one of the secteurs découverte, the sectors bolted specially for beginners, and note that the bolts you clip were placed by an employee of the commune that owns the cliff
2
of 3
Walk the approach paths and name the cliffs from below — Le Quiquillon, Le Château and Le Belleric all stand over the village — then work out which of them carries the longest lines, from 30 m up to 150 m of rock
3
of 3
In "le vieux", the 14th-century centre that was a seat of the Prince of Orange, find the walled-up doorways that link one cellar to the next, and judge for yourself the local story that you could once ride a horse under the town through them — Wikipedia's own verdict is that the doors look too low
Climb a pitch on one of the secteurs découverte, the sectors bolted specially for beginners, and note that the bolts you clip were placed by an employee of the commune that owns the cliff
Walk the approach paths and name the cliffs from below — Le Quiquillon, Le Château and Le Belleric all stand over the village — then work out which of them carries the longest lines, from 30 m up to 150 m of rock
In "le vieux", the 14th-century centre that was a seat of the Prince of Orange, find the walled-up doorways that link one cellar to the next, and judge for yourself the local story that you could once ride a horse under the town through them — Wikipedia's own verdict is that the doors look too low
Before you go
Climbing here needs a rope, harness, quickdraws and a partner who can belay. If you have none of that, book a guide or an instructor in the village rather than starting up a route.
The cliffs run from 30 m to 150 m. Several sectors are multi-pitch adventure terrain, not single-pitch sport routes — read the topo before you set off.
Access is free and the bolts are maintained by the commune, but there is no supervision on the cliffs and no safety net: you climb at your own risk.
Orpierre village is tight and steep. Leave a motorhome in the car park at the entrance and walk in.
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Challenge Location
XP Breakdown
Challenge XP
300 XP
France country bonus
+100 XP
Potential total
400 XP
Country bonus earned on completion of your first challenge in France.
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