Cuvier Est
5+ – 6C · 4 routes · sandstone · Font
- Approach 9 min — from the Cuvier car park, follow the blue circuit east for 400 m across open sand
- Best season October to April. The east-facing blocs get morning sun, so early sessions in winter are noticeably more pleasant than at the shaded areas.
- Published
- Updated
Cuvier Est is the mid-grade workhorse of the Cuvier group: a scatter of blocs with excellent 6A to 6C problems, better shade than Bas Cuvier, and a shorter walk than La Canardière. It is where most visiting climbers end up on their second day.
The climbing
Expect a lot of technical aretes and short, powerful roofs in the 6A to 6C range. The rock here is slightly coarser than at Bas Cuvier, which makes small crimps more usable and slopers slightly less friendly.
The best problems are concentrated on the three largest blocs in the middle of the area; the outliers to the east are quieter and worth exploring if the main group is busy.
Crowds and timing
Weekend mornings in October and March are the busiest. If you want the classics to yourself, arrive before 09:00 or come on a weekday. The area also drains well, so it is a good choice the day after a light rain when the rest of the forest is still damp.
Connecting to other areas
You can walk from here to Bas Cuvier in about 15 minutes on the blue circuit, which makes a combined day easy: warm up at Cuvier Est, then move across for the harder aretes.
Routes · 4
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Hold types jam · crack · mantle
Open beta
Short hand crack that takes a good fist jam for the right hand. Tape helps; the sandstone edge is sharp.
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Hold types arete · sidepull · heel-hook
Open beta
Clean arete climbed on both sides. The trick is switching hands at the midpoint without letting your hips swing out.
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Hold types crimp · roof · toe-hook
Open beta
Steep start on two crimps, then a long move to a sloping rail. Set the toe hook before you release the left hand.
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Hold types traverse · sloper · heel-hook
Open beta
Twenty-move traverse across the main face at head height. Pump is the limiting factor; rest where the rail widens at move twelve.
Crag ethics
Crag ethics
The area has a small number of rare lichens on the north faces. Keep brushes off the dark green patches; they are not chalk and they do not come back quickly.
