Quiquillon (south-east face) · Orpierre · France
Three steep, sustained 6a pitches on the south-east face of the Quiquillon, the first a long 40 m pump on layered rock, then a walking link and two short, easy slab pitches to the ridge. Very closely bolted with doubled chained belays; the lower half is the reason to go.
6aVI+5.10a6 pitches · 145 mEasy to bail
Du cidre pour les étoiles climbs the steep wall just left of Le Ramier on the south-east face of the Quiquillon. Its first three pitches are the substance: a long, vertical and continuous 40 m pitch on layered rock with good holds, a wall and slab with a thin crux, and a shorter pitch with one move on a steep slab. A 20 m walking link and two easy slab pitches then lead to the summit ridge. Parties agree that at the grade it is much more demanding than Brazil, and many find the first two pitches nearer 6a+. Bolting is very close and the belays are doubled.
No topo we can show; see the sources.
| Pitch | Grade | Length | Bolts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | 6aVI+5.10a | 40 m | – | A steep, layered wall with good holds but sustained all the way to the belay, with a bulge mid-way and a steep finish; 15 quickdraws. Easy to be pumped; read the footholds. Some holds are polished. The local topo gives 5c+, but parties consider 6a fair or stiff. A 2021 party thought it nearly 50 m. |
| P2 | 6aVI+5.10a | 25 m | – | Wall, then slab; the hard move is a long step on the steepening slab at a bolt. Two bolts close together allow A0, and a party in 2015 found it easier slightly to the right on a small vertical flake. Many rate it 6a+. |
| P3 | 6aVI+5.10a | 20 m | – | Easy, then one move on a steep slab and a short traverse left to the belay. Can be linked with pitch 2 for a continuous pitch and a comfortable belay (14 quickdraws). |
| P4 | 4aIV5.4 | 20 m | 2 bolts | A link: two bolts at the start on the left, then walking. Traverse left to the path, which leads back right to the terrace at the foot of the upper section; one party belayed off a tree there. Do not go straight up: you could knock stones onto parties below. |
| P5 | 5aV+5.7 | 20 m | – | Pleasant slab moves. |
| P6 | 5bVI-5.8 | 20 m | – | A vertical pitch with one harder move near the end, to the ridge. Pitches 5 and 6 can be linked (very close bolts, so skip some), but one party had heavy rope drag and only about 5 m of a 60 m rope spare. |
Drive to Orpierre (about 10 km west-north-west of Laragne-Montéglin) and up to the Parking de l'Adrech above the village. Several parties walk up from the village or campsite instead, about 25 to 30 minutes to the Quiquillon.
From the Adrech car park, follow signs for the Quiquillon and pass below Brazil and La Grotte. The route starts just left of Le Ramier, in the fine steep wall. From the village a marked path leads up to the Quiquillon in about 25 to 30 minutes.
Loading map
The point marks the crag, not the exact start of the route.
Parking
Parking de l'Adrech (camptocamp waypoint 178282)
Point from camptocamp waypoint 103699 (Orpierre - Quiquillon)
Contains the route point and parking.
Points from published sources, not surveyed.
Coordinates: 44.31890, 5.69873 (crag) · Parking: 44.31917, 5.70167
The usual descent is on foot along the Quiquillon ridge, with cables on the most exposed parts, then back by the Quatre Heures path (about 45 minutes; one 2026 party took the wrong branch at the 'Orpierre par l'Ascle' sign). Abseiling is possible: go down the ridge beside the cable to a chained abseil line, then three abseils; the second is airy and stops at a small, narrow ledge mid-face where you change over on a hanging stance. Camptocamp warns that on busy days abseiling is not a good idea, and parties report queues and ropes blowing onto neighbouring routes in strong wind.
Easy to bail
Retreat is documented: a 2016 party abseiled from the first belay, and a chained abseil line descends the face from the ridge in three abseils. The lower belays are chained and doubled, and the first three pitches are 20 to 40 m, so you can abseil back down the lower wall on two ropes.
15 quickdraws for the first pitch. The rope is not given on camptocamp; parties report using a single 60 m rope and 2×60 m ropes for the abseils. A sling for the unchained top belay. Helmet.
South-east facing, from about 850 m to 1130 m. Sunny in the morning; parties climb it from autumn to spring, and find it hot from late spring. The first pitch is hard on cold fingers early on winter mornings.
Forecast · next 7 days · 1130 m
Loading the forecast.
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| Low °C | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Rain mm | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chance of rain % | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
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Model forecast for 1130 m. It cannot tell you whether the rock is dry. Data: Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0.
Time plan · 6 pitches
Working out sunrise and sunset.
An estimate. Queues and route finding cost time, and shaded walls go dark before sunset. Local time (Central European time), flat horizon.
Sun on the wall · SE-facing
Working out the sunlit hours for this month.
Sun on the wallDaylight, wall in shade● Usual season
From the aspect alone; terrain is ignored. Local time, 15th of each month.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar (usual season) | Apr (usual season) | May (usual season) | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep (usual season) | Oct (usual season) | Nov (usual season) | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean daily high °C | 5 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 17 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 19 | 15 | 9 | 5 |
| Mean daily low °C | −3 | −3 | −1 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 6 | 1 | −2 |
| Rain days 1 mm or more | 9 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 |
● usual season. 1991-2020 averages at about 924 m; rain is for a 10–25 km grid cell. Weather and climate data: Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0.
Straight-line distances, up to 30 km.
No reports yet.
France · Orpierre
A popular first multipitch on the south-east face of the Quiquillon: eight short pitches of steep, juggy 5a to 5c limestone, very closely bolted, finishing on the summit ridge. The two 5c pitches at the top are the hardest and polished in places, but can be aided on the bolts. Expect company.
5cVI5.98 pitches180 m
France · Orpierre
A short, easy beginners' multipitch on the west pillar of the Ascle: six short pitches of 4c to 5b on sculpted limestone with holes and edges, an airy but well-bolted traverse, and a fine slab to finish. Very closely bolted with comfortable chained belays.
5bVI-5.86 pitches130 m
France · Orpierre
A direct, homogeneous line up the south-east face of the Quiquillon: steep grey walls and slabs at 6a/6a+, with a physical, juggy bulge leading to a fine 6b traverse on pitch 4. Generously bolted and well travelled, a step up from Brazil next door.
6bVII5.10c5 pitches160 m
Around 6a · about 6 pitches
Croatia · Omiš
Omiš's signature moderate: long, slabby pitches on knobbly grey limestone with big views over the Cetina mouth and the Adriatic. The crux is a short crack on the final pitch.
6aVI+5.10a6 pitches230 m
Switzerland · Bernese Oberland
The most popular route at Hintisberg: six pitches from the lowest point of the wall, with slabs, a technical wall and small overhangs to turn. It gets better as it rises and ends on a superb wall of pockets, where the obligatory 6a crux lies. Expect a queue on fine weekends.
6aVI+5.10a6 pitches200 m
Germany · Berchtesgaden & Bad Reichenhall
Six pitches on excellent grippy limestone with views to the Watzmann, established 2012. Pitch grades are converted from the UIAA topo (6-, 6, 6, 5+, 5+, 6); 5 is obligatory.
6aVI+5.10a6 pitches165 m
Switzerland · Gastlosen
Six pitches of water-worn runnels and compact slab on the south face of the Pfadflue, ending on a ledge at mid-height. Pitch 4 pulls over a small overhang and pitch 5 is a delicate, holdless friction slab. You can carry on up the last five pitches of Salü Jan to the summit.
6aVI+5.10a6 pitches250 m
Compiled from published sources, last verified October 2026. Bolts, anchors and access change: check a current topo and read the disclaimer.