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Neige à Nice, glace en Tinée
En général, ça rime assez bien. Quand la neige tombe sur le littoral, un froid vif sévit souvent en montagne comme la semaine dernière. Du coup on est allé visiter dimanche la cascade "Prenez les frappés" à Gialorgue avec Eva, Lolo, Florian et Fred. -13°c à St Dalmas le matin: Heureusement, il y a un peu de soleil dans cette face sud, pour réchauffer la température glaciale. Rajoutez à ça la bonne humeur de toute la troupe et vous obtenez une ambiance bien réchauffée.
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| Le haut de la cascade, déjà bien formé, promet de belles envolées glacées. | On a le sang chaud à Nice: la preuve en image. Détrompez vous il faisait bien froid ce dimanche! Glace à peine sorbet en surface au soleil. |
Sortis de ces chemins de glace, les montagnes étaient déjà parées de leurs beaux habits d'hiver et affichaient leur beauté sauvage à perte de vue autour de Gialorgue. Avec toute la neige prévue cette semaine une magnifique saison de glisse s'annonce.
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Et voila la neige qui s'est invitée sur la cote d'azur samedi 19 décembre. C'est bien le baou de St Jeannet tout là haut, vu depuis mon jardin. Un paysage pas si courant que ça par ici! |
Volutes et chantilly aux Calanques
Il s'agit des secteurs Sébastien et des Futurs Croulant. Je ne me souvenais pas que le calcaire pouvait à ce point prendre des formes démentes! On dirait que le rocher a fondu au soleil de Marseille et qu'il s'est figé subitement avec le froid comme de la bougie.
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La première longueur de la voie de la Verrue qui n'a pas du être tant répétée que ça au vue de la quantité de ships qui nous est tombé dans le calecon! Les formes fantastiques et boursouflées du rocher valent bien le coup en tout cas. Lunules énormes à disposition pour les relais. |
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Le dimanche à l'abri de la pluie dans la voie originale des Croulant: des formes toutes aussi surprenantes de boufigue en boufigue. On hésite entre les coulées de laves, les stallactites, la cire d'une énorme bougie.... Pourtant on dirait que les broches à glace rentrent mal là dedans. |
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C'est fou les formes que peuvent prendre le rocher!
A part ça, le secteur "Sébastien" est très adapté pour l'hiver: voies courtes, abritées du vent dans un petit four solaire concave, avec dépaysement garanti. Mais les voies nécessitent la panoplie totale du terrain d'aventure.
Trad climbing
South-east France is the area with the biggest number of nature cliff in the country. In these reserves, climbing routes are kept rather wild.
Trad (traditional) climbing will enable you to go back to the roots of climbing which made is a popular sport: route selection, anticipation, commitment, freedom...
High-tech mountain gear and modern climbing technics made trad climbing possible and easier. Cliffs around Nice represent many opportunities on all kind of rock: granite, limestone, sandstone...
For deper details: read an article on trad climbing.
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Multi pitch trad climbing : There are lots of nice climbing routes in the Alpes Maritimes, in the Verdon and in the Calanques.
Annot's sandstone : New spot, perfect to climb gorgeous routes made of sheer cracks.
Trad climbing lessons : You will learn all what there is to know about the use of climbing gear, from nuts to slings. This course will also help you to grasp the specific technics related to this practice.
Summer Mountaineering
During the summer, the preserved area of the Mercantour National Park is a perfect ground for the most various climbing routes. The high-peaks of the crystalline Mercantour Massif soar skywards. Every last one of these peaks, made of gneiss and granite (which is commonly called "The Caïres" in the area), is a challenge for the climber who lies in you.
Who never dreamed of climbing a summit from which you have a breathtaking view over the lakes of the Mercantour?
The Argentera Massif and the Ubaye Massif also are pretty close to the French Riviera (Côte d'Azur). They represent an alternative if you want to diversify the climbing grounds after a couple of days.
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- Ridge routes : You will experience a tightrope walker's thrills on a ridge which straddles two
hillsides.
- Climbing in mountains : The Mercantour is scattered with beautiful rock faces. The most reknown ones are the Caïres of the Erp, the Madonne de Fenestre, the Cougourde and the Corno Stella.
- Long mountaineering routes : The southern end of the Alpine range also hide some long routes which sometimes require a pre-climbing walk on snow or ice.
Cliff Climbing
Exhilarating flying feeling, a wish to go beyond yourself, the will to climb an unreachable summit: they're all good reasons to practice CLIMBING which will develop your physical and mental strength.
The county of the Alpes Maritimes is the archetypal CLIMBING SPOT : it has got everything, from climbing schools to multipitch routes.
Every year, many new climbing sites are created. The country has the biggest number of routes in France.
The coastline of the Riviera also has an abundance of cliffs rising from the sea, offering a stunning view on the Mediterannean, from the Calanques to Final Ligure in Italy.
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Multi pitch route : A travel all over a cliff, looking for a way to get to the top. A big day of climbing in sight!
Climbing trip : In France or abroad, climbing and cliffs are a good excuse for discovering an area in a new light. Your guide will take you to the destination which matches the most with your expectations.
Climbing lessons : One or several days can be devoted to acquire technical climbing skills. A good knowledge of the basic safety rules, knots, abselling, belays and an appropriate use of your climbing gear will lead you towards independent climbing.
Ski touring
This is the most suitable mean to travel through the mountain during the winter. Nowadays, people are used to ride ski-lifts in ski resorts. Ski touring is a softer and a more eco-friendly way of discovering the nature which is weakened by the winter. Your skis and your seal skins will be your only tools to get to the top of the mountain.
On the way up the hills, you will enjoy the scenery and the delicate ecosystems which are, each winter, turned into our playground.
On the way down the hills, you will discover the pleasure of skiing on untouched snow; far from the groomed slopes of ski resorts. You will leave your unique skimarks behind you on the mantle of snow, powdery or transformed by the southern sunshine.
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All the alternatives are possible :
- Initiation: for advanced skiers on slopes only. Experience in off-pistes skiing recommended.
- One-day ski touring: a trek adapted to the level of te group and to the weather conditions.
- Several days ski-touring: return to base camp everynight. The base camp can be in a hostel, in a B&B or from home in the valley.
- Multi days ski tour: everynight is spent in a different place (usually in refuge). Total immersion in the winter atmosphere guaranted. Perfect to have a break in your life.
5 skiers maximum per group for ski touring.
I can lend you individual safety gear : avanlanche transceivers, probes, shovels...
Mountaineering ski
Off-piste skiing
For advanced skiers:
Groups of 5 people maximum.
I can lend you individual safety gear: avalanche transceivers, probes, shovels...
To read : an article about off-piste skiing in Limone.
Ice climbing
When the ice looks like crystal, when it adorns bluish shimmers, when sunbeams make it sparkle, the climbing of an ice fall turns into an enchanted trip!
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Initiation : 4 people maximum
Hiring of the guide for a day-climb: 2 people maximum for an ice fall, depending on the level of the participants and the weather/ice conditions.
I can lend you technical gear: crampons, ice-axes
This activity is possible from January to early March near Nice.
