Cormot

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Rural Camping

Five days in an empty rural camping site in Vauchignon, South of Dijon. A deserted field where the nearest bakery or supermarket was to be found three villages away in a town called Nolay. Three days of pouring rain, day and night: a true test to my tent and my camping survivor skills! But I was looking forward to climbing the Falaises de Cormot, so I waited for the rain to stop.

The falaise is beautiful though there were very few people climbing there. The routes are long and commiting and it's not always possible to set up a toprope, essencial in my case as I was climbing on my own. I had a hair-raising time abseiling from this vertical 40 metres high cliff and trying to climb it using the Petzl Basic blocker to belay myself. Scary is the best word to describe the experience, as I got stuck on a small roof two-thirds up the route and had to balance myself on small footholds to swap the Basic for my belay device in order to lower myself off to the ground in a single rope. Not to be repeated!

Two sunny days doing bits of climbing, a few meals in the brasserie and five cold nights and I was happy to pack up and leave for the French Alps where I'm actually having a great time at the mo. Check it out soon!

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Photos

Falaise du Cormot
After waiting 3 days in the rain, voilà the imponent 40 metres high cragg.

Busy campsite, ah?
My wet, cold and deserted campsite for 5 nights in Vauchignon.

Opposition, 4c 35m
The route I attepted to climb on self belay.

Vertical
There's the roof on the corner two thirds up the long route.

Cormot
View from the top of the falaise.

: )
Happy to be up there in the sunshine!