Multi pitch route climbing in La Mâture (Aspe valley)

Description

Above the village of Etsaut, come and discover or rediscover the Mâture cliff, a historical place for climbing in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques.

Between Oloron-Sainte-Marie and the Somport pass, in the heart of the wild Aspe valley, there is a huge limestone slab strangely crossed by a suspended path: the Mâture path. In the shape of a gutter, 4 meters high and 4 meters wide and over 900 meters long, it overhangs the gorges of Enfer by 200 meters. Dug during the second half of the 18^th century, it was intended to transport tree trunks from the Pacq forest to the workshops of the royal navy. Its route at exactly 200 meters from the ground was determined by the clever calculations of the engineer Leroy.

Nowadays, the Chemin de la Mâture is still a place full of history. It is also a picturesque section of the GR10 that crosses the Pyrenees from east to west. But for the climbers who use it with the trekkers, it is above and below the path that the show begins.

Below, the atmosphere is similar to that of the Verdon Gorge: the adventure begins with an impressive abseiling descent to nowhere, hoping to make it back up. Above and once you have passed the overhanging start, you have to climb on the slab with spaced bolting.

It is on this superb limestone cliff of the Matûre that I propose you to come and climb a multi pitch route in an original and sunny atmosphere. The choice is large, with more than a hundred itineraries (including single pitch routes) rated between 4c and 8a+ (with an average difficulty around 6a). The routes can be long (more than 250 meters) and the climbing styles are varied: there are not only slabs, but also cracks, dihedrals, vertical walls, overhangs, etc. Finally, the limestone is good, solid and adherent.

To give you a better idea, here is a selection of routes at La Mâture from the collaborative site CampToCamp.org.

If you particularly like multi pitch climbing routes, why not try the adventure in Spain, on the cliffs of the Mallos de Riglos and at the Peña Rueba.

Program

• The meeting point will be in Etsaut in the Aspe valley, about 1 hour and 15 minutes drive south of Pau.
• Briefing.
• Between 5 and 20 minutes of approach walking to the start of the route.
• Climb the multi pitch route and then abseil down... or the other way around.
• Activity for the day or for half a day depending on your availability.

The price includes

• Supervision by the climbing instructor.
• Loan of equipment necessary for the practice of the activity (ropes, quickdraws, harness and helmet if necessary).
• Personalized progression help.
• Rate: 300€ / person if 1 person, 150€ / person if 2 people.

The price does not include

• Transport to and from the meeting point in Etsaut.
• Picnic lunch.
• Snacks.
• Drinks.
• Anything not mentioned in "The price includes".

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