Adrenaline and Adventure Travel in the Midi-Pyrénées

Mountains are my paradise

The mountain environment has always been my favourite, there are few sights more awe inspiring than a beautiful conical summit. The Aveyron is an ideal adventure travel destination, with plenty of adrenalin fuelled activities on offer.

Mountain scenery can be extremely varied however, from an endless vista of high altitude snow topped peaks, huge steep sided gorges or lush forest covered valleys with meandering serpentine rivers teeming with fish and the possibility of glimpsing a bear or other large mammal.

The Tarn Gorge

The landscape of the Midi-Pyrénées consists of gorges gouged through the land by unimaginably powerful forces, flat plateaus sat above steep cliffs and beautiful densely forested vales with crystal clear mountain streams and rivers. There may not be any bears but there is a half decent chance of spotting some deer or even a wild boar!

Activities galore

One of the main attractions of a mountainous landscape is the vast variety of outdoor pursuits it lends itself to. The combination of high terrain with the associated exposure and flowing water sources provides ample opportunity to try a little adventure of the traditional kind.

Grade 1/2 whitewater is exciting enough for kids

Adventure capital or playground  is an overused cliché and is probably not appropriate here as there is not one single town or even region of the Midi- Pyrénées which monopolises adventure activities. The truth is there is plenty available throughout the whole area.

Expert and novice alike can find plenty to keep them occupied for hours, days or even weeks. My visit was during the summer which is of course perfect for climbing and many mountain sports but the kayaking will be a little tame. Travel there in the spring when snow melt is in the rivers or in late autumn when the rains have come and the rivers can easily reach grade four or five apparently.

There is an extensive network of major rivers and tributaries with easy access from the road a couple of paddlers and a car could have a great time playing on some serious white water at the right time of year.

The whole area is especially popular with climbers with dozens of routes up almost every possible cliff face but there is still plenty of opportunity to forge new routes to those with the necessary skills.

Via-ferrata has spread here from Italy and Germany (where it is known as klettersteig) and is already proving very popular with a number of high level routes having been established. Originally developed by Italian soldiers during the Second World War to enable them move between mountain gun posts it consists of a series of cables which the participant can ‘clip’ into with a pair of karabiners. There are often ladders and artificial foot and hand holds fixed to the rock to enable movement. Whilst it may not be totally popular with the purists and conservationists it does provide a means for ordinary people with a modicum of fitness to visit the terrain and experience the exposure usually reserved for highly skilled rock gymnasts.

The Via ferrata du Boffi

It can still be very strenous and when over one hundred metres up a rock face it  is not a place to find out that you are not as fit as initially thought. Extreme exposure is part of the whole package being high on a vertical cliff hanging onto a strip of metal with the wind blowing in your face is defintely exciting and not for the faint- hearted. Particpants have to be commited and  totally confident with the equipment. It can be relied upon and can even be rested upon, but it is not always easy to put all of your trust on what is basically a couple of pieces of rope and metal clips.

The climbing in this region is fantastic with routes going right up to the very top limits of the French grading system with 8c and even 9 being relatively commonplace. The rock is superb with routes that appear unfeasibly vertical or overhanging and fortunately many of them are bolt free. They do not appear to be over used however and although the magnesium residue is easily visible on the more extreme routes there is seldom more than one pair on any climb.

It is the perfect destination for getting about either on two feet or two wheels. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of hiking routes from easy trails to serious scrambles up vertical cracks and ridges in the various gorges that make up the area. Trails can be found that can take just an afternoon around the village or town in which you are staying or even a few days or more along trails that link gorges and the main towns.

Climbing in the Aveyron Gorge

It is not just hyperbole to refer to the region as a mountain biker’s paradise, there are a plethora of routes, both single track downhill and trails for those they also like to go uphill! The roads are excellent and usually relatively quiet so touring by bike is extremely popular and there was not a day that went by that several cyclists were not seen. It stands to reason of course that it is equally suitable for motorcycle touring.

Single track downhill

Excitement or chilling

For those that really need some high octane adventure there are still plenty of choices. I was planned to go on some serious caving and an evening parapenting but unfortunately in both cases the weather was unsuitable.

There was an offer to go bungee jumping off a bridge near the pretty village of Ste Eulalie de Cernon which I was able to take up. I watched and photographed dozens of people take their personal leap of faith then without much of ado took my own chance, jumping off backwards as it was not my first time and have little fear of heights.

In fact the opposite is the truth; there is a condition where a person feels almost compelled to jump when stood at the top of a cliff or precipice and may need to be physically restrained to prevent them from doing just that. I am unsure what the medical name for it is but can understand the compulsion as I have experienced a mild form of it many times.

There are a number of companies based in the region that will arrange many of these activities including a flight in a micro-light which must provide a great birds-eye view of this lovely region.

BASE jumping is possibly the most exhilarating activity of all and even this is possible. Jumpers arrive on the Millau Viaduct early in the morning and hurl themselves from the two hundred and ten metre highway which traverses this impressive piece of modern architecture.

This activity is actually prohibited and to avoid the attentions of the police jumpers often arrive in pairs, one driving the other jumping. The driver pulls over momentarily; the jumper instantly springs from the car fully equipped with a chute and then throws themselves without pause off the span, with just enough time to allow the lightweight parachute time to open.

Puppet on elastic

Getting the heart pumping and blood coursing through the vessels of our body is a good thing occasionally. Experiencing some genuine excitement and release of the natural hormone epinephrine (adrenaline) can make us feel really alive and provide that ‘feel good’ factor that can often be all too brief. We should all make the most of it while we are able to, it will be all too soon before we are at the wishing I was younger stage.

Those that prefer a little more relaxation however can take a boat ride under the viaduct with the Bateliers du Viaduct from the peaceful village of Creissels. This is a perfect way to experience the full majesty of the viaduct enabling passengers to sit back and truly soak in the wildlife and scenery alongside the River Tarn. The view of the Viaduct from the river is certainly spectacular but is almost matched by the village of Peyre built into the side of a hill further upstream.

So much to do so little time

I was there for just a week and despite a fairly packed itinerary only scratched the surface of what is possible. There were plenty of options for places to stay, with campsites everywhere including along the River Tarn just outside Millau.

Boating with the Bateliers du Viaduct

A little more upmarket are the numerous gîtes (holiday accommodation) and chambres d’hôtes (bed and breakfast) which are available throughout the region, then of course there are plenty of hotels available for all budgets.

This is a region that has plenty to recommend it apart from the activities described, there is a great deal of history and culture to keep the not so active happy. Idyllic, quaint villages are dotted throughout the area and it is a destination ideal for those looking to dip their toe in the adventure travel pool.

Activity providers

Contacts for activities include:

Club Variation Sport Nature – St Antonin Noble Val  (canoeing, caving, climbing, via-ferrata and parapenting)

AAGAC Base de pleine nature – Najac (canoeing, mountain biking and high level ropeways

Antipodes – Millau (canoeing, caving, climbing, via-ferrata, canyoning, bungee jumping and parapenting)

Bateliers du Viaduct – Creissels (boating under the viaduct)

Safe travels, epic adventures

The view from underneath the Millau Viaduct