With only a morning free, and Peter looking to get his kids out climbing, we went and checked out the recently installed route which leads up to the cafe below Montenvers, where the James Bond track ski run starts.
Starting in Les Bois, you walk towards the deep cut gorge leading down from the Montenvers and just head for the foot of the rock buttress. I appreciate that this is not a great description, but I would struggle to go the same way twice as there are paths everywhere, so just follow your nose. When you get near the bottom there are signs leading you to the first pitch.
The whole route is great fun - easy climbing pitches separated by some walking and scrambling sections too. There are bolts on the trickier sections, but there is nothing harder than about French 4, so the fact that they are well spaced is not too much of a problem. A combination of pitching and short roping saw us up the route in about 3 hours from the car, and then the walk down was about an hour.
All round, a great day for kids or just a fitness trip.
Isobel and Theo on one of the slabs high on the route. Peter and I found the odd move a bit tricky in big boots, and then watched embarrassed as the kids (aged 13 & 11) shot up everything with ease.
Isabelle showing her Dad how its done.