Climbing site - Circle

This new large-scale cliff, kingdom of the Chablais high level, saw its first routes in the spring of 2014.

The equipment is essentially the work of two accomplices, Jeannot Gréloz and Pierrot Cier, who over a period of three years have put in an enormous amount of hard work.
It's a huge cliff, where, for the moment, you'll find mainly rinds, but also a few large-scale routes. For the time being, that is, because it seems clear that there will be a succession of long route openings. The equipment is good, even if, as is often the case, the "Gréloz" seal makes it uncompromising.
Access is good, with a trail that gradually improves in the lower sections. For the upper sections (from "l'ami des Bêtes" onwards), you'll need "mountain" feet, but this should improve with time. A much longer walk is required to reach the "Virgo Maria" sector.

Equipment: all open routes at the top except l'Ami des Bêtes and the first pitch of Merci Notre Dame.

Sections accessible from below: immediately to the right, take the steep path that runs along the wall and gives access to the various sectors. This path is fairly well marked up to the "Ma Liberté" section, after which it becomes much more awkward and even dangerous, especially on greasy ground (be careful!).

• Dieu Créa la Femme" section: at around 1210 m, leave the path that continues towards the other sections and take a poorly marked ascending ledge to the left, giving access to the foot of the wall (roping up is necessary, but a few ropes on bushes can be used to secure yourself).
• Le Guerrier Pacifique" (1230 m), "Ma Liberté" (1280 m), "Hosanna" (1290 m) sections: quick access by following the path that runs more or less along the wall.
• Amis des Bêtes" section (1330 m), "30 Millions d'Amis" (1340 m): faintly marked path in often slippery, exposed terrain.
• Comme un Enfant" section (1350 m): from "30 Millions d'Amis", follow the wall up fractured rock until you reach a small collet (expo). A fixed horizontal rope gives access to the section's routes.
• Ave Maria" section (1380 m): from the above-mentioned collet, descend a few metres (easy descent) until you find the poorly-marked path that first runs horizontally along the wall, then climbs upwards through steep, exposed terrain. A final steep grass slope leads to the foot of the last sector.

Section accessible from the top (700 m ascent, 1h30 from the parking lot):

• Virgo Maria" section: continue on the good path up to the Tigneret chalets. A few metres before the path turns left to reach the chalets (1300 m), take a good path to the right at a red post. The path (incomplete on the I.G.N.), sometimes steep, climbs through the forest, first to the north, then sharply back to the south. At around 1650 m, as you leave the forest, you come across the first red post. At the fourth red post, at around 1690 m, on a flat area, leave the trail and traverse for forty metres or so on a slight ascent, heading straight south-west, until you reach a grove of trees on the edge of the cliff. There is a 15 m fixed rope leading to the first abseil of "Pater Noster".

Helmets are recommended.

For full route descriptions, visit www.chablais-grimpe.com

This topo guide is on sale at tourist information offices in Abondance, La Chapelle d'Abondance and Bernex for 15€.

Free access.

Pets allowed

Pets not allowed