Plagne is a huge, multi-tiered limestone cliff 10 km from Biel/Bienne, with more than 1,100 routes from 4a to 8b and from 5 to about 150 m, over 800 of them equipped by Boris Girardin. You park at the football pitch at the top of Plagne village, walk about 25 minutes on the flat to the top of the cliff and go down by ladders or easy gullies, so you almost always arrive from above; red marks and painted route names help, but the CAS 'Jura bernois' topo (2023) is essential. On the long routes there is a belay about every 25 m, nearly all set up for abseiling, and the climbing is physical on rock of very variable quality. The cliff faces west at about 900 m and is climbed from March to November.
GuidebookKletterführer Jura bernois / Berner Jura, C.D. Girardin, C. Girardin (2023, SAC (Schweizer Alpen-Club)). Buy from kletterfuehrer.net. The route pages here are aggregated by AI from public sources; climb with the guidebook.
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Face de Plagne, Plagne cliffs · 782 m
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar (usual season) | Apr (usual season) | May (usual season) | Jun (usual season) | Jul | Aug | Sep (usual season) | Oct (usual season) | Nov (usual season) | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean daily high °C | 3 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 18 | 13 | 7 | 4 |
| Mean daily low °C | −3 | −3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 6 | 1 | −2 |
| Rain days 1 mm or more | 13 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 |
● usual season. 1991-2020 averages at about 782 m; rain is for a 10–25 km grid cell. Weather and climate data: Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0.
Switzerland · Bernese Jura (Plagne)
A four-pitch classic on Plagne's main face: a slabby corner, a dirty start to pitch 2, then a fine thin crack and a bulging prow. Rebolted in stainless in November 2025 and now 6a obligatory. Expect old-school Jura grades.
6b+VII+5.10d6b+VII+5.10d4 pitches
Switzerland · Bernese Jura (Plagne)
The longest route at Plagne, about 180 m of climbing that traverses the whole yellow wall of the Grand Toit sector on its best rock. Big atmosphere on every pitch, with traverses where a fall would leave you hanging. 6c, 6a+ obligatory.
6cVIII-5.11b6cVIII-5.11b7 pitches180 m