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Routes : Europe : France : 12- Massif Central, southern part with foothills

12- Massif Central, southern part with foothills

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About 12- Massif Central, southern part with foothills:

Here is some typical landscape in the Southern part of the Massif Central. The limestone sediments have been erected in the past, then carved by the strong action of water, creating nice canyons, providing shade and water for the hedonistic climbers. Les Gorges du Tarn, photograph by Jörg Zeidelhak, aka climbnow1.

Include all the limestone gorges in the south of this Massif (Ardèche, Tarn, Jonte...), as well as the limestone cliffs emerging around Montpellier, Nimes, and elsewhere on the shore plains, or some volcanic features disseminated in the mountains. The weather there has some extremes conditions : while you can climb topless in Russan in January, it can freeze deeply in the Gorges du Tarn. When the north winds are blowing (Mistral and Tramontane) in winter time, manage to find a south facing cliff like Russan or pont-Saint-Nicolas, or forget about climbing! Summer is usually so warm that it's not the best season to climb there, but if you take some altitude.