Rocktype UNKNOWN
Altitude 2673m a.s.l
Faces N

A Bigger Bang, Les Perrons. 5th pitch. First Ascent. © jon

Summit of this hill

This summit has been climbed in 9 logbooks.

Hill features

Steep multi-pitch routes on magnificent mountain crags up to 370m high, situated on the Franco Swiss border above the valley of Vallorcine, the highest point being the Grand Perron at 2674m. Referred to collectively as Les Perrons, they comprise five main faces - Le Pain de Sucre, La Pointe Vouilloz, Le Grand Perron, La Tour Grise and further round, overlooking the lake, the Aiguille du Van. They offer superb steep technical climbs on good gneiss and also a really nice ridge traverse.

Descent is normally by abseil or you can finish off by doing the traverse - in either direction. Belays nearly always consist of two bolts linked with cord - no chains.  https://www.ukclimbing.com/photos/dbpage.php?id=389651  It's worth carrying a few lengths of 9 or 10mm cord to replace these if/when they look tired. Carry a small pocket knife to remove the old... 

Approach notes

The easiest and normal approach is from the Emosson dam, which is accessed by road from the border village of Chatelard, via Finhaut. The road closes after the first sizeable fall of snow in autumn/winter and opens again when it is feasible, normally around April/May depending on the winter.

From the carpark, cross the dam and take the Loriaz path which leads off leftwards. 

Tour Grise - follow the path until below the crag, then ascend the grassy slopes directly to the base - 1 hour.

Grand Perron - continue along the path to a cairn at the entrance to a large cwm. Here a smaller path strikes off rightwards into the cwm. Follow this path, which has a tendance to lose itself in a boulder field, aiming for the defining ridge of the Chardonnet on the left. Follow the crest of this to where it meets the crag, then walk up rightwards to the climbs.

Pointe Vouilloz and the Pain de Sucre - descend the far side of the Chardonnet ridge (cairn marking the start of the descent) into the next cwm and follow a traversing path to the start of the routes. About 1 hour 45 mins.
Alternatively approach from the Refuge de Loriaz in about 1 hour. The refuge is reached from Vallorcine in 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Route Cards

Sorry, There are no Route Cards associated with this hill
Finally made it up to the G perron, well worth the walk, definetly on the cards to return.
walts4 - 25/Oct/13
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Summits, Scrambles, and Easy Climbs on this hill

Name Grade Stars Type Logs Partner Ascents
These routes you have climbed clean.
These routes you have climbed by seconding or top-roping.
These routes you have Dogged.
These routes you Did not Finish.
Routes are waiting to be checked by a crag moderator, and may not be accurate. Routes can't be verified by a crag moderator, and they need more information to confirm it. Routes are no longer climbable.
Moderator Updates to this page are checked by UKH volunteer jon

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