LOT, FRANCE
SAINT-GÉRY
Looking for something new,
far from the madding crowd? Check out the Lot. Saint-Géry, in the northern Pyrenees, hidden
deep in the limestone Causses region, is such a classically beautiful cliff that you can’t
help but wonder why it took until 1998 before the first routes started to appear.
Perhaps because no one knows where Lot is... and yet, Saint-Géry, just like other cliffs in
the Lot region, offers many hidden treasures; long routes that spring back into mind during an “on-sight” climb,
where you have to clip a belay, utterly pumped after 40 metres climbing... Do it like the local
guys: explore the regions far from the fashionable areas, bolt routes of such natural beauty it takes
your breath away, in short, open your eyes.
But, in between two days of rock climbing, don’t forget to drop in on Saint-Géry itself,
and taste the local cuisine (“confit” and “foie gras” made from duck) and
some more Cahors wines.
KEY INFORMATION
Departure:
village of Saint-Géry. Difficulty: 110 routes of 5 to 8c, and even more… The Big Wall
sector is reserved for top flight climbers.
Height: 20 to 55 metres.
Time of year:
spring, autumn and winter.
Equipment: immaculate, but you must climb between the points... Have a 70 metre
rope ready for some of the routes.
Bolt developers of St-Géry: Laurent Peyral, Emmanuel Salles, Matthieu Lombard,
J-P. Vigouroux, and others!
Map: IGN Top 100 no. 57 Cahors/Montauban, 1/100,000.
GET
THE FULL STORY FROM:
Topo "L’escalade dans le Lot", published by the local committee of the French rock
climbing and mountaineering federation FFME 46, 1999. Distributed by SOeScalade.
