Rocher de Neuf Heures via ferrata (Digne-les-Bains)

Description

Set in the heart of the provençal town of Digne-les-Bains, the via ferrata "Rocher de Neuf Heures" offers three accessible routes (level difficult) with a spectacular view of the city and the Bléone river valley. Situated on a south-east facing cliff, the via is practicable all year.

Parcours de l’aigle (Eagle route):

• Price: 45€ / person.
• Duration: from 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Grade: Difficult.
• Length: 250 meters.
• After a vertical start with a slight overhang, the route branches off to the left to cross a first beam, a ladder, a Nepalese bridge and a second beam. Those who wish to stop here can either descend, or continue on the vulture route.

Parcours des vautours (Vulture route):

• Price: 55€ / person.
• Duration: from 2 hours to 2 hours and a half.
• Grade: Difficult.
• Length: 500 meters.
• This section consists of a long traverse, sometimes vertiginous and often ascending to the left. You will come across beams, monkey bridges, a footbridge and a zip line, although this is optional. At the top of the Rocher de Neuf Heures, you will enjoy a magnificent panorama of the mountains of the Southern Alps.

Parcours intégral (Complete route):

• Price: 60€ / person.
• Duration: from 3 hours to 3 hours and a half.
• Grade: Difficult.
• Length: 750 meters.
• Logically, the full route follows the eagle and vulture routes.

Due to constraints of the construction of the via and the norms of the gear, children must be at least 1m40 tall and weigh 40kg.
Minimum group size: 4 people. But if your group is between one and three people, a privatized outing is possible at the price of four people.

If you are in the mood for more vertical adventures in the region, you can follow me on the "Falaise de Meichira" via ferrata in Prads-Haute-Bléone and the Grande Fistoire via ferrata in Le Caire.

And if this via has given you a taste for the vertical, why not try a half-day or full-day introduction to climbing around Digne-les-Bains?

Program

Summertime (end of spring, summer, beginning of fall):

• Meeting spot: 8am at a parking lot in the center of Digne-les-Bains.
  When the weather is hot, we start early to capitalize on the cool temperatures of the early morning before the cliff goes into the sun.
  I will send you the exact GPS point by SMS after our first contact by telephone.
• To bring:
  • Good walking shoes that you are comfortable in (ankle support is not necessarily needed).
  • A backpack containing:
    • A water bottle with at least 1,5 liter / person.
    • A snack.
    • Extra layers adapted to the weather (ex. wind shell, sun shirt, etc.).
  • If you have biking or gardening gloves, these help protect your hands. I have some that I can lend, but not all sizes.

Wintertime (end of fall, winter, beginning of spring):

• Meeting spot: Early afternoon at a parking lot in the center of Digne-les-Bains.
  When it's cold, we want to stay in the sun as much as possible, because of this we can be more flexible on the departure time.
  The precise departure time will depend on your time constraints, the route you want to take, and the day's length.
  I will send you the exact GPS point by SMS after our first contact by telephone.
• To bring:
  • Good walking shoes that you are comfortable in (ankle support is not necessarily needed).
  • A backpack containing:
    • A water bottle with at least 1,5 liter / person.
    • A snack.
    • Extra layers adapted to the weather (ex. puffy jacket, thin hat to wear under the helmet, etc.).
  • If you have biking or gardening gloves, these help protect your hands. I have some that I can lend, but not all sizes.

Then, whatever the period:

• 45-minute to one-hour walk to reach the start of the via.
• Depending on the chosen itinerary, 1 to 3 hours to complete the via ferrata.
• About 30 minutes' walk back to the parking lot.

The price includes

• Supervision by the climbing instructor.
• All safety equipment necessary for the activity (harness, helmet, via ferrata lanyard with energy absorber, zipline pulley).
  All equipment is new, regularly checked, and complies with French and European standards.

The price does not include

• Transport to and from the meeting point in Digne-les-Bains.
• Snacks.
• Drinks.
• Anything not mentioned in "The price includes".

• Share on twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Send by e-mail