Canyoning Grenoble or elsewhere in southern France

[chawnigan]

For the past three summers my family and I have been adventuring in the Sierra la Guara in Aragon, Spain. We've really had a fantastic time there in the limestone slot canyons. Mascun, Balcez, Vero, Peonera have all been done with a few variants each on entry and exit. In fact it was the experience within those canyons that brought me back to caving after a 10 year break, but that is another story. This year we are exploring the idea of going to southern France instead of northern Spain.

Do any of you guys have canyoning recommendations for southern France? (Unfortunately the wife doesn't go underground or at least not past the twilit zone.)

I am aware http://www.descente-canyon.com/canyoning/carte has a lot of very useful information if one reads French fluently. The region near Grenoble sticks out as having a good deal of high quality canyons using the website's quality rating. Have any of you spent any time there in the summer? I am a bit worried it might be totally heaving with people.

 

[Leclused]

A good "basecamp" could be Barcelonette in the Ubaye valley

I've been doing a lot of canyoing there in the late '90s and most of them are spledid.

Ohterwise you can go a bit more to the south to do some canyoning in the Verdon valley. However in the summer the canyons in the section between Moustiers-Saint-Marie and Castelanne are often dry, only the high altitude canyons  (ski station) have permanent water but they are a lot colder.

You can drive from Barcelonette towards Castellane via the ski-station val d'Allos.

For the the Verdon you can stay on the Campsite "municipale " in La Palud. This is the outdoor hotspot for outdoor sporters (Climbing/canyoing/base jump/...)

Ravin des Enfers was a splendid canyoning however it seems it  is no longer accesible (info of 2009)

In the following link you'll find some references to "topoguides".
http://www.descente-canyon.com/canyoning/canyon-bibliographie/284/guides-et-cartes.html

 

[Leclused]

the must have guide :

http://www.descente-canyon.com/canyoning/topoguide/1151/topoguide.html

 

[GT]

Oh where to start...

Lans en Vecors or Pont en Rouane (excuse spelling!) are both great places to start with a range of canyons and accessible cragging (and the odd cave!) worth a visit.

Annecy is also a great central spot for a range of canyons (one goes into a cave briefly; canyon de la mine) as well as accessible cragging and the odd via-feretta, together with the lake (with no shortage of slides and diving boards for the kids to watch their parents on!)

Have a good one.

 

[chawnigan]

Thank you both for your recommendations! I'll have a closer look at these options.

The other region that keeps drawing me to it is the Pyrenees near Foix in the east or near Arudy near Pau in the west. Do you have any experience in these regions?

 

[Leclused]

Thank you both for your recommendations! I'll have a closer look at these options.

The other region that keeps drawing me to it is the Pyrenees near Foix in the east or near Arudy near Pau in the west. Do you have any experience in these regions?

The Pau area I only know as caving area, the PSM is situated west from Arudy . But there are some smaller canyons to do but haven't done them. There is pull-through water cave/canyon named "Petite Bidouze" which some members of my club did a few years ago.

http://www.descente-canyon.com/canyoning/canyon-description/2997/topo.html

So that is a mixture of caving and canyoning.

 

[chawnigan]

Sorry, haven't been caving in the UK very long. What is the PSM? (written in expectation of gasps of shock and horror)

That canyon/cave looks fantastic! Unfortunately my wife doesn't do canyons with roofs on them though. Definitely a caving trip.

 

[Les W]

PSM is Pierre san Martin an area and a major cave in the Pyrenees. 

 

[Leclused]

PSM is Pierre san Martin an area and a major cave in the Pyrenees. 

Sorry, PSM stands indeed for Pierre Saint Martin and is a huge karst area on the border of France and Spain. In this area a lot of huge cave systems are situated
   
Complexe Pierre Saint Martin - Gouffre des Partages 80 200m
Arrestelia                                                                 59 600m
R?seau d?Anialarra                                                 43 000m (updated with latest info, I do exploration in this system with my club )
R?seau Lonn? Peyret                                                 24 276m
Grotte d?Arphidia                                                 22 300m
BU 56 - Las Puertas de Illamina                                 14 500m
R?seau de Soudet                                                 10 340m
AN 8                                                                          9 192m
Gouffre du Couey Lotge                                         8 745m

source http://s391384129.onlinehome.fr/arsip/index.php/synthese/58-les-cavites-les-plus-longues.html

The complete overview of the caves in the area can be found here
http://s391384129.onlinehome.fr/arsip/index.php/synthese/56-la-synthese-numerique-de-la-pierre-st-martin.html

You can visit the largest chamber "Salle Verna" as a tourist attraction

http://www.laverna.fr/index.php?langRef=3

 

[pete_the_caver]

If you're in the Grenoble area you could visit the Maurienne valley. There are loads of options and you could also try via cordata


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[chawnigan]

Dagobert,

Thank you for the detailed reply. The DSS has been thinking of going the Ariege this coming summer. It looks like the PSM might be another excellent option. Do you have recommendations for accommodation for 8-12 people?

 

[Leclused]

Dagobert,

Thank you for the detailed reply. The DSS has been thinking of going the Ariege this coming summer. It looks like the PSM might be another excellent option. Do you have recommendations for accommodation for 8-12 people?

In the summer the best place to stay (imo) is camping Ibarra in Saint-Engrace

http://www.ibarra-chantina.com/camping-pays-basque.php

This campsite is very outdoor sporters friendly. Cavers / mtb's / canyoneers /hikers/... stay here in the summer time. We use this camping as basecamp during the august expedition.  The only downside is that you have to ride up to the ski-station (30min)

The owner also has several gites.

Another option is the Bunkhouse of ARsip but this is very basic. But closer to the Ski station 5 min.

http://s391384129.onlinehome.fr/arsip/index.php/preparer-son-sejour/6-hebergement.html (at the bottom of the page)

When you want to do some caving in the PSM then you should check with Arsip for the calendar especially for the larger systems. Fe the travers from T?te-Sauvage to Verna.

http://s391384129.onlinehome.fr/arsip/index.php/agenda-des-activites-speleo.html


BR

Dagobert

 

[alanw]

I can highly recommend the Upper Les Ecouges canyon in the Vercors .