The Vertigo route, the Étroits’ demanding via ferrata
That very morning, we had done the Traversée des Beaumes as a family. In the afternoon, we went back into the gorge as a pair, without the children, for the continuation: the Vertigo route. Considerably more demanding — and magnificent.
| Route | Vertigo — graded D, ~730 m; combined with the Beaumes ≈ 1,280 m |
| Duration | 1 to 1.5 hours for the section; 3 to 3.5 hours doing both |
| Best for | Good physical condition essential — not for children |
| Practical | Free access, May to October — no escape route once committed |
A step up from the Beaumes
The Vertigo starts where the Traversée des Beaumes offers its exit: past the escape route, the gorge narrows and the tone changes. The route becomes more physical and more exposed, with a lot of rock contact and few rungs in places — you genuinely climb, rather than just following the cable.
It is also where the scenery is at its most spectacular: the walls close in until they almost touch, the Souloise stream runs some fifty metres below, and the route passes under the road bridges — a canyon atmosphere unique in the massif.
The route
A first delicate traverse sets the tone, followed by a ledge passing under the first bridge. Then comes a sparsely equipped climb, a descent under the second bridge, and a slightly overhanging section that works the arms before the monkey bridge. You cross the gorge again on a footbridge, and the difficulty eases towards the exit.
Allow one to one and a half hours for the section at a steady pace. The return to the car park is on foot along the road, in about twenty minutes — it is narrow, so watch for traffic.
Our tips
Good physical condition is essential: the overhanging sections pull on the arms, and there is no escape route once you are committed — you go all the way. We left the children at the chalet, and it was the right call: this section is not for them.
The rock is polished in places and gets slippery as soon as it is damp: do not go after rain. One very narrow passage is awkward with a large backpack — travel light. Helmet, harness and energy-absorbing lanyard remain mandatory, of course.
