Pavis (Pointes des)

Overview

The Pointe des Pavis is located in the Chablais Mountains between Dent d'Oche 2222 m and Cornettes de Bise 2432 m. The Pavis chain closes imposingly the Bise amphitheatre in the north.

The highest summit of the Pavis is the eastern summit (2075 m) which can be easily reached from the Bise collar (1915 m), but the climbing routes lead all to the western summit (2062 m) near the Floray collar (1955 m).

3 collars surround the Pavis :
- Pavis collar in the north between Pavis and Chateau d’Oche
- Floray collar in the southwest between Pavis and Pointe de Benevent
- Bise collar in the east between Pavis and Charousse crest.

Getting There

Easiest start point is Vacheresse in the Valley of Abondance

To Vacheresse
a) by car
- Highway Lausanne- Grand Saint Bernard (N 9) collar exit Portes du Soleil-Saint-Triphon, direction Monthey, take the road in direction Pas de Morgins, Châtel, Chapelle d'Abondance, Abondance, Vacheresse
- From Thonon, départementale n°22 to Vacheresse

b) by train
- Station Thonon, 20 km from Vacheresse
- Station Aigle in Switzerland

C) by plane
Nearest station is Geneva Cointrin.

From Vacheresse, a little road leads to the Bise Hut (park)

From here, take the GR 5 direction Bise collar and then left to Floray collar. All the routes start below this collar.

Another start point can be Novel, reachable from Saint Gingolph (on the road Thonon – Monthey)
From Novel, you reach the Bise collar over Chalets de Neuteu.

Red Tape

No red tape

When To Climb

From june to october

Routes Overview

1) Normal route to the eastern summit : from Bise hut over Bise collar and the east ridge.

2) Climbing routes (climbing rating conversion chart, added by Rob)

- Fille des Sables
ED inf SE 80m 6a ( Philippe Magnin / Philippe Vespérini, august 1986) 1st length very exposed. Dangerous and without any interest. L1: 6b+ / L2: 6b+

- Noël au Balcon
ED SE 120m 6a (Philippe Magnin / Philippe Vespérini, december 1986) Difficult climb on a rock of medium quality
L1: 7a / L2: 6a+ / L3: 7a / L4: 5c

- Araignée
TD sup SE 160m 5c (J.P. Bernard / T. de Beffort / A. Nicolin / T. Maufay, summer 1977)
L1: 5c / L2: 5c / L3: 5c / L4: 5b-A1 / L5: 3 / L6: 5b / L7: 3

- L'Ami Pierrot
ABO SE 160m 7b+ (Pierrot Cier / Jean Gréloz, 26 and 27september 1990) Nice climb on compact slabs. Most interesting climbing route of the Pavis
L1: 5c / L2: 5c / L3: 7c / L4: 7c / L5

- Miss Liberty
ED sup SE 160m 6b (Philippe Magnin / Philippe Vespérini, june 1986. Nice rock but difficult climb.
L1: 6a / L2: 6a / L3: 7a / L4: 6c-A0 / L5: 6c+ / L6

- Diagonale
D sup SE 160m 5a (G. Bartholomé / P. Mégevand / G. Paignon, july 1969. Classical route on good rock.
L1: 4b / L2: 3 / L3: 4b / L4: 5b / L5: 5c / L6: 5c / L7: 3 / L8

- Eté Indien
TD SE 180m 5c (Claude Carli / Jean-Paul Chassagne / Pierre Faussurier, 19 and 25 november.
L1: 4b / L2: 4c / L3: 4c / L4: A1 / L5: 5c / L6: 5c-A1 / L7: 3 / L8: 3

- Voie des Nids
TD sup SE 200m 5c (Georges Gauthier / Patrick Mégevand / Jean-Michel Tur)
Longest route most on cracks
L1: 5c / L2: 5c / L3: 4b / L4: 4b / L5: 5c / L6: 5b-A1 / L7: 5c-A1/ L8: 3

3) Popular hiker route around the Pavis : Tour des Pavis
from Bise hut to Floray collar – Darbon lake – Pavis collar – Bise collar.

Mountain conditions

Meteo

Camping

Camping L’Oustalet

Hut

Refuge de Bise - C.A.F. 1506 m - 70 places : open all the year, gardian in summer and some week-ends. Hut telephone : 04.50. 73.11.73. Gardian telephone : 05.50.78.18.28

Darbon Lake

The Darbon lake is a doline lake in limestone ground born by dissolution.
This lake drains inside into the karstic ground and has no apparent issue.

External Links

• Conversion chart
  International Climbing Grade Conversion Chart
  

Images

View Pavis (Pointes des) Image Gallery - 12 Images