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Kelsey Gray  > Europe > France 2007
My last picture series was of Switzerland and I admit it is hard to beat that type of experience of large peaks and huge waterfalls. I met up with a guy named Patrick in Switzerland and we were trying to find out where we should go next to get some climbing in. We figured that there was a certain place nearby with the world reputation to make it extra special so we hopped on a train to head towards Ceuse, France. We didnt really have any idea how we were going to get to Ceuse however since it is near a little town called Gap and the train ticket was going to be much to expensive especially for a return. We didn't have much time and so we decided to try and get a rental car once we got to Bern, Switzerland. The train arrived and we had a few hours before the car companies closed and we were stuck without a car so we worked fast walking right to the companies. The car was going to be much more expensive then we hoped! Almost $300 Swiss Franks for 3 days was much more then I was willing to spend especially since it didn't even include gas. We spent the next few hours running around town calling different companies and even trying the internet all without luck. We headed back to Europcar and stood out in front of the door talking it over for a while when Patrick finally dangled a treat out in front of the deal. He told me "I will put up buy you a ticket up to $100 to anywhere you want to go when we drive back. I am willing to put up $250 for this. I really want to go." Well I just couldn't pass up the deal and we got our little volkswagon golf and headed toward France. It was almost 7pm and we didn't have time to waste so I drove most of the night. Patrick was under 25 so I would be doing all the driving to save money. We got from Bern, Switzerland to Gap, France in about 6 hours and slept in the car. We woke up to a beautiful site of cliffs overlooking the city of Gap. Throughout the night our plans had changed a bit though and we had decided to go to Verdon Gorge instead where Multi-Pitch climbs were abundant.
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Kelsey Gray > The city of Gap,France overlooked by limestone cliffs. The area of Ceuse.
Kelsey Gray > We found our way into Verdon Gorge the next morning and found our way to a great village called La Palud where a great lady from the local climbing shop helped us found some routes we could do. We didn't waste any time and drove right to the climbing areas by about noon we were standing on the cliffs. The approach was incredible! Sometimes there would be people actually belaying off of the viewpoint poles. Thats how close they were to the car! We walked to the climbs we had been told about and I found a few people climbing already. This man and wife were just finished a route. The climbs in this area are around 250meters from bottom to top, all vertical.
Kelsey Gray > France 2007 photo
Kelsey Gray > This man was about 40 feet below the viewpoint on the last pitch of the climb.
Kelsey Gray > France 2007 photo
Kelsey Gray > Most of the routes in the Gorge are reached by doing rappels to the base of the climbs. Some start halfway up the wall and some start in lower areas. Patrick and I started the long rappells to the bottom on two ropes one was 60 meters and the other was a rope I had been cutting for anchors so we estimated it around 40 meters. The book said the first rappel was 45 meters so it already looked as though it would be an interesting day of climbing. I got strapped in on the first rappel and leaned back onto the belay device. I asked "Look good?" We both checked and agreed it looked solid. I started to lower myself when I heard a clank noise. I looked down and was shocked to see that I hadn't hooked my belay device to the carabiner. I grabbed the rope and drug myself back up to the rock to fix it and finally lowered down correctly.The second rappel was much more uneventful.
We would not be so lucky however on the third rappel. It was my turn and I was lowering to the next belay when I looked down and saw that the rope was about 10 feet to short. That meant that if I tried to make it I would go off the end of the rope plunging into the valley below (atleast it would if we hadn't tied a knot in the end of the rope like the smart climbers we hope to be). I grabbed a ledge in the rock and spent the next 5 minutes pulling rope through my belay device the other way to feed more rope out to the short one. It was not easy work but it held alright as I was able to finish the rappel.
Kelsey Gray > France 2007 photo
Kelsey Gray > Starting from the bottom the climbing was excellent. The amount of money I had spent the last few days flew out the window as my mind became at ease with the surroundings. The gorge winded away forever and the river fed my desires for water. We climbed into the heat up the wonderfully featured rock. Patrick wished my shadow would just a bit further.
Kelsey Gray > Finally after a few hours of climbing the sun had gone beyond the cliff and we welcomed the shade. It was wonderful to climb without the sun on our backs. Patrick takes a nap as I finish a pitch of 5.10-
The city of Gap,France overlooked by limestone cliffs. The area of Ceuse.
 > The city of Gap,France overlooked by limestone cliffs. The area of Ceuse.
The city of Gap,France overlooked by limestone cliffs. The area of Ceuse.
Camera: Canon (Canon Eos 20d) |
More details: exif |
Original size: 3504px x 2336px |
Current: 400px x 267px |
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Keywords: france
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