Traditional climbing

Five days to learn to climb cracks and protect yourself, between the granite of the Valle dell'Orco and the sandstone of Annot

Trad climbing means carrying and placing your own protection as you climb. There are no bolts waiting for you: you read the rock, choose where and how to protect the route, and build your anchors. Each cam and nut is your own decision, and each pitch is a problem to solve with your head and hands. It demands attention, develops independence and changes the way you look at a rock face.

The course lasts five days and takes place in two locations, depending on the period.

October and November: the granite of the Orco Valley

Valle dell’Orco has a distinctive climbing history. In the early 1970s, the Nuovo Mattino movement emerged on the Caporal and Sergent walls, making the valley a reference for crack climbing. Its granite offers slabs and cracks of many kinds, including beginner-friendly routes for learning jamming techniques and placing your first protection. October and November bring cool air and autumn light, ideal for climbing.

December and January: Annot sandstone

When winter reaches the mountains, we head to Annot in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. This small medieval town, less than an hour from Nice, offers year-round climbing, including in winter. Chestnut woodland and sandstone walls create a peaceful, unusual setting. With more than 160 trad pitches and four trad routes of four or five pitches, Annot offers cracks of every kind to practise until the movements become familiar. The course runs for five consecutive days in Annot.

What you will learn:

The course is designed to give you the tools to climb trad with awareness and safety:

• crack climbing: hand and foot jamming, body positioning and managing effort
• using cams and nuts correctly: selection, placement and assessing their reliability
• fast progression protection, to protect you as you climb without losing pace
• building anchors with cams and nuts on single-pitch and multi-pitch routes