Pointe de Sosay (Cenise) · Aravis · France
Read the cautionsBail with caveatsBolting confidence: medium
A varied summit route in a quiet pastoral corner above the Cenise plateau: a string of short, surprisingly compact walls separated by wooded ledges, each with a different crux. The hard moves are brief and athletic. North-west facing and cool in summer.
Well protected on the hard moves, but the 5c slab of pitch 3 is run-out and there is loose rock on the easier tiers.
The route
The Voie Rodrigue climbs the north-west face of the Pointe de Sosay (1894 m) to the cross on its summit. Nine climbing pitches are linked by four walking or scrambling sections through firs and across ledges, so it has little big-wall atmosphere, but the climbing on each tier is good and the setting, with the Cenise refuge below, is idyllic. The difficulties are concentrated in three places: a bouldery crack start on pitch 3 (6b, or 5c with a pull on a draw), a strenuous corner on pitch 6 (6a+) and an athletic leftward pitch higher up (6a). Expect some loose rock and vegetation on the easier pitches. Parties take 4 to 5 h 30 min.
The climbing
| Pitch | Grade | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| P1 | 5b | First pitch; links with pitch 2 (48 m together, easy on a 60 m rope). |
| P2 | 5a | Easier ground to the foot of the crux wall. |
| P3 | 6b | A bouldery move at the start of the crack (6b, or 5c/A0, well protected), then 5c slab on which the bolts are far apart: a 2023 party says you must not fall there. On reaching the ledge move 4 m left to climb the second small wall, which has one hanger that is hard to see. |
| P4 | – | A walking link: go up to the right and through the firs, then along the rock for 15 m to the left to a hanger with a maillon. A 2026 party says go up 3 m above the belay and straight into the trees, not right. |
| P5 | 5b | Rising leftwards. A band of delicate, loose rock in the middle, then a nice exit wall. |
| P6 | 6a+ | Two or three athletic moves in the corner at the start, well protected; rounded holds. A 2023 party warned of a large block at the very start of the corner. |
| P7 | – | A link: traverse left across the side of a small col (sling on a fir, then cords) and climb straight up 10 m to a belay on the left behind a fir. |
| P8 | 5a | Good rock to start, a little vegetated to finish. A 2026 party found the start athletic and could not link it with the next pitch because of rope drag and falling gravel. |
| P9 | 5a | A nice crack for 4 m, then walk: go down left to a cord threaded through a drilled hole, then 3 m further down left to the belay. From here you can escape across the grass slopes east of the summit. |
| P10 | 6a | A fine, rather athletic pitch rising leftwards, with a hard traversing move at the third bolt. Once past the difficulties keep traversing up left into a rocky gully (hangers up on the left, one marked with a metre of cord). A dead tree lies across the top of the pitch and hides a bolt. |
| P11 | 5c | 6a if you go straight up the last compact section, which is easily turned on the right. The finish is on very good grey rock. |
| P12 | – | Put on trainers and walk to a small col and a belay. |
| P13 | – | Two easy climbing moves, then walk to the cross and belay on it. Pitches 12 and 13 together are 60 m. |
Getting there
From Le Petit-Bornand take the road behind the school that climbs to Cenise. Park at the second car park, on the left, 300 m before the Cenise refuge (about 1560 m). Livestock graze freely: close the fences behind you. A party in 2023 walked in from Le Frachet over the Col de Cenise instead, which adds about 30 min in all.
About 20 min. From the top of the car park take the wide track (barrier) to a first isolated chalet and then the two chalets of Comborse. 100 m after the chalets go up left across the pasture towards the cliff (cairns) before entering the forest. Climb a track in the scree to the foot of the cliff, then continue a few dozen metres left to the first bolt, which is about 3 m off the ground. There is no name at the foot of the route. In 2023 a temporary sheep pen at the first chalet forced a detour and a 40 min approach.
Loading map
The point marks the crag, not the exact start of the route.
Point from camptocamp waypoint 43113 (Pointe de Sosay summit)
Contains the route point. 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: 46.00500, 6.44513 (crag)
Getting down
On foot. From the cross descend towards the Col du Rasoir, then turn right onto a small track that soon fades, and easily join the very good path that comes down from the Col de Sosay. The foot of the route is 20 min from the col. If you stop at the ninth belay, cross the grass slopes east of the Pointe de Sosay and descend to Cenise. Abseiling the route is not recommended, although the maillons are in place, because of the ledges.
Retreat
Bail with caveats
Camptocamp advises against abseiling the route because of its ledges, although maillons are in place at the belays. The stated escape is on foot from the ninth belay across the grass slopes east of the summit to Cenise. Lower down, the wooded ledges between the tiers break the route into short sections from which a single abseil would reach the ledge below.
Partly inferred from the route facts
Safety
Sun and weather
North-west facing between 1640 and 1894 m: ideal in hot weather. The face is easy-angled enough for the sun to reach several pitches from late morning in summer; in early October it arrives around 13:00 to 14:00. The rock takes a little getting used to but is mostly sound.
Sun on the wall · NW-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.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun (usual season) | Jul (usual season) | Aug (usual season) | Sep (usual season) | Oct (usual season) | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean daily high °C | −7 | −5 | −2 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 5 | −2 | −6 |
| Mean daily low °C | −16 | −15 | −12 | −8 | −4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | −1 | −5 | −11 | −15 |
| Rain days 1 mm or more | 13 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 |
● marks the usual climbing season. Averages for 1991-2020 at about 2371 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
Two 50 m ropes and 11 quickdraws according to camptocamp; a 2026 party did everything with a single 60 m rope and 10 draws. Slings for the belays above the fourth, where the bolts are not linked. Nuts and cams are useful only if you are not comfortable at 6a, particularly on pitch 3. Shoes for the walk down. 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 Voie Rodrigue.
Worth knowing
Open questions
Provenance
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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.