8 reasons you should join us in Ailefroide this year

Ailefroide Meet

31 August - 7 September 2024

We’re going back to where it all began for WAAC founders Louise and Jenny and to where we held our first International Meet in 2019.

There’s a reason the mention of Ailefroide lights up the eyes of many an alpine rock climber and we’re here to tell you why you should join us this year…all of these 5 minutes from the entrance of your tent!

1. Situated at the end of a beautiful glacial valley with lush larch forest, soaring granite slabs and gushing rivers, Ailefroide is a paradise with sunny blue skies the norm

2. There’s plentiful accessible single pitch climbing with friendly bolting and in a wide range of grades to suit all climbers. It’s a perfect place to develop your climbing alongside other women and build confidence surrounded by huge peaks. To join this trip we just ask you can tie in and belay safely.

3. The bolted multipitch in the Ailefroide valley is the main event here. You could come here for multiple trips and not get bored. From 2-3 pitch intro climbs to epic 15 pitch adventures, Ailefroide has it all at very amenable grades. Just make sure you start early enough so you don’t have to make the walk of shame back to your tent after everyone has watched your headtorch light up on the face…!! All of this is accessible walking from your tent! Both abseil and walk off options available!

4. Camp in a grassy meadow surrounded by larch trees where you can wake up each morning, point to a towering granite slab and saunter over to it and spend the day climbing. Great facilities and the perfect place to chill, do yoga, and watch climbers through your binos!

5. The village of Ailefroide has a great snack bar, a bar for evening meals, drinks and icecream, a small groceries shop where you can get bread and breakfast pastries as well as hire and sports shops.

6. Did we mention pastries and french patisserie??!

7. As well as amazing climbing there are lots of other alpine adventures to be had - via ferrata, mountain biking and flowing mountain trails for hiking or running. Our friend Anne in Kings Mountain Shop down the road in Vallouise can hire out any equipment you might need and there is mountain bike hire too. Anne’s shop also has a very tempting range of clothing and fancy climbing gear which you may find you just need!!

8. You will get to spend the week with an incredible group of women and this view!!