Top climbing sites in the Sud you can get to with sustainable modes of transport

Use train, bus and bike to go cliff-climbing

The Sud is without a doubt one of the favourite regions for climbers. It’s also one of the favourite territories of Eline le Menestrel, a professional climber committed to ecology. A great fan of cycling-climbing, Eline advocates a sustainable approach to climbing. Discover her favourite cliffs you can reach by train, bus or bike!

The Gorges du Verdon

Reached by bus or bike

With its impressive gorges and their limestone walls of up to 700 metres deep, the Verdon is a not-to-be missed landmark for climbing enthusiasts. In all, there are more than 1,500 ways nestling in this magical setting filled with greenery, white cliffs and turquoise water. La Palud-sur-Verdon is one of the most important base camps in the locality, with the first sectors just a 35-minute walk away. Please note: the beauty of the Verdon attracts many people in summertime, so we recommend coming out of the summer season and making the most of more agreeable temperatures for climbing!

Access by bus: Transagglo Line 132 from Manosque to Riez – Pré de Foire or the ZOU ! Line 67 from Marseille to Riez, and then the ZOU ! Line 450 to La Palud-sur-Verdon.

Acess by bike: 70 km from Manosque or 35 km from Riez. If you warn 24 hours in advance the ZOU ! Line 67 will take bikes.

A word from Eline

« For me, climbing in the Verdon is a bit like having my childhood dream come true: being able to fly. When I climb the L’Escalès wall, the air under my feet makes me feel like I’ve been changed into a vulture. True, it’s a demanding climb, but it gives so much when you take the time to get used to its style and commitment. It’s a place to love and which is worth taking the time to discover in all is aspects: the great ways, the slabs, the left bank, the right bank… There’s something for everyone at all levels. »

The Cliffs of Buoux

Accessible by bus or bike

In the heart of the Luberon Natural Regional Park, near the village of the same name, the site of Buoux has forged itself a reputation of being one of the most beautiful cliffs in the world. The great climbing names have climbed this “molasse”, a sedimentary rock whose particularity is to form holes of all sizes and which are one of the characteristics of the ways in Buoux, and which can sometimes be hard on the fingers!

Access by bus: ZOU ! Line 989 bus on request, from Apt to the Place de la Mairie in Buoux, and then around 35-40 minutes of approach walk.

Access by bike: 45 km from Aix-en-Provence (centre) station or 25 km from Pertuis.

A word from eline

« The story of my family and the story of climbing are closely knit in the cliffs of Buoux and the place is written on my heart. The surreal shapes of the molasse remind me of my grandfather who loved doing the difficult ways easily… which is no easy task in Buoux. I deeply love the Aiguebrun which flows gently but surely, the sharp edges of the holes which have caused me much anguish, the jackdaws and the robins which live in the eyes and the variety of climbing that Buoux has to offer. »

The Calanques in Marseille

Accessible by bus or bike

The setting that the Calanques offer to climbers is sensational: to complete a way and then turn around to admire the sea stretching as far as the eye can see, that’s really unique. Here, even the approach walk is worth it. From Cassis to Marseille, you’ll be spoilt for choice when you want to find a way that’s at your level. On the other hand, as access to the Calanques is regulated, we strongly advise you avoid the summer period, with the strictest regulations and a relentless sun. The advantage here is that when the weather is good, you can climb in the winter!

Access by bus: Line B1 for Luminy, Line 22 for Les Baumettes, Line 19 for Marseilleveyre and then continue on line 20 for Callelongue. These sites can also be easily reached by bike. For Cassis, it takes less than one hour to reach some sectors, otherwise line 371 can take you nearer.

A word from Eline

« When I go into the Calanques I always get the feeling I’ve come home. It’s absolutely incredible to have such a wonderful National Park just 10 km from France’s second city. Vertical white limestone walls with caves which offer a short, intense climb, there’s something for everyone. I particularly like the feeling of being far away from the world when I walk to the Concave, with the broom in flower at the end of the winter and the gentle sun which warms you in winter when you climb shirtless with a view over the sea. »

Ceüse and its legend

Accessible by train and then bike

Keeping the best bit for the end? Eline won’t contradict you. A listed Natura 2000 site, the Montagne de Ceüse is without a doubt one of the most mythical in the climbing world and its legend echoes in the heart of every climber. Rising out of the earth, this 2-km long limestone diadem seems to have been naturally sculpted to put climbers to the test. Known for some of its particularly difficult sectors, Ceüse does however offer more accessible ways.

Access by cycling-climbing: TER line from de Marseille to Veynes-Dévoluy, and then a 29-km bike-ride with a positive height difference of 600 metres, a trip of around 2½ hours, to the Les Guérins campsite at the start of the approach walk.

A word from Eline

«The queen of queens. Céüse, the love of my life and, objectively, the most beautiful cliff in the world. You can see it from far away, perched on its pedestal, half-way between Provence and the Alps. Its perfect limestone offers us magnificent ways at all levels. This is the cliff I have climbed the most, I’ve been going there every summer since I was 14 and I would not be who I am today without all the adventures I’ve had there. The cliff has a magnetic energy, its limestone is probably made up of Sirenian sediments. It attracts you like a magnet and once you’re there, you’ll find it difficult to leave and you’ll tend to stay so long you end up completely exhausted»

Other cliffs to discover

By bus:

Ailefroide: the 543 summer bus from L’Argentière and then a 5-minute approach walk, maybe more, depending on the sector.
Venasque: Bus N from Carpentras to Venasque then 25-30 minute approach walk to the cliffs.
La Combe de l’Ermitage: Bus 912 from Carpentras to the centre of Villes-sur-Auzon, and then 40-minute approach walk.
La Turbie: Bus 11 from Nice to the Town Hall in La Turbie and then allow for a 35-minute walk, through the Tête de Chien car park.

To climb when you get off the train:

Cavaillon: a sector which is accessible in under 20 minutes on foot from the station.
Orgon – Vallée Heureuse: a 25-minute walk from the Orgon station.
Anse de San Peyre (La Piade): psychobloc site 35 minutes on foot from La Garde station.
Le Dramont: a 20-minute walk from the station along the coastal trail.
Sigottier: for experienced walkers, the site is 1 hour from Serres station on foot.
Rue des Masques: also for experienced walkers, the site is a 1-hour walk from Mont-Dauphin station.

Eline Le Menestrel

As a professional climber and ecological activist, I see outdoor sports as a way to promote environmentalism, provided that they are done sustainably. I strive to climb at my best level to show that performance and ecology can go together. This is why I often choose cycling-climbing to reach my favourite cliffs. As a student of environmental science and management, I combine my different realities so that the disciplines dialogue with each other and commit as many actors as possible in a transformation towards a world which is fairer, more sustainable and respectful of the living.

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