L'amie serfouette

Quié de Sinsat – Le Pubis (GR4b+ sector) · Ariège Pyrenees · France

Bail with caveatsBolting confidence: high

The easy way to sample the Quié de Sinsat: three pitches of pocketed slab at an even 5b and a fine layback crack that steepens at the top. Short, a little vegetated, and a good warm-up before the routes on the tier above.

Evening light on the limestone cliffs of the Quié de Sinsat above the Ariège valleyPhoto: PierreG_09 · CC BY-SA 2.0

Hardest pitch: 5c
Pitches: 4
Length: 125 m
Approach: 40 min
Aspect: S; South-facing
Rope: 1×70 m; walk-off

The route

Overview

The Pubis is the V-shaped buttress in the middle of the Quié de Sinsat, and the GR4b+ sector on its left flank is the least steep part of it: 120 m of inclined slabs with four routes around 5b to 5c. L'amie serfouette is the most even of them. It is only four pitches, so many parties use it as the first leg of a bigger day, continuing on the Jeanne tier above (Ainsi soit-elle, 6a) for seven pitches at about 5c, or as an easier start to the Intégrale d'Anaïs. The approach is steep and takes longer than the climbing.

The climbing

Pitch by pitch

5b5c5b5c

Pitches of L'amie serfouette
Pitch	Grade	Length	Notes
P1	5b	35 m	A fine pocketed slab. The first three or four bolts are fairly far apart.
P2	5c	30 m	More slab. A leader fell here in April 2024 and found the bolts close.
P3	5b	30 m	Slab again.
P4	5c	35 m	A very good layback crack that steepens towards the top; the steep section is very well protected. The best pitch.

Getting there

Approach

To the parking

Sinsat is in the Ariège valley between Tarascon-sur-Ariège and Les Cabannes, south of Foix on the N20. Coming from Tarascon, turn left onto the D220 about 500 m after the level crossing (sign 'rocher d'escalade'), cross the bridge over the Ariège, turn right and park in the field laid out as a car park. Trains on the Toulouse to Latour-de-Carol line stop at Les Cabannes, about 30 min on foot (3.6 km of flat road) from the car park.

On foot · about 40 min

About 35 to 40 min, steep at the end. From the car park take the path common to the Pubis, Peppermint and Toit sectors. After 5 min leave the path to the Sinsat single-pitch cliff on the left; after 10 min leave the Peppermint and Toit path, which goes straight on, and take the track on the right that climbs steeply towards the Pubis (signs). It zigzags, then goes steeply up the gully to the foot of the Pubis; do not be drawn to the other cliffs on either side of the gully. The GR4b+ sector is about 40 m to the left up steep slopes. The route starts at the top of the access gully, at the same point as Smilla and GR4b+, and shares its first bolt with Smilla.

Map of the walk-in

Crag
Parking

Loading map

The point marks the crag, not the exact start of the route.

Coordinates · crag

42.80786, 1.66255

Parking

42.80071, 1.66522

Sinsat climbers' car park (camptocamp waypoint 128849)

Point from camptocamp waypoint 571637 (Quié de Sinsat, Pubis, GR4b+)

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Contains the route point and parking. Opens in most mapping apps and GPS watches.

Points are compiled from published sources, with the precision stated above. They were not surveyed on the ground: check them against a current topo.

Getting down

Descent

On foot: follow the track left from the top to a junction, then go down following the red dots, with steep steps equipped with fixed ropes, back to the foot of the Pubis and so to the car park. Camptocamp advises against abseiling; CAFMA says abseiling this route is possible but that the path is better and quicker.

Retreat

Bailing off the route

Bail with caveats

The route is four pitches with bolted belays. CAFMA says abseiling it is possible, while camptocamp advises against it, without giving a reason. No retreat is reported.

Retreat from: The belays, by abseil; the top is never more than three pitches away.
Point of no return: None documented.
Carry: With the single 70 m rope the route is climbed on you can abseil 35 m, which matches the longest pitches only just; maillons in case the belays have none.
Basis: Part stated, part inferredCAFMA states abseiling is possible; rope arithmetic and hardware are inferred.

Partly inferred from the route facts

Safety

Hazards

The start of pitch 1 is run-out by the standard of the rest of the route.
The descent path is steep and loose in places, with two short down-climbs on fixed ropes.
A leader at their limit may find the bolts far apart on the easiest ground, according to a 2024 report; wherever the climbing steepens it is well bolted.
Heat and a steep approach: carry enough water.

Sun and weather

Conditions

South facing at about 900 to 1000 m; like all of the Quié it is to be avoided in hot weather and is at its best from autumn to spring. A little vegetation on the route. Parts of the Quié are closed for nesting raptors under a prefectoral order, with dates that vary by sector; CAFMA states that the Intégrale d'Anaïs, which starts in this sector, has no restriction, but check the panels on site and the CAFMA pages.

Usual season · Mar to May, Oct to Nov

JFMAMJJASOND

Sun on the wall · S-facing

Working out the sunlit hours for this month.

January: not yet worked out
February: not yet worked out
March (usual season): not yet worked out
April (usual season): not yet worked out
May (usual season): not yet worked out
June: not yet worked out
July: not yet worked out
August: not yet worked out
September: not yet worked out
October (usual season): not yet worked out
November (usual season): not yet worked out
December: not yet worked out
060912151821

Sun on the wallDaylight, wall in shade● Usual season

Estimated from the wall's aspect only. Ignores surrounding terrain, gullies and the wall's exact shape. Clock times are local to the wall (Central European time), for the 15th of each month.

Monthly climate averages for Ariège Pyrenees, 1991-2020
Measure	Jan	Feb	Mar (usual season)	Apr (usual season)	May (usual season)	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct (usual season)	Nov (usual season)	Dec
Mean daily high °C	2	2	5	8	12	16	19	19	15	12	6	3
Mean daily low °C	−6	−6	−4	−1	3	7	9	9	6	3	−2	−5
Rain days 1 mm or more	11	12	12	15	18	17	17	17	13	12	12	11

● marks the usual climbing season. Averages for 1991-2020 at about 1785 m. Area climate from Open-Meteo reanalysis. Temperatures are adjusted to the height of the crag; rain comes from a grid cell of about 10 to 25 km, and summer highs on sea cliffs can read a few degrees low. The wall and valley can differ. Data: Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0.

What to carry

Gear

11 quickdraws and a single 70 m rope according to camptocamp; CAFMA also gives 11 quickdraws. Helmet.

Checklist

Quickdraws: 11
Rope: 1×70 m (walk-off)
Helmet: One each
Abseil device and prusik: The descent or the retreat involves abseiling
Maillons or spare karabiners: To leave behind if you retreat

Derived from the route data; check it against a current topo

From climbers

Reader reports

Reader reports are not being collected yet. Until they are, check a current topo and the local club or guidebook publisher for recent changes to L'amie serfouette.

Worth knowing

Tips

Continue up Ainsi soit-elle on the Jeanne tier (5+, 6a, 5/5+; abseil descent) for a longer day at a friendly grade.
Smilla (5c+, three long pitches) and GR4b+ (5b+) start at the same spot.
Reachable by train: Les Cabannes station is a 30 min walk from the car park.

Open questions

Where sources disagree

Abseil descent: 'not recommended' on camptocamp; 'possible, but the path is preferable and quicker' on CAFMA.
Length: 125 m on camptocamp (pitches total 130 m), 100 m on theCrag.
Name: 'L'amie serfouette' on camptocamp and CAFMA, 'L'Amie de Serfouette' on theCrag.
Camptocamp grades the pitches 5b, 5c, 5b, 5c; CAFMA describes the route as very even at 5b+ with 5c maximum.

Provenance

Sources

Camptocamp – Quié de Sinsat, Pubis GR4b+: L'amie serfouetteUsed for: pitch grades and lengths, descent, gear
Camptocamp – trip reports 2017–2025 (outings 1774377, 1643096, 1712267, 865464)Used for: bolt spacing, vegetation, combination with Ainsi soit-elle
CAFMA – Sinsat, Le Pubis, secteur GR4B+Used for: approach, equipment statement, descent, equippers, gear
theCrag – L'Amie de SerfouetteUsed for: sport classification, 4 pitches

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Compiled from published sources and last verified October 2026. Bolts, anchors and access change. Climbing is dangerous and you are responsible for your own decisions: check a current topo and read the disclaimer.