Quiquillon (south-east face) · Orpierre · France
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 pitches · 160 mBail with caveats
Fleur de Lotus takes the most direct line up the south-east face of the Quiquillon, starting just right of Brazil and finishing on the summit ridge. It is short, five pitches, but homogeneous in the 6a to 6a+ range, with technical steep slabs and walls on small holds and one physical pitch through a bulge on big holds. The crux is a delicate traverse just after that bulge on pitch 4, and the obligatory level is about 6a. Recent parties praise the rock and the generous bolting, while noting polish starting on a few key holds. Most parties find the grades fair to slightly stiff.
No topo we can show; see the sources.
| Pitch | Grade | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | 6a+VII-5.10b | – | A steepening grey slab and wall on layered rock and flakes, building to a crux about two-thirds of the way up where the holds are starting to polish, then 10 m easier to the belay. |
| P2 | 6a+VII-5.10b | – | Easy, then a short, bouldery wall above the ledge, round the overhang over the belay, on small holds with poor footholds. Parties find the move hard and exposed: a fall lands back on the ledge, but the bolts allow A0. Go to the right-hand belay. |
| P3 | 5cVI5.9 | – | Slabs, starting on the right-hand line and trending slightly left, crossing two other routes; 'Lotus' is painted at the crossing. One party linked pitches 2 and 3 on a 60 m rope. |
| P4 | 6bVII5.10c | – | A physical overhang on big holds with very close bolts, then a short, delicate traverse right onto a grey vertical wall where the 6b moves are (two moves). Many find it the best pitch. The belay at the end is easy to miss: two parties overshot it. |
| P5 | 6a+VII-5.10b | 45 m | A long slab with water-worn pockets, with two thin moves near the start (the move at the third bolt is the hardest and slightly polished), then easier to the top. Bolts are a little further apart here. One party gives 45 m; it is described as about 40 m by another. |
Drive to Orpierre (about 10 km west-north-west of Laragne-Montéglin) and up to the Parking de l'Adrech above the village. A party in October 2026 found the track to the car park awkward for an ordinary car; drive slowly.
About 15 minutes from the Adrech car park on the path towards the Quiquillon south-east face, as for Brazil. Fleur de Lotus starts a little to the right of Brazil, with 'Lotus' painted at the foot; the name is painted again in yellow where it crosses other routes on pitch 3.
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
Walking down is the recommended option: follow the marks east along the summit ridge, then the path that passes between and below the Ascle and Adrech multipitch sectors back to the car park, about 30 to 45 minutes. Alternatively follow the Quiquillon ridge to the left to an abseil line with three abseils; queues can form there on busy days.
Bail with caveats
The belays are bolted and chained, the line is fairly direct, and an abseil line exists off the ridge, so retreat by abseil should be possible on the two 50 m ropes recommended. A 2025 party also escaped after pitch 2 by moving across to the easier Brazil and finishing up it.
16 quickdraws and 2×50 m ropes (French camptocamp text); the Spanish text gives 15 quickdraws and a 50 m rope. Take a 60 m rope if you want to link pitches 2 and 3. Helmet.
South-east facing, from about 850 m to 1060 m. In the sun in the morning; an October 2026 party found a 9:00 start in the sun comfortable, and an August 2024 party climbed it in shade from 16:30. The wall dries quickly after storms. Climbed from autumn to spring; too hot for most in midsummer.
Forecast · next 7 days · 1060 m
Loading the forecast.
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| High °C | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Low °C | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Rain mm | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chance of rain % | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Strongest gusts km/h | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Model forecast for 1060 m. It cannot tell you whether the rock is dry. Data: Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0.
Time plan · 5 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
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 pitches145 m
Around 6b · about 5 pitches
France · Bavella
A concentrate of Bavella on orange granite: long pitches alternating pure friction slabs, walls and roofs of huge tafoni, a cracked corner and a final sequence of technical bulges. Sustained at 6a and 6a+ with rests on big ledges. Maurizio Oviglia calls it one of the most approachable and most recommendable routes in the massif.
6bVII5.10c5 pitches220 m
Read the cautions
Spain · Mallorca (Sa Gubia)
The route that gives the sector its name: five long, sustained and homogeneous pitches up the full height of the back wall of the bay, left of the vast orange scoop. Pockets, a technical fingery wall, a jug-covered bulge and a long traverse right near the top. Two of the lower belays are hanging stances.
6bVII5.10c5 pitches148 m
Read the cautions
Austria · Karwendel (Innsbruck Nordkette)
The harder twin of Flying Grass, climbing straight up from the same start. Delicate, polished slab low down with a short overhang on pitch 1, then steeper slab on good holds in the middle, and a shared finish.
6bVII5.10c5 pitches150 m
Spain · Riglos & Agüero (Mallos)
A fine short route on the right edge of the Pisón, ending on a big terrace at half height. A vertical wall on small holds on pitch 3 and two hard moves on the last pitch.
6bVII5.10c5 pitches150 m
Read the cautions
Compiled from published sources, last verified October 2026. Bolts, anchors and access change: check a current topo and read the disclaimer.