An afternoon on the via ferrata of Cavaillon

Saturday afternoon with friends. It's sunny, our spring is incredibly hot... “Hey, kids, let's move? ”. The moues sent back by the public concerned are clear: “Bof, no! ”. This follows in the head a very quick listing of attractive outdoor possibilities...

What about theVia Ferrata of Cavaillon? Would you like to? “Oh yes!!!!! “

... thank you magic phrase...

Part of the small crew has the occasional shoulder harnesses, helmets and lanyards. The others quickly stopped at one of the two equipment rental companies in Cavaillon.

You go up to Via Ferrata by taking the small road that starts from the city (square of the Tourist Office) and goes up to the top of the hill of St. Jacques.... Small warm-up that delights some and tired others...!

The view is always extraordinary: Durance, Luberon, Monts de Vaucluse and Mont Ventoux follow each other. In 20 minutes you reach the top of a hill that offers us a landscape worthy of the highest peaks!

Here we are at the start...

Via Ferrata is made up of two circuits: Via Natura (for everyone above 1,30m) and Via Souterrata (sports, above 1,50m).

Checking the equipment, small training on the space dedicated to novices. Connoisseurs are getting impatient....

We cross the starting barrier and then we bathe in the vertical universe. Ladder and beam suspended above the vacuum precede parts in direct contact with the rock but slightly in cant... strong feeling guaranteed from the beginning... small fragile hearts to muscling!!! People prone to dizziness abstain.

We continue on a monkey bridge before arriving at a small cave that the children love. We too: the view, always the view, you never get tired of it...

And we have breaks!!!

Pedagogical breaks... small metal panels accompany our progress: sometimes they present a bird, sometimes a flower installed at a few hands of us. It is very beneficial after a strong sensation!!!

Falsely dizzying photo breaks (when the step is really scary you can not make the pictures!!!) , jokes and boxes shout against those who have cotton legs but everyone laughs...

45 minutes later, it is the way back to Via Natura and the beginning of Via Souterrata. The group is splitting up. The biggest and most sporty continue.

The subterrata sets the tone after 100m. Under a dark vault, you stretch over the void, you become “crab” to the latteral movement not necessarily fast, you blow and you look for the next pause point!!!

The more sporty people enjoy themselves, use their bodies like a lizard and enjoy every moment: the muscles respond to the slightest demands; the ambient gas spills every step with a touch of adrenaline.

The fastest ones will take between 2 and 3 hours to make the entire route of the Via Souterrata. If you take breaks, you need to count more than 3 hours. For Via Natura between 1 and 2 hours.