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Summary
Buoux ("bee-yooks") is a classic sport climbing crag which was extremely popular in the 80s. It's famous for its pockets, desperate slabs and spaced bolting.
Description
Overhung
Slab
Roof
Vertical
"Through the 1980s and early 1990s, Buoux was considered the best crag in the world, the place where the best Euro-jocks came to play and to experiment," Stewart Green wrote in Rock Climbing Europe. "Here they honed the rock skills needed to open Ceuse, today's 'best crag in the world.'"
Many consider Buoux to be a hard crag because it requires to be highly skilled on slabs. It can get pretty hard on fingers since some routes are just made of sharp pockets. Bolts are a little more spaced than more recent crags, adding a mental aspect to the overall difficulty.
The crags are located in the Aiguebrun Valley, one of the largest massifs in Vaucluse.
Access issues
Allowed
Climbing is only authorized from the sectors "Face Ouest" to "Bout du Monde" on the Aiguebrun cliff. All the other areas, including the Confines cliff (on the opposite side) are currently on private land and are closed. Camping and fires are prohibited.
Climbing was forbidden in Buoux for more than a decade. The last area to have been reopened is the Face Ouest area which was re-opened in 2010 with many new routes and some classic lines rebolted.
Not respecting these rules could lead to the area being closed again.
Approach
Steep hike
10-20 min
5-10 min
<5 min
The closest town is Apt, about 15min away by car. There are 3 car parks at the base of the cliffs. Park only in these car parks, not on the road and not at the Fort de Buoux car park which is for tourists only. The 1st car park is best for Face Ouest, the 3rd car park is best to access sectors close to Le Pillier des Fourmis.
You'll need to cross a little river to reach the base of the routes (with the help of a short cement bridge if you come from the 3rd car park). A track runs along the cliffs, parallel to the road. The approach can be between 5 and 15min depending on where you parked and where you're climbing. Some areas require climbing to access (Les Devers) but most are easily accessible from the ground.
For a detailed description on how to reach Buoux by fair means visit the Ecopoint Web-Site.
Where to stay
If you keep following the road after the 3rd car park, you'll reach a dirt road which leads to L'Auberge des Seguins, a charming spot at the base of the cliffs, a restaurant, a swimming pool and 27 beds.
You can also stay in one of the paying camp sites in Apt (15km away).
Camping is not tolerated in Buoux.
Ethic
New route potential
Under development
Well established
- No camping
- No sleeping in car parks
- No fire
- Don't leave any trash
- Brush off your chalk and tick marks
History
Development started in the 70s, focusing on multi-pitches and slabs. In the 80s, climbers started freeing more and more projects leading to an explosion of new routes. The first 8a were freed in 1983 (Ca Glisse au Pays des Merveilles, Patrick Edlinger and Rêve de Papillon, Marc Le Menestrel).
Popularity then soared, with thousands of climbers visiting the area on some of the busiest weekends. In the 90s, with the development of other crags in the region, Buoux became less popular but is now being revisited by keen climbers from all over the world.
Buoux is still being actively bolted nowadays by Antoine Le Menestrel (who married the daughter of the Buoux Mayor who once banned climbing), Pierre Duret, François Lepron, Bruno Clément and others.
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Selected Guidebooks more Hide
Author(s): Francoise Lepron & Jean-Bastiste Tribout
Date: 2021
ISBN: 9782957978915
A comprehensive guidebook describing all the sport climbing and bouldering at Buoux, covering around 800 routes.
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Author(s): Adrian Berry
Date: 2009
ISBN: 12490279
Dieser Auswahlführer stellt insgesamt 14 traumhafte Klettergebiete der Haute Provence vor. Auch dieser Rockfaxführer versteht sich als Auswahlführer, d.h. die enthaltenen Klettergebiete werden z.T. nur auszugsweise beschrieben, die wichtigen Sektoren sind jedoch enthalten - insgesamt 2345 Routen!
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Author(s): David Atchison-Jones
Date: 2006
ISBN: 9781873665619
A selective guidebook describing nearly 40 separate sports climbing and rock climbing areas around Avignon and Mont Ventoux, including the crags of Saint Leger, Venasque, Clapis Face, Saint Julian and Trois Rivieres.
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Accommodations nearby more Hide
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Sun 28 May
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