Vieux Chateau

Overview

Vieux Chateau is located in Burgundy amongst several limestone climbing site.
However this particular location provides a nice granit and a beautiful area around with trees and a river.

The site is not big, and in Summer it can be crowded.
But it is definitely worth visiting !

Getting There

From Paris, drive on Motorway 16 down to exit 22.
Take road N146 for 3 kilometers then turn left on road N6 for 8 kms.
When you reach Ste Magnance, turn left on road D4c towards Champmorlin (4 kms).

Once in Champmorlin keep going until you reach Vieux-Château.
There follow signs mentionning "Rocher Ste Catherine".
You will end up on a plateau right above the cliffs. A few stairs will take you at the bottom of the routes.

Staying There

You can either camp on the plateau where you park, but the ground is quite bumpy, and there's no water running there.
The water from the river running by the cliff is not good for drinking.
Or you can camp in :

Camping Le Serein
Rue du Moulin-de-la-Varenne
21460 Toutry
Tel : 03 80 96 43 83
(Open from April to December / 30 places)

Site Description

The quality of the rock (granit) is perfect.
Some easy routes may be a bit run out, but usually you will enjoy climbing there.

So sad there aren't twice as many routes !
Here is a description of the main climbing areas :


After the Geronimo area, if you keep walking along the river,
you will find some more routes.
There are not as interesting to climb as the ones mentionned above,
and a few can be dangerous as the rock falls apart.

Books, Maps & Weather

The official Vieux-Château Handbook is no longer sold. Almost impossible to find on 2nd hand.
A suggestion would therefore be : Bourgogne Onsight (Jingo Wobbly)

The best map would be :
IGN 28220T PNR du Morvan (1:25.000)

And weather forecast :
Meteo France > Vieux-Château

Images

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