Mont Aiguille ascent (Vercors, Isère)

Description

Mont Aiguille was the birthplace of mountaineering, and the first ascent undertaken with the sole aim of conquering a peak because its appearance made it a challenge to mankind. This feat was achieved on June 26, 1492 by Captain Antoine de Ville. And it was King Charles VII, passing through the Trièves, who gave the order to climb this seemingly inaccessible peak.

Today, even if it's no longer a feat to climb this perfect tower, it's still an unforgettable adventure.
There is an easy and magnificent route to the summit. A mix of very easy climbing and via ferrata, we climb the 200-meter wall to reach the suspended plateau that makes the summit.

After equipping ourselves with climbing gear, the ascent begins with a fairly steep section with plenty of rock holds. This is followed by a long cabled section up an ascending ramp to the right. The vertiginous atmosphere becomes more present until you reach the comfortable platform of the entaille de la Vierge. The atmosphere here is incredible, overlooked by impressive rock towers. A succession of corridors and ledges, first to the right and then to the left, lead to the long, 80-meter-high final chimney, sometimes awkward but also equipped with a cable. The summit plateau is finally reached via a few easy steps.

After a well-deserved break and picnic, the descent is mainly on foot over rocky steps, ending with 2 beautiful abseils that take you back to the ground. The second, almost 50 meters high and "spider thread" (you don't touch the rock), will leave you with unforgettable memories!

To sum up, Mont Aiguille's normal route is one of the most beautiful itineraries for beginner mountaineers.
As well as being a sporting adventure, it's also a plunge into the past. When you climb this wall, you will be able to measure the audacity it took over 500 years ago to venture up there.
It's also a lesson in humility when you see the ibexes that live up there, running alongside you in the middle of nowhere.

Program

• Meet in the hamlet of La Richardière, an hour's drive from Grenoble and an hour and a quarter from Gap.
• Nice one-and-a-half-hour hike through the forest in the Vercors foothills to the foot of the wall.
• Two and a half hours of roped climbing to the summit plateau.
• Long snack break and panoramic view of the Écrins and Vercors massifs.
• Vertiginous descent via arches and abseiling (an hour and a half).
• Return to La Richardière along the trail (1 hour).
• Drinks at the inn (as long as you like).

The price includes

• Supervision by the mountain guide.
• Loan of individual equipment (harness, helmet, lanyards).
• Collective equipment (rope, radio, etc.).
• Price of guide day: 400€, to be divided between participants (1 to 3).

The price does not include

• Return Transport to La Richardière.
• Snacks.
• Drinks.
• Anything not mentioned in "The price includes".

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