Tenailles de Montbrison – south-east face · Briançonnais · France
Easy to bailBolting confidence: high
The popular modern route of the Tenailles de Montbrison, a group of pale limestone towers high above the Durance. The lower pitches are slabby and beginning to polish; from the fifth pitch on it steepens into a 35 m crack, a thin slab and a final pitch with a leftward traverse, all at 6a+ to 6b. Grades are firm and you climb between the bolts.
The route
The Tenailles de Montbrison are the limestone towers north-east of the Tête d'Aval, reached by a rough forest track from the hamlet of Bouchier. La Fiesta del Sud climbs the middle of the south-east face, left of a large and obvious cave, and has become the classic of the wall since Cambon bolted it in 2009. It is homogeneous at 6a to 6b: slabs and short walls low down, then a long crack, a steep slab on footholds and a final pitch with two harder moves. Despite the name the wall faces east of south and is in shade in the afternoon. The base is at about 2280 m.
The climbing
| Pitch | Grade | Length | Bolts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | 5c | 35 m | 9 bolts | Slab with a traversing move right. A 6a+ variant on the right is pleasant and well bolted. |
| P2 | 5c | 45 m | 9 bolts | Straight up for a few metres, then a long traverse left; one well-protected slab move where the lines divide. |
| P3 | 6a/6a+ | 35 m | 10 bolts | Vertical ground with feet to find, then 5 or 6 m of hard slab with two delicate moves. They can be aided on the bolts but you must climb between them. |
| P4 | 6a+ | 20 m | 7 bolts | A short pitch, usually linked with the transition that follows. |
| P5 | 3c | 15 m | 2 bolts | Transition across easy ground. A large block came off here under a climber in 2024. |
| P6 | 6a | 30 m | 9 bolts | Long and vertical; bolts a little further apart. |
| P7 | 6a+/6b | 40 m | 14 bolts | The crack: about 35 m of sustained, physical crack climbing with 14 bolts and 3 pegs, two of the bolts on 8 mm studs. You can belay at the top of the crack, or more comfortably 7 or 8 m further on. Many find this the crux and nearer 6b+; cams of about 0.5 and 0.75 fit. |
| P8 | 6a+ | 25 m | 9 bolts | A short, steep slab that needs reading and precise footwork. Well bolted. |
| P9 | 6b | 35 m | 14 bolts | Two harder moves, the crux on a horizontal traverse left. Closely bolted at the crux; several parties find it no harder than the pitches below. |
Getting there
Find the hamlet of Bouchier, reached by a long stony track from the minor road on the right bank of the Durance between Prelles and Les Vigneaux. Just before entering Bouchier turn sharp right onto a rougher track and follow it for 3 km, past meadows and a small house below on the right (La Blétonnée). Park beside the track without blocking it about 100 m further on, by a stream. The track is hard on low cars; several parties leave the car at Bouchier and walk about 2 h 15 by the Croix de la Salcette, or ride an electric bike. L'Argentière-la-Bessée and Briançon have railway stations.
About 1 hour from La Blétonnée with 580 m of ascent. Take the path that starts on the left bank of the stream, cross the stream higher up to reach a green side valley on the left, and follow a good path up it and then cairns through scree to the foot of the south-east face. Keep to the good path until above a rocky step; do not turn off at the first side valley. The route starts in the middle of the face, left of the big cave, at a gold bolt with a white cord and 'FDS' engraved; two variant starts are visible 8 m up.
Loading map
The point marks the crag, not the exact start of the route.
Parking
La Blétonnée, roadside parking at the end of the Bouchier forest track (camptocamp waypoint 664095)
Point from camptocamp waypoint 40844 (Tenailles de Montbrison summit)
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.
Coordinates: 44.85232, 6.54458 (crag) · Parking: 44.85912, 6.56273
Getting down
By abseil directly beside the route, moving slightly east each time: 48 m to belay 6; 40 m down and right to the ledge of belay 5; 45 m down and right to a three-bolt belay; 45 m to a ledge that descends to the left, or to the ground with 2×60 m ropes; and an optional 25 m abseil from the first belay of Les Carnutes to avoid walking down the ledge. Parties with 60 m ropes do it in four. Several recent parties prefer to walk off instead: continue above the last belay to an obvious notch and follow cairns down behind it, which brings you back past the foot of the route.
Retreat
Easy to bail
Abseiling beside the route is a normal descent and the stations are in place, so you can retreat from the belays that the abseil line passes: the top, belay 6, the ledge of belay 5 and the stations below. You need two ropes, as the abseils are 40 to 48 m.
Safety
Sun and weather
South-east to east facing between about 2280 and 2510 m: sun in the morning and shade from early afternoon, cold in a north wind. The season runs from June to early October; a party on 31 May 2024 met snow patches on the approach and descent and climbed in the cold, while 31 May 2025 was excellent. After rain the crack pitch seeps. Allow 3 to 5 hours on the route and about an hour for the abseils.
Sun on the wall · SE-facing
Working out the sunlit hours for this month.
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.
Climate figures for Briançonnais are not available yet
What to carry
2×50 m ropes and 14 quickdraws including 4 long ones. Two medium cams (0.5 and 0.75) are optional for the crack pitch. Helmet.
Derived from the route data; check it against a current topo
From climbers
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 La Fiesta del Sud.
Worth knowing
Open questions
Provenance
Same area
France · Briançonnais
One of the most admired lines on the Tête d'Aval: eleven sustained pitches, first up steep cracks and walls, then across orange limestone studded with small spikes. The grade is 6c with a 6c+ passage that has a fixed sling for aid, and 6b is obligatory. Parties advise being comfortable at 6c, because the bolting is sound but not generous.
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France · Briançonnais
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Twelve short pitches up three separate quartzite steps on the west side of the Rocher Baron, ten minutes from the road in the Durance valley south of Briançon. It starts very easy and steepens as it goes: the top step has the 5a bulge and the best climbing. A first multipitch, low and quick to reach, with road noise on the lower part.
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Around 6b · about 9 pitches
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Spain · El Chorro
Ten varied pitches on good rock in a superb position: a roof, slabs, a tenuous traverse by a cave and a steep corner. Several pitches feel stiff for the grade, especially the P2 crux.
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Spain · Riglos & Agüero (Mallos)
The way up the detached cigar that is the symbol of Riglos, first climbed in 1953. A polished corner, then the chimney between the Puro and the Pisón, then three short pitches on the outside of the needle to a tiny summit. Very polished in the chimney and on the boulder moves. In shade most of the day.
6b10 pitches180 m
Read the cautions
Switzerland · Gastlosen
One of the best routes at 6a to 6b in the Gastlosen: eight varied pitches of pocketed slab, short walls, pillars and water-drop rock on the south-east face of the Wandflue. The first pitch is the 6b crux and the steep, pocketed wall of pitch 7 is the highlight. A few grassy ledges link the good rock.
6b8 pitches250 m
Read the cautions
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.