Nicholas Hobley
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The crag Buoux in Southern France
Michael Meisl
Beauty
Sectors
Difficulty
4a - 8c
Height
200m
Routes number
500
Rock type
Compact grey limestone
Orientation
South, West and North
Rope
70m rope and 15 quickdraws.


In the mid-eighties, the strongest in the world agreed at least on one thing: Buoux was the best crag in the universe. They travelled from every corner to the south of France in search of the impossible - and Buoux's long steep walls represented exactly this. With its grey compact limestone, good but distant pockets, intense moves and technical slabs, short roofs and steep overhangs, its routes immediately became cult lines, the maximum for the very best. A what a maximum!

In the '80's Tribout, Edlinger, Freira and Raboutou spent months in the valley, pushing the climbing scale ever upwards. But it was above all the Le Menestrel brothers who showed all where the future lay: in 1983 the fifteen year young Marc started the waltz with an 8a of which dreams are made of: Rêve de Papillon. Two years later his brother Antoine freed the first 8b in the valley, Les Mains Sales, only to push things further still with the most famous 8b in the world, La Rose et le Vampire. In 1986 Antoine linked La Rose and La Secte to create the mammoth La Rage de Vivre, the 8b+ par excellance. It was the top, the limit of what was possible. And it took a further three years for this to be surpassed, with a statement impossible to ignore: Ben Moon's Agincourt, French 8c.

The tides turned though and the search for unending stamina meant that, from one day to the next, Buoux was no longer in the limelight. But new routes continued to be added and the crag, now mature, boasts hundreds of five-star routes. All magnificent! And, despite its reputation, with over 200 routes between 6a and 6c Buoux is above all a crag for the mid-grade climber.

If you haven't already been there yet, go. You’ll understand why, together with Verdon and Ceuse, Buoux forms our French trilogy – not to be missed!

Access

Buoux is located in the Provence, in the South of France. From the north take the A7 motorway, exit at Avignon Sud and continue east along the N100 to Apt. From Apt continue south along the D113 to the village Buoux. After the village turn off left at the hairpin bend for the crag.

Logistics

Apt or Bonnieux are the best base camps for climbers, offering camp grounds, hotels and gite d’etape. Camping Camping, Les Cèdres 84400 Apt Tél. +33 04.90.74.14.61 Camping, Le Luberon, Route de Saignon 84400 Apt Tel. 33 04.90.04.85.40 Fax 33 04.90.74.12.19 Camping 84480 Bonnieux Tel. 33 04.90.75.86.14 Gîte d'étape Gîte d'étape La Sparagoule, Buoux Tel. +39 04 90 74 47 82 Gîte rural Les Deymes Nord Tel. +39 04 90 74 47 03 Chambres d'hôtes, Haut Deyme Tel. +39 04 90 74 15 33

Period

Spring and autumn. Avoid holidays due to overcrowding, in particular Easter.

Climb

Highly technical slab climbing on steep compact limestone.




Sectors

Mur Zappa
Beautiful vertical slab with a series of routes between 6a and 6c. The sector is located on the left-hand side of the central wall and is easily reached by following the various paths from the car parks to the crag.
Routes
Name Height Beauty Difficulty
1 Minouchette chérie 5c/6a
2 Poupon la peste 6a
3 PGF 6b
4 Kadjet tropic 6a/b
5 Ainsi parlait Zarathoustra 6b
6 Zarathoustra direct 6b
7 Couleur 3 6b/c
8 Bis 6b+
9 Zappa maniac 6b/c
10 L'ombre d'un doute 6b
11 Bal des lazes 6a
12 Schabada swing 6b/c
13 La quête de l'oiseau du temps 6b
14 Paulo, si t'assures c'est pas dur! 6b
15 Dardibule 6a/b
16 Bas les masques 6b+
17 La bonté du forgeron 6b
18 Skud 6a+
19 La marine 6a
20 Aptitude 6b
21 Tentation d'exister 7a+
22 Procession des sous-hommes 7b
23 Nutso-mato 6b
24 Enty'prises 6c/7a
TCF
One of the most beautiful and famous sectors in Buoux, with reference routes such as TCF and Dresden. Cross the river and follow the path right, to then zigzag up to a small opening.
Routes
Name Height Beauty Difficulty
1 Tradition du geste 7a+
2 Le juif architecte 6c
3 Fin de siècle (dit jolinouille) 7a
4 Requiem 7c
5 J'irai cracher sur vos tombes 7c+
6 La cage aux orchidées 7b
7 Un zeste d'inceste 7b+
8 Dresden 7a
9 TCF 7a
10 Papa pas pou 6c
11 Le zoo des robots 6c
12 Alambic, sortie sud 6b
13 Le complexe d'Icare 7c
14 Le corps électrique 7b+
15 Docteur Folamour 7b+
16 La fée du logis 7c+
17 Monsieur Propre 7b+
18 Camambert Fergusson 7a
19 La chèvre et le chou 7c
20 Mécanique des fluides 7b+
21 La conque 6a, 6a
22 Les caprices d'anatoles 7c+
Le Styx
One of the largest and famous walls is located to the right of TCF: Styx, renowned for its technical routes that seem as if the never finish... From TCF continue on right past the sectors Rêve and Nombril.
Routes
Name Height Beauty Difficulty
1 Mamie Nova 7a
2 Mélodie Gaël 6b
3 Désidia 6b/c
4 Andéavor 6b
5 Récréactivité 6b
6 Buffet froid 6c
7 Ultime violence 6c+
8 Antidote 7a+
9 Rhinoféroce 7a
10 Vieux campeur 6c+
11 Ravi au lit 7c+
12 Le hasard fait bien les choses 7b
13 Plus de trois fois, c'est jouer avec... 7a
14 Scaravangeur 7a
15 Cupule radiale 7a+
16 La dame aux camélias 6c
17 Handisport 6c+
18 Kilo de frites physique 6c+
19 Proxima nox 6c+
20 Le voyage de l'incrédule 6b





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Beauty
Sectors
Difficulty
4a - 8c
Height
200m
Routes number
500
Rock type
Compact grey limestone
Orientation
South, West and North
Rope
70m rope and 15 quickdraws.


Position



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