Preparing for the via ferrata

• Prerequisite:

For the practice of this activity, it is necessary not to be sensitive to vertigo. Indeed, the Grande Fistoire site is renowned for its aerial character. A good physical condition is also essential. Otherwise, the exercise may prove perilous and put your safety at risk.

• How to dress?

Bring comfortable sports clothing adapted to the season. Shorts and T-shirts must be long enough so that the harness straps are not next to the skin.
Bring gloves or mittens to easily handle the carabiners.

• Que contient mon sac à dos ?
  • 1 liter of water to 2l minimum of water per person one backpack/person;
  • comfortable sportswear adapted to the season;
  • Shoes with smooth soles are not suitable. Need to bring good sneakers (running type) or hiking shoes or trail shoes;
  • Something to eat in case of fatigue
  • a pair of gloves or mittens to handle the equipment;
  • sunscreen.
• How to equip yourself

How to progress in via ferrata?

You will climb a cliff equipped with metal bars as if you were climbing a ladder.

To ensure your safety, a cable, called a lifeline, follows the path of the bars. It is anchored every 3 to 4 meters to the wall.

You permanently place your 2 carabiners on the cable, one in one direction, the other in the other direction.

When you come to an anchor point, you take a carabiner, you pass it past the anchor point. Then, you do the same with the 2^nd carabiner. Always one after the other. Always one carabiner at a time!

Remember to put your arm under your lanyards when progressing: this way, your carabiners will easily follow you.

If you rent a lanyard or complete kit, a rest quickdraw is provided.
If you get tired, you can put this quickdraw on a rung, while leaving your two progress carabiners on the cable.

You can sit in your harness and relax your arms, drink some water or take photos.

How to use zip lines?

Safety instructions: Do not hesitate to take the time to browse these lines. Your safety depends on it! And we will save time when welcoming you…

In order to carry out this activity safely, you must be able to understand these instructions as well as all the people who accompany you, otherwise, do not engage alone and call on a guide (contact us 0492684039).

The via ferrata are located on communal land and under intermunicipal management. The fee is mandatory.

The via is forbidden when the weather is not favourable (rain, strong wind, thunderstorm, etc.) The via ferrata management is the decision-maker of the opening of the two courses.

• Autonomy?

Via ferrata is not an adventure course in the trees where you are assisted by operators. It is a question of finding yourself several hundred meters above the ground in an activity requiring good physical fitness, (your weight has direct consequences on the equipment such as lanyards and obstacles, overhanging passages and zip lines, etc.) and a certain self-control. Without external assistance, you will have to evolve under active security (of your own making). Being afraid of heights is a deal-breaker for this activity.

This via ferrata is not recommended for children under 12 years old (height and weight often incompatible).

• Essential technical equipment:

As a preamble, this equipment must be up to standard, not expired, in good condition and specifically adapted to our via ferrata, do not trust anyone other than the managers at the origin of the courses, to tell you what is operational and what is not (pulleys).

The equipment that is made available to you by us is of course adapted, monitored and maintained, you assume responsibility for any other equipment belonging to you.

The Régie des Via Ferrata and its staff cannot be held responsible for any misuse, adaptation or failure of your equipment. In addition, the Via Ferrata Authority and its staff reserve the right to refuse access or to initiate proceedings against persons who behave inappropriately, do not comply with the instructions, and are suspected of being under the influence of narcotic, alcoholic or ill-equipped substances.

• Mountaineering helmet (no mountain bike) to avoid shocks and possible rockfalls (wind, animals, etc.)
• Climbing harness.
• Double lanyards with via ferrata safety carabiners and Shock absorber mandatory. (Warning! lanyards operating between 40 and 110kg).
• TANDEM SPEED or TRACK type pulley from PETZL, on ball bearings with a suitable lanyard not exceeding 40 cm in length.
• Hiking backpack (plenty of water, telephone, running food, first aid, change of clothes in case of bad weather, sunscreen, gloves, etc.).
• Comfortable sportswear, depending on the weather conditions at the time. Avoid T-shirts and shorts that are too short so that the harness straps are not on the skin.
• Hiking shoes, trail running shoes or good sneakers. Shoes with smooth soles are prohibited.

• Setting up the equipment:

• Harness: it must fit your size (S/M for people between 40 and 70 kg, L/XL for people between 70 and 110 kg); Once the straps are enlarged to the maximum, arrange the lanyards forward and pull the harness up over your hips, start by tightening the waist strap quite hard (but reasonably) so that your harness stays above the bones of your pelvis. Adjust the leg straps without forcing (the straps are equipped with “auto-lock” anti-reverse tightening systems). Be careful, the rings on the sides of the harness do not withstand your weight, they are only intended to store equipment.
• Helmets : enlarge the posterior tightening (dial) as much as possible, place the helmet on your head and tighten until the helmet no longer falls on your face. Adjust the chin strap without throttling.
• Lanyards and pulleys : depending on your equipment, make sure you understand where the lanyards and the pulley are attached.

Please note: the rented equipment is designed for weights from 50 kg to 100 kg. If you are outside this range, it is imperative to let us know when booking

• Evolution techniques:

You will climb a cliff equipped with metal bars as if you were climbing a ladder

• Tying up with a climbing rope is recommended (mandatory for people under 4Okg for whom the energy absorber of the lanyards does not work) but requires skills in its management (choice of rope and its length, knots, etc.).
• At each anchor point of the lifeline (and as soon as possible) pass your carabiners one after the other on the next segment. Be aware at all times of the trajectory you could follow in the event of a fall and its consequences in terms of impact. In via ferrata, don’t take the fall lightly.
• Carabiners are personal, never touch another person’s carabiners, same with pulleys. Not moving forward with carabiners in your hands to save time is a source of very serious accidents.
• No more than one person between two anchor points of the lifeline (excluding rescue or assistance to a person in difficulty).
• Your two lanyards can be paired with a third, shorter strap meant to connect you to a rung, for resting or hands-free. Be careful not to connect this lanyard to your harness as this may short-circuit the lanyards’ energy absorption system.

2. Zip lines:

Zip lines are the apparatus that requires the most concentration and can lead to dramatic mistakes, each element is essential and the sequence to follow is simple but unavoidable. Any other organization is dangerous.

Zip lines are not mandatory, they all have loopholes to avoid them. A sign reminding people of the instructions is installed at each departure as well as for the escapes.

• No more than one person on each zipline. NEVER JOIN SOMEONE STRANDED ON A ZIPLINE (fatal risk of collision). Call the emergency services and then the via ferrata reception.
• Make sure of your physical capacity (strength in the arms) so that you can reach the end of the zip line if necessary.
• Veiller à ce que personne ne soit sur le câble. Si présence d’une personne, laisser la personne se détacher tranquillement et quitter la zone d’arrivée afin de ne pas la percuter.
• Install the pulley and lanyards in accordance with the signs and the recommendations received during the briefing. Make sure that the distance between the pulley and your harness allows you to grab the cable at the end of the zip line (30 to 40 cm max; for the pulley lanyard). Otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to reach the end of the zipline, you’d be stuck.
• Don’t forget to place the carabiners of the lanyards above the pulley.
• Place one hand on the pulley (be careful: the fingers should not protrude). This way, it will prevent you from spinning in the air and allow you to arrive from the front.
• Do not start from the zip line, do not take an aerodynamic position, you will arrive too quickly, risk of collision.
• During crossings, on the first half of the cable, do a wide gap with the legs to resist the air and avoid gaining too much speed. On the second half of the cable, run through the air to arrive RUNNING on large wooden platforms, in order to cushion the shock and not injure your knees and ankles (paragliders and skydivers do the same thing to land).
• Don’t rely on people who have gone before you: depending on your weight, the wind, the temperature, you may get farther or closer.
• At the finish, don’t let yourself go back, you would need a lot of strength and time to pull yourself to the finish again. So remember to grab the net at the finish to stabilize yourself.
• If you go backwards, let the pulley go without putting your hands on the cable. When it stops, pivot your back at the finish and then pull yourself, one hand at a time, to the platform.
• Once you arrive, first unhook all your equipment. Then, alert the next person by shouting “free”. The latter will only install its own pulley when it has heard the signal clearly.

Attention : la longe de la poulie ne doit pas mesurer plus de 40 cm