Via Ferrata Les Vires des Gorges Agnielles, La Faurie, Hautes Alpes

Features

2 itineraries : an easy one for beginners; a very athletic one. It's short and a bit vertiginous.

Great for an introduction to via ferrata and for kids despite the void. Small cliff big sensations. It's possible to rappel down, but for this you need to know the concept and the technique and you'll have to bring a minimum 30m rope.

ViaFerrata Tips and Tricks

If the weather is wet, you might get soaked from the runoff. Wear proper shoes (Vibram) and most important of all, but of course this applies to all via ferratas, your helmet should be glued to your head. The rocks here fall like leaves from autumn trees!

Grade

Information

Buëch Tourism Office

Length and Altitude

Beginner's itinerary:
Exposure : East facing - Length:  500m

Athletic itinerary:
Exposure : East facing - Length:  350m

Start: 850 m.
End : 950 m
Elevation gain : 100 m

Time of Year

All year

Timing

Access: 10 minutes
Viaferrata : 1 hour.
Way back : 30 minutes

By Car

On the RD 1075 Grenoble/Sisteron, between la Faurie and Aspres sur Buëch
1km after Aspres-Sur-Buëch, abandon the Veynes/Gap junction and keep going for 500m, go right on the forest track of Gorges d'Agnielles for 1km, until you reach the parking lot. Here you can drop off your wheels.

By Train or Bus

To the Lignerolles train station. Check with the SNCF: schedules and fares.

Access

Keep going on foot for 300m to the climbing school. Here you'll see a Via Ferrata sign.
Take the trail on the left that switchbacks up to the start.

Via Ferrata

Part 1: Initiation

It starts off with a small wall and then a big vertiginous ledge. After 2 caves you get to the vire des "hirondelles" (swallows, but they're not here in the spring). You go up a new vertical wall, and then another vertiginous traverse lets you leave the itinerary or rappel down 30m (if you have a rope).

Part 2: Athletic
The first section is athletic. The second section is very athletic as it has two very vertiginous ledges. One of these leads to a small cave which in turn leads to an unequipped path. Don't climb up, but go down a couple meters to go through another cave on the left.

The trail goes back up a little and it is equipped. Then you go to a another very vertiginous ledge.

Way Back

From the first part: 20 minutes

From the second part 2:  you have two choices: go back to the parking lot (5 min) or add to the experience by doing the easy section.

Where to Spend the Night

Gîte d'étape La Chapelle, 15 beds in Aspres-sur-Buëch

Media

vidéo par Viaferrataalpes, Youtube