£600 per person Ratio 1:5 2nd-9th October 2010 Click here for booking details | About the climbing |
Châteauvert is a beautiful crag, sitting along the 'Vallon Sourn', nestled close to the pretty village of Correns in the south of France. Historic Correns was the first 100% organic village in France (since 1995): that includes the vineyards, fruit and vegetables. In just over an hour from Nice you can find yourself here in idyllic Provence.
This holiday is perfect for climbers who are relatively inexperienced leading and climbing outside. On this holiday we will help you build lots of confidence in your leading, improve your onsight skills and get the best out of your climbing holiday. We have chosen this destination for its unrivalled selection of high quality easier routes in the Fr4 and 5 range. Chateauvert has remained relatively unknown in the UK and is popular with local climbers meaning its quieter than more famous crags, perfect for our coaching holiday. This holiday promises to be relaxing and fun with excellent coaching designed to help you climb at your best.
There are so many companies flying to Nice you can certainly pick up a flight for under £100 including taxes, certainly a bargain at the moment.
This holiday is a fantastic opportunity to meet and be coached by Corinne Theroux, one of France’s best climbers and a leading coach (she holds the Monitrice d'escalade qualification). Corinne has won international bouldering competitions and pushed women's bouldering standards. We met in 2005 after a World Cup competition in Birmingham and have remained friends since. She is very relaxed and fun and I know she will help you get the best out of your holiday and climbing. You can read more about her here. |  |
 | Lucy Creamer will also be joining Corinne to make up the coaching team. Here she is with her beloved Kodo. Lucy hardly needs any introduction with a string of impressive climbing ascents to her name. She's at home on many different styles of climbing and has racked up 8a and E7 onsights but this is just half the story. But she's not working on this week just because of her climbing exploits - Lucy is an experienced coach and has worked on other trips like these in the past. I worked with Lucy on a very similar trip to this in the Costa Blanca a few yars ago. Lucy instructs and coaches people of all levels and experiences and really rates Chateauvert as a destination. |
This trip is suitable for people climbing french 4 (sport grading) upwards or British VD. The week is not suitable for complete beginners, but it doesn't matter if your experience is only limited to indoors. There are 10 places available.
At the end of this holiday we can guarantee you will:
| The above price includes
The price does not include travel to France or evening meals |
 | The rock type at Chateauvert is limestone. Generally the routes are around 30 metres with very positive holds with edges, flakes and pockets. The climbing is generally vertical and slabby We have chosen this crag because of the fantastic quality at all grades, something not always the case. There are a number of 4 and 5 star Fr5s! The crag itself offers an amazing variety of routes and it's a paradise for people climbing Fr5 (40 routes) and in the Fr6s (79 routes). Don't worry about warm ups, there are over 20 4s and if you want to push yourself there are 63 routes in the 7s. We know you will get the best out of yourself here. | |
| We will be staying in a beautifully restored gite set in a vineyard and complete with a swimming pool, you can't get better. The gite is wonderfully furnished in traditional french style to the highest standards. There are 6 bedrooms over two floors with adjoining bathrooms and toilets. There is a big dining room aswell as a communal kitchen. This is a taste of proper french living!
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 | One of the joys of being in France! We will guarantee trips to the local boulangerie and cafe! We will provide all breakfasts and lunches, consisting of muesli, cereal, fruit, bread, meats, cheese et. We will buy what you want to eat. For evening meals we will cook as a group in the gite and also go out for meals, depending on the wishes of the group. | |
 | There will be one rest day half way through the week, necessary to get the most out of your climbing. What you do on this day is optional. Simply taking a stroll in the sun amongst the vineyards will be a lovely way to pass the time, or relaxing on the terrace of the gite. We may travel out as a group to see more of the area. |
| Saturday | arrive - airport collection from Nice airport - time to be agreed | |
| Sunday | basics of footwork and movement. Get used to the rock and area | |
| Monday | onsighting and the mental game | |
| Tuesday | more rock techniques e.g. climbing steep rock | |
| Wednesday | rest day | |
| Thursday | redpoint practice - how to push yourself further | |
| Friday | redpointing or onsighting - putting the week's skills together | |
| Saturday | leave - drop off at Nice airport |
We have an in depth knowledge of the routes in the area, meaning we will be able to point you in the direction of appropriate climbs which you will enjoy and be able to push yourself on. Also the routes we choose for demonstrations have been thoroughly researched to ensure you learn the most! Expect:
- technique demos
- one to one coaching
- group discussion about training, mental approach, both formal and informal
- opportunity to ask advice and questions throughout the week. Often people gain as much information at the dinner table as at the crag!
We will meet at Nice airport on Saturday (at a time to be specified). There are plenty of cheap flights to Nice (£100 or less including taxes). Nice airport is less than one and a half hours from the accommodation.
Of course if you have your own car with you we can meet you at the gite!
The following companies fly to Nice: Ryanair, Easyjet, BMI Baby, Jet 2, Air France, Aerlingus and British Airways.
Actually there are loads more companies operating out of Nice offering competative rates - here are just some of the main ones!