While many U.S. climbers have heard of the famous boulders of Fontainbleu or seen photos of pros attacking 5.14s at Ceuse, not many have heard of the huge number of excellent crags that sit in the Alpes-Maritimes region of France. Bulletproof limestone, with water pockets, sharp ridges and tufas, is the order of the day, requiring slab skills and steep power. Traveling west, the smooth grey stone turns into a rough red, with granite outcrops standing above the Mediterranean.
Another very pleasant surprise - especially for those used to run-out routes in the U.S. where the first bolt would lead to a scary ground-fall and the rest are far enough apart to make you pucker - is the confidence-inspiring amount of bolting, negating the need for a stick clip and minimizing your lead falls.
For this region, with more than a lifetime of routes to choose from across all grades, climbers of all levels can expect to use a variety of techniques and strengths, including pulling on two- and three-finger pockets, large pinches on vertical ribs (known as tufas), slabs and dramatically overhung caves. Whether you are comfortable at 5.8 or 5.13, you will be thoroughly entertained and challenged every day.
