France
South of Briançon, the limestone walls above the Durance and Vallouise valleys hold some of the biggest bolted routes in the southern French Alps. The Tête d'Aval de Montbrison, above Les Vigneaux, is the showpiece: a big south-east wall of steep orange and grey limestone, with many routes opened by Jean-Michel Cambon and long approaches up a forest track and a steep spur. Base yourself in Les Vigneaux, Vallouise or L'Argentière-la-Bessée, which has a railway station on the Marseille to Briançon line. The season runs from about May to October; early in the season meltwater from the summit snowfields can run down parts of the wall. The ONOS association maintains and rebolts many of the routes.
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1 route
France · Briançonnais
One of the most admired lines on the Tête d'Aval: eleven sustained pitches, first up steep cracks and walls, then across orange limestone studded with small spikes. The grade is 6c with a 6c+ passage that has a fixed sling for aid, and 6b is obligatory. Parties advise being comfortable at 6c, because the bolting is sound but not generous.
6c+11 pitches300 m
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France