🧗 The 48 Climbing Rooms of Western Switzerland in 2020
🧗 The 48 Climbing Rooms in French-speaking Switzerland in 2020
Sommaire
- 1 The new fashion
- 2 The climbing disciplines
- 3 The climbing rooms of Western Switzerland
- 4 Lead and bouldering
- 5 Bouldering rooms only
- 6 The comparative table
- 7 Mapping of the main climbing rooms
- 8 The 28 other climbing rooms in Western Switzerland
- 9 The Swiss climbing champions
- 10 The French champions
- 11 The Olympic Games
- 12 Videos on climbing
- 13 Questions
The new fashion
The rooms dedicated to climbing have grown significantly in French-speaking Switzerland since 2010, particularly in the Lake Geneva region. Laniac’s climbing room is the first room opened in 2005 in Bulle. The idea is to climb a track along a wall using sockets of the same color. Each route is labelled with its own level of difficulty.
The different holds in the climbing room.
The climbing disciplines
The disciplines of climbing are as follows:
-
- Lead
- Boulder
- Speed
Among the three disciplines of climbing, two disciplines are available in the halls of French-speaking Switzerland: bouldering and lead climbing. The third discipline is speed, where two climbers climb a vertical wall at the same time and as quickly as possible. Lead climbing is practiced by a rope and the appropriate equipment with a partner or alone with a reel at a height of about 12 meters.
World speed record in 2014.
Lead type championship in 2018.
The bouldering discipline is limited to 4.5 meters but climbs without belay, padded mats cushion any fall. It is particularly popular today because it can be practiced alone and without rope. The block offers a friendly look by allowing several climbers to try to climb one track after the other while staying close to the ground and much shorter than with a wall 12 or 15 metres high.
World bouldering championship in 2016.
The climbing rooms of Western Switzerland
Climbing rooms are classified into two categories by la Torpille:
- The main climbing rooms for which a full description is available. 20 rooms.
- Small climbing rooms or rooms in the Jura. 28 rooms.
The main rooms listed by La Torpille have the following particularities:
- Large climbing room with cloakroom and showers.
- Permanent presence of a receptionist.
- Rental of equipment such as shoes.
- Reels in the upper rooms.
The 20 climbing halls in French-speaking Switzerland are mainly located in the canton of Vaud on the Lake Geneva area. Below, the geographical distribution by canton:
- Canton of Vaud: 8
- Canton of Fribourg: 4 (+1 Under construction)
- Canton of Valais: 1
- Canton of Geneva: 1 (+1 Under construction)
- Canton of Neuchâtel: 1 (+1 Under construction)
Some climbing companies own several large halls:
- Grimper.ch: 4 (+1 Under construction) managed by the Rebetez brothers.
- Totem: 4
- Vertic-Halle: 2
- Laniac: 2
The main climbing halls are classified in two categories
- Lead and Block
- Block only
Lead and bouldering
Les 9 salles ci-dessous propose de la grimpe en voie et du bloc.
- C+ Urban Climbing
- Gecko
- Laniac
- Mur de grimpe de Chavornay
- Rocspot
- Vertic-Halle Saxon
- BlocZone
- Mur de grimpe de la Moubra
- Villeneuve (ouverture 2020)
- Le Locle (Projet avancé)
- Satigny (Projet avancé)
C+ Urban Climbing
- 📍 Location: Colombier NE
- 🏗️ Construction: 2018
- 🧗 Climbing surface: 1’000 m²
- 👍 Reels: YES
- 🔗 C+ Urban Climbing room
- 🔗 Check all the details
The climbing room C+ Urban Climbing is located in Colombier in the commune of Milvignes in the canton of Neuchâtel just next to the aerodrome. It contains 5 parts:
- Reception area, changing rooms, cafeteria
- Lead climbing from a height of more than 10 meters
- Block for toddlers
- Block for children and adults
- Lead climbing for children
The building housing C+ Urban Climbing.
L’intérieur de la salle de grimpe.
Gecko Climbing
- 📍 Location: Sottens VD
- 🏗️ Construction: 2008
- 🧗 Climbing surface: 1’000 m²
- 👍 Reels: YES
- 🔗 Gecko Escalade climbing room
- 🔗 Check all the details
The Sottens climbing gym is one of the oldest in French-speaking Switzerland. It is located in Sottens in the Gros-de-Vaud region between Lausanne and Yverdon. It offers large lead climbing areas, an adult block and a children’s area.
The building housing Gecko Climbing.
The inside of the climbing room.
Laniac
- 📍 Location: Bulle FR
- 🏗️ Construction: 2005
- 🧗 Climbing surface: 700 m²
- 👍 Reels: YES
- 🔗 Laniac climbing room
- 🔗 Check all the details
Built in 2005, Laniac Escalade’s climbing gym is the oldest in French-speaking Switzerland. Small compared to the other rooms, it still offers boulder and lead climbing.
Laniac’s climbing room building.
Inside the climbing room with a reel for solo climbing.
A video about Laniac’s climbing gym.
Roc’o’drome
The Chavornay climbing wall is located in the centre of the former Chavornay mills.
- 📍 Location: Chavornay VD
- 🏗️ Construction: ?
- 🧗 Climbing surface: 1’000 m²
- 👍 Reels: NO
- 🔗Chavornay climbing room
- 🔗 Check all the details
The building of Chavornay’s climbing room.
One of the climbing rooms.
A video on the Chavornay climbing wall.
Rocspot
- 📍 Location: Echandens VD
- 🏗️ Construction: 2016
- 🧗 Climbing surface: 2’500 m²
- 👍 Reels: YES
- 🔗 Rocspot climbing room
- 🔗 Check all the details
Rocspot is located west of Lausanne. The hall is one of the largest in French-speaking Switzerland with a large lead climbing area and an imposing central block. It is the only room to offer track climbing outside and is held by the same owner as BlocZone.
The Rocspot room building with the external climbing wall.
Rocspot’s central block with the high walls around it.
A video on the Rocspot Echandens climbing gym.
Vertic-Halle Saxon
- 📍 Location: Saxon VS
- 🏗️ Construction: 2012
- 🧗 Climbing surface: 2’300 m²
- 👍 Reels: YES
- 🔗 Vertic-Halle climbing room
- 🔗 Check all the details
Vertic-Halle is one of the largest climbing halls in French-speaking Switzerland and the only one in Valais. A boulder is available in summer outside.
The Vertic-Halle building.
A high wall of Vertic-Halle with a reel.
A video about the climbing gym at Vertic-Halle.
BlocZone
- 📍 Location: Givisiez FR
- 🏗️ Construction: 2011
- 🧗 Climbing surface: 1’500 m²
- 👍 Reels: YES
- 🔗 BlocZone climbing room
- 🔗 Check all the details
The Moubra climbing hall is a small climbing room located in the resort of Crans-Montana inside the tennis hall on the banks of the Moubra lake.
BlocZone’s entry in the industrial zone of Givisiez.
Bloczone’s climbing area from the cafeteria.
A video about the BlocZone room in Givisiez.
Moubra climbing room
- 📍 Location: Crans-Montana VS
- 🏗️ Construction: ?
- 🧗 Climbing surface: 650 m²
- 👍 Reels: YES
- 🔗 Moubra Climbing Room
- 🔗 Check all the details
La salle d’escalade de la Moubra est une petite salle de grimpe qui se trouve dans la station de Crans-Montana à l’intérieur de la halle de tennis au bord du lac de la Moubra.
The Moubra tennis hall.
The climbing wall in the tennis hall.
A video on the Moubra climbing hall
Villeneuve climbing centre
- 📍 Location: Villeneuve VD
- 🏗️ Construction: 2019
- 🧗 Climbing surface: 4’000 m²
- 👍 Reels: YES
- 🔗 Villeneuve Climbing Room
- 🔗 Check all the details
The Villeneuve climbing centre opened its doors in December 2019. It is the largest climbing room in French-speaking Switzerland and the only one with a speed wall. It is located inside the RocVille shopping centre.
The main area of the Villeneuve climbing room.
Le Locle climbing room
A project of the “Multiprise SA” is currently being developed …
A model of the climbing room project in Le Locle. Photo: Arcinfo.ch newspaper
Satigny climbing room
A project of the company grimper.ch is currently being developed …
A model of the climbing gym project in Satigny. Photo: ghi.ch newspaper
Bouldering rooms only
The boulder is a recent discipline of climbing. The climber ascends a wall from 4 to 5 metres high without being tied up with large mattresses on the ground to cushion a possible fall.
It is a very recent discipline and is very fashionable today because of the fact that the visitor can climb alone and its friendly side where several people can try alternately a way and thus create an emulation.
The construction and maintenance of bouldering rooms is also much cheaper since it is sufficient to have a height of 5 metres instead of about 13 metres for rooms offering lead climbing.
The 9 block rooms:
- Dbloc
- Le Cube
- Totem Ecublens
- Totem Gland
- Totem Vevey
- Totem Versoix
- Vertic-Halle Monthey
- L’Entrepôt
- Fribourg (Opening in 2020)
Dbloc
- 📍 Location: Bulle FR
- 🏗️ Construction: 2009
- 🧗 Climbing surface: ?
- 🔗 Dbloc climbing room
- 🔗 Check all the details
Dbloc is a block room in a house in the city of Bulle. It has a traditional side and climbing walls much less impressive than the brand new block rooms but keeps a good-natured friendly side and has a climbing face on the outside.
The house of the Dbloc climbing room.
An outer block of Dbloc.
Le Cube
- 📍 Location: Le Mont-sur-Lausanne VD
- 🏗️ Construction: 2011 (Au Mont depuis 2019)
- 🧗 Climbing surface: 1’450 m²
- 🔗 Le Cube climbing room
- 🔗 Check all the details
Le Cube is a climbing room in an industrial building of the Lausanne suburb of Mont-sur-Lausanne. It is a room that offers the largest climbing surface dedicated to bouldering with Totem Ecublens.
The entrance of the Cube with the parking lot.
The climbing room with many central blocks.
Totem climbing Ecublens
- 📍 Location: Ecublens VD
- 🏗️ Construction: 2018
- 🧗 Climbing surface: 1’600 m²
- 🔗 Totem Ecublens climbing room
- 🔗 Check all the details
Totem Escalade Ecublens is the largest block room in French-speaking Switzerland. It offers a large area for children and an outdoor wall for summer.
Totem Ecublens building.
Totem Ecublens’ boulder.
Totem climbing Gland
- 📍 Location: Gland VD
- 🏗️ Construction: 2015
- 🧗 Climbing surface: 500 m²
- 🔗 Totem Gland climbing room
- 🔗 Check all the details
Totem Escalade Gland is located in the same building as the bowling alley in Gland. It is part of the Totem chain dedicated exclusively to the block.
The building housing Totem Gland.
Totem Gland’s boulder.
A video on in Totem Gland’s climbing room.
Totem climbing Vevey
- 📍 Location: Vevey VD
- 🏗️ Construction: 2018
- 🧗 Climbing surface:: 400 m²
- 🔗 Totem Vevey climbing room
- 🔗 Check all the details
Totem Escalade Gland is located in a residential building in the heart of Vevey in front of Nestlé’s headquarters. It is part of the Totem chain dedicated exclusively to the block.
Totem Vevey’s room from the outsider.
Totem Vevey’s boulder.
Totem climbing Versoix
- 📍 Location: Versoix GE
- 🏗️ Construction: 2017
- 🧗 Climbing surface: 500 m²
- 🔗 Totem Versoix climbing room
- 🔗 Check all the details
Totem Escalade Versoix in the canton of Geneva is located in the Migros building. It is part of the Totem chain dedicated exclusively to the block.
The Migros building containing the Totem Versoix room.
The Totem Versoix block.
A video on the Swiss bouldering championships at Totem Versoix’s climbing gym.
Vertic-Halle Monthey
- 📍 Location: Monthey VS
- 🏗️ Construction: 2019
- 🧗 Climbing surface: 500 m²
- 🔗 Vertic-Halle Monthey block room
- 🔗 Check all the details
The climbing room in Monthey is dedicated solely to bouldering. It belongs to the Vertic-Halle company, which already owns a room in Saxon. Vertic-Halle Monthey also offers a children’s area with trampolines and tubular structures.
The building that contains Vertic-Halle Monthey.
The block with a part of the cafeteria.
L’Entrepôt
- 📍 Location: Bulle FR
- 🏗️ Construction: 2019
- 🧗 Climbing surface: 1’000 m²
- 🔗 L’Entrepôt climbing room
- 🔗 Check all the details
L’Entrepôt (Warehouse) is a climbing boulder and trampoline hall in Bulle. It belongs to Laniac who already owns a climbing gym dedicated to lead in Bulle.
The block of l’Entrepôt.
Fribourg
Opening in 2020 in the city of Fribourg of a climbing gym of the company “Grimper.ch”.
The comparative table
Drag the table to the right to see all the results
| Bloczone | C+ Urban Climbing | DBloc | Fribourg | Gecko | Bulle Laniac | Le Cube | Mur de Crans-Montana | Roc'o'drome | RocSpot | Totem Ecublens | Totem Gland | Totem Versoix | Totem Vevey | Vertic-Halle Monthey | Vertic-Halle Saxon | Villeneuve | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logo |  |  | | |  | | | Pas de logo | | | | | | |  | | |
| Link to activity | Activity | Activity | Activity | Ouverture en 2020 | Activity | Activity | Activity | Activity | Activity | Activity | Activity | Activity | Activity | Activity | Activity | Activity | Activity |
| Photo |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |  | |  |  | |  | |
|
| Canton |  Fribourg |  Neuchâtel | Fribourg | Fribourg |  Vaud | Fribourg | Vaud |  Valais | Vaud | Vaud | Vaud | Vaud |  Genève | Vaud | Valais | Valais | Vaud |
| Town | Givisiez | Milvignes | Bulle | Fribourg | Sottens | Bulle | Bussigny | Crans-Montana | Chavornay | Echandens | Ecublens | Gland | Versoix | Vevey | Monthey | Saxon | Villeneuve |
| Block | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Central Block | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | |
| Lead climbing | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Ropes already installed | ✔️ 20 | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Number of reels (self-insurers) | ✔️ 6 | ✔️ 2 | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ 4 | ✔️ 2 | ❌ | ✔️ 6 | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ 12 |
| Exterior Wall | ✔️ en Bloc | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ en Bloc | ✔️ |
| Inside height | Salle: ? Bloc: 4.5 | Salle: 13 Bloc: 4 | Bloc: 4 | Salle: 13 | Salle: 12 | Salle: 13.5 Bloc: 4 | Salle: 13 Bloc: 4 | Salle: 13 Bloc: 4.5 | Bloc: 4.5 | Bloc: 4.5 | Bloc: 4.5 | Bloc: 4.5 | Bloc: 4.5 | Salle: 15 Bloc: 4.5 | Salle:16 | ||
| Number of rooms | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| Floor area m2 | 250 Bloc:40 Voies: 210 | 320 Bloc: 110 Voies: 210 | Env: 300 | 280 | Env: 300 | 2450 | |||||||||||
| Quantity of plugs | 18'000 | 2'500 (total) | 35'000 | ||||||||||||||
| Number of tracks | 300 | 120 | 450 | 120 | 150 | 700 | |||||||||||
| Number of difficulty levels | Degrés | 6 | 6 | Degrés | Degrés | 6 Couleurs | 8 | Degrés (difficulté) 6 couleurs (bloc) | Degrés | 9 Couleurs | 9 Couleurs | 9 Couleurs | 9 Couleurs | Degrés | |||
| Dedicated children's area | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ bloc et mini toboggan | ✔️ fermé | ✔️ ouvert | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ fermé | ✔️ ouvert | ✔️ ouvert | ✔️ | |
| Climbing Area (m2) | 1'500 | Total: 1'000 | ? | Total: 1'000 | Total: 700 | Total: 1'300 | Total: 650 Bloc: 150 Mur à corde: 500 | Total: 1'000 Bloc: 110 Mur à corde: 900 | Total: 2'500 Outdoor: 450 Mur à corde: 1'850 Bloc: 200 | Total: 1'600 | Environ 500 | Environ 500 | Environ 400 | 400 | Total: 2'300 Mur à corde: 1'650 Bloc: 500 | 4'000 | |
| Overhanging course | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ petit | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ plafond | ✔️ | |
| Moonboard | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | |
| Magnesia available | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | |
| Training area | ✔️ |  | ✔️ petite | (1 élément) | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ petite | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ Séparée | ✔️ Séparée | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
| Building dedicated to climbing | ❌ | ✔️ | | ✔️ | ✔️ | | ❌ | | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | |
| Cafet Space | Moyen | Moyen | Pas de table | Grand | Petit | Moyen | ✔️ | Grand | Grand | Grand | Petit | Moyen | Petit | Grand | Moyen | Moyen | |
| Catering | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | |
| Changing rooms | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ petit Pas de douche | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |  | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
| Equipment rental | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
| Climbing equipment sales | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
| Creation | 2011 | 2018 | 2009 | 2020 | 2008 | 2005 | 2011 | ? | ? | 2016 | 2018 | 2015 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2012 | 2019 |
| Price adult entrance | Adulte: 22 Etudiant/AVS: 18 10-16 ans: 12 <10: 8 | Adulte: 24 Etudiant/AVS: 20 12 - 16 ans: 12 Moins de 12 ans: 8 | Plus de 12 ans: 10 Etudiant/AVS: 8 6 à 11 ans: 6 Moins de 6 ans: 4 | Adulte: 20 Etudiant/AVS: 16 12-18 ans: 12 7-11 ans: 8 3-7 ans: 5 | Adulte: 20 Etudiant/AVS: 16 12-16 ans: 12 <12: 10 | Adulte: 16 Etudiant/AVS: 14 12-16 ans: 12 9-11 ans: 8 5-9: 6 | Mur: Adulte/Enfant: 15/8 Bloc: Adulte/Enfant: 8/8 | Mur et Bloc / Bloc Adulte: 20/10 Etudiant/AVS: 16/8 14 à 17 ans: 14/8 10 à 13 ans: 12/8 5 à 9 ans: 10/8 Moins de 5 ans: 8/8 | Adulte: 26 Etudiant/AVS: 20 10-16 ans: 14 <10: 10 | Adulte: 16 Etudiant/AVS: 14 12-16 ans: 12 9-11 ans: 10 5-8: 5 | Adulte: 16 Etudiant/AVS: 14 12-16 ans: 12 9-11 ans: 10 5-8: 5 | Adulte: 18 Etudiant/AVS: 16 12-16 ans: 14 9-11 ans: 10 5-8: 8 | Adulte: 16 Etudiant/AVS: 14 12-16 ans: 12 9-11 ans: 10 5-8: 5 | Adulte: 16 13-16 ans: 10 2-12 ans: 12 (avec Fun Parc) | Bloc+ enrouleurs/complet Adulte: 16/24 Etudiant/AVS: 16/19 11-16 ans: 10/13 4-10: 8/8 | Adulte: 26 AVS/AI/Etudiant: 20 10 à 16 ans: 14 Moins de 10 ans: 10 |
|
| Equipment Rental Prices | Chaussures: 5 Baudrier: 4 Corde: 5 Set complet: 12 | Chaussures: 5 Baudrier: 5 Corde: 5 Assureur: 3 Sac à pof: 3 Set complet: 12 | Chaussures: 5 | Chaussures: 5 Baudrier: 3 Corde: 6 Set complet: 12 | Chaussures: 5 Baudrier: 4 Corde: 4 Set complet: 10 | Chaussures: Adulte/Etudiant/AVS: 5 Enfants: 2 | Chaussures: 4 Baudrier: 4 Corde: 4 Assureur: 4 Set complet: 12 | Chaussures: 4 Baudrier: 2 Corde: 4 Assureurs: 2 | Chaussures: 5 Baudrier: 4 Corde: 4 Set complet: 12 | Chaussures: Adulte: 5 Etudiant/AVS: 4 Enfants: 3 | Chaussures: Adulte: 5 Etudiant/AVS: 4 Enfants: 3 | Chaussures: Adulte: 5 Etudiant/AVS: 4 Enfants: 3 | Chaussures: Adulte: 5 Etudiant/AVS: 4 Enfants: 3 | Chaussures: 13 et +: 5 12 et -: 3 | Chaussures: 5 Baudrier: 4 Corde: 6 Set complet: 13 | Chaussures: 5 Baudrier: 4 Corde: 5 Set complet: 12 |
|
| Remarks | Espace bloc pour les moins de 6 ans. | Montée de l'antenne en extérieur. | Salle dans la halle de tennis de la Moubra. | Salle de lecture au sous-sol. | Espace Yoga | Espace Yoga | Espace Yoga | Trampolines et strucutres tubulaires pour les enfants | Châteaux gonflables à l'extérieur en été. | A l'intérieur du centre commercial Rocville |
Different coloured routes at Totem Vevey.
Rocspot with a central block.
A Moonboard at the Cube. A Moonboard is an inclined plane on which a large number of holds allow you to train on chosen difficulty paths. Each wall position is equipped with a LED that lights up to indicate the socket to be used according to the chosen channel when connecting to the Moonboard with your smartphone via Bluetooth. The word “Moonboard” is not related to the moon but comes from its inventor Ben Moon, a climber and inventor of this system.
Outdoor climbing wall at Rocspot.
Training area at Totem Versoix.
A climber on an overhanging track at Totem Gland.
Reels that make it possible to climb walls more than 10 metres high on your own in complete safety.
What is the best climbing gym in French-speaking Switzerland?
The Torpille team observed a good quality of the climbing rooms in French-speaking Switzerland. However, we are establishing here what we think are the best rooms:
- The best rooms dedicated only to the Bloc: Totem Climbing Ecublens and the Cube Climbing
- The best room over 10 metres high: “grimper.ch” Villeneuve
Mapping of the main climbing rooms
See the cartography of the main climbing rooms in Western Switzerland.
The 28 other climbing rooms in Western Switzerland
All the rooms listed below are not detailed by La Torpille for one of the three following reasons:
- They are located in the canton of Jura.
- They are not directly open to the public.
- They are very small.
Rooms in the canton of Jura
The canton of Jura offers a high density of climbing halls:
- Blockstock Hobee – Bressaucourt
- Salle des Tilleuls – Porrentruy
- Salle d’escalade Dévers Hobee – Mettembert
- BlocUP – Delémont
- Mur d’escalade l’Usine de Phil. (closed in 2019) – Rossemaison
- Kasablok – Saignelégier
La Torpille does not visit attractions in Canton Jura for geographical reasons.
- Blockstock Hobee – Bressaucourt
Photo: hobee.ch
- Salle des Tilleuls – Porrentruy
Photo: porrentruy.ch
- Salle d’escalade Dévers Hobee – Mettembert
- BlocUP – Delémont
Photo: grimpebloc.ch
- Mur d’escalade l’Usine de Phil. (fermée en 2019) – Rossemaison
- Kasablok – Saignelégier
Photo: hobee.ch
Rooms that are not freely accessible
The following rooms are accessible by being a member of a club or association. Access to the room is usually done with a magnetic card.
- Asen – Neuchâtel NE – Block
- Antecimes – Collonge-Bellerive GE – Wall
- Structure Pan d’Escalade Vernier GE – Block
- Objectif Vertical – Les Acacias GE – Wall and block
- Pan de Vevey – Vevey VD – Block
- Sport-Escalade (salle fermée en 2019) – Saint-Légier VD – Wall
- Le Dzai Château-d’Oex VD – Wall
- Mur de grimpe de l’Abbaye VD
- Venga Bloc La Sarraz VD – Block
- Salle de Bloc de la Forclaz VD – Block
- Palladium – Champéry VS – Wall
- La Parey Finhaut VS – Block
- Salle d’escalade de Salvan VS – Wall
- Salle d’escalade de Martigny VS – Wall
- Fully Grimpe VS – Block
- Salle Ôtaké Grimentz VS – Wall and block
- Salle omnisport de Verbier VS – Wall and block
- Porte de Morat – Fribourg – Wall and block
- Asen – Neuchâtel NE – Block
Photo: facebook asen
- Antecimes – Collonge-Bellerive GE – Wall
Photo: livingingeneva.wordpress.com
- Structure Pan d’Escalade Vernier GE – Bloc
Photo: panstructure.ch
- Objectif Vertical – Les Acacias GE – Mur et Bloc
Photo: objectifvertical.ch
- Pan de Vevey – Vevey VD – Bloc
Photo: lepandevevey.org
- Sport-Escalade (salle fermée en 2019) – Saint-Légier VD – Mur
Photo: sportescalade.com
- Le Dzai Château-d’Oex VD – Mur
Photo: region-du-leman.ch
- Mur de grimpe de l’Abbaye VD
- Venga Bloc La Sarraz VD – Bloc
Photo: vengabloc.ch
- Salle de Bloc de la Forclaz VD – Bloc
Photo: aigle-leysin-lesmosses.ch
- Palladium – Champéry VS – Mur
Photo: palladiumdechampery.ch
- La Parey Finhaut VS – Bloc
Photo: la-parey.ch
- Salle d’escalade de Salvan VS – Mur
Photo: valleedutrient.ch
- Salle d’escalade de Martigny VS – Mur
Photo: fr.tripadvisor.ch
- Salle de Fully VS – Bloc
Photo: fullygrimpe.ch
- Salle Ôtaké Grimentz VS – Mur et Bloc
Photo: montagneclubanniviers.blogspot.com
- Salle omnisport de Verbier VS – Mur et Bloc
Photo: verbier.ch
- Porte de Morat – Fribourg – Mur et Bloc
Small rooms
The following rooms are publicly accessible. They are smaller than the 20 main halls in French-speaking Switzerland and are associated with sports centres.
- Poub’Bloc – Centre sportif Villars VD – Bloc (5 francs for entry, no shoes at disposal)
- Horizon’t’halle – Les Diablerets VD – Bloc (9 francs for entry, no shoes at disposal)
- Mur d’escalade – Centre sportif Couvey NE – Mur (6/3 francs adult/child entrance, equipment rental)
- Centre Sportif de la Piscine – Leysin VD – Mur (9 francs for entry, no shoes at disposal)
- Poub’Bloc – Centre sportif Villars VD – Block
Photo: region-du-leman-ch
- Horizon’t’halle – Les Diablerets VD – Block
Photo: villars-diablerets.ch
- Mur d’escalade – Centre sportif Couvet NE – Wall
Photo: centresportif-vdt.ch
- Centre Sportif de la Piscine – Leysin VD – Wall
Photo: aigle-leysin-lesmosses.ch
The Swiss climbing champions
Several Swiss have distinguished themselves since the creation of the World Climbing Championships in the early 1990s. In the men’s category, the Jura rider Cédric Lachat (2007 and 2012) and the Geneva rider Elie Chevieux (1995) are both bronze medallists and in the women’s category Susi Good (1991 and 1993) and the Zurich rider Petra Klinger (2016) are world champions.
Cédric Lachat climbing a 9a in 2012.
Petra Klinger 2016 World Champion.
Susi Good, 1991 world champion.
The French champions
At the international level, two Frenchmen have left their mark with Patrick Edlinger, who introduced climbing to the general public in the 1980s, and Alain Robert, who specializes in climbing unassisted buildings. Born in the early 1960s, both suffered a very serious escalation accident.
Edlinger fell 18 metres in 1995 in the creeks of Marseille and suffered a cardiac arrest. Rescued by a doctor on site, he survived with only a few muscle tears. Unfortunately, he died in 2012 from an accidental fall down a staircase.
Patrick Edlinger shortly before his death in 2012.
As for Robert, in September 1982, he made a terrible 15-metre fall head first on the rock following the breakage of the rope he had been given to rappel down. He suffered multiple fractures and a coma that left him handicapped in some joints and 66% disabled.
Alain Robert even survived another fall the following year in 1983, which also led to a coma. Nevertheless, this does not prevent him from becoming famous by climbing emblematic buildings all over the world without a security system, such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Sidney Opera House, the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai or the Empire State Building in New York.
Alain Robert in 2018 with a belay system.
Video coverage of Alain Robert, the spider man.
The Olympic Games
Climbing, with about 35 million fans worldwide, will logically become part of the Olympic Games in 2020 in Tokyo. Only one medal will be awarded in the men’s and women’s categories in the form of a combination of the performances of the three disciplines of climbing.
Videos on climbing
Video reportage with Mathilde Becerra, a professional French climber.
A video of the first ascent of a 9c, an exceptionally high level of climbing. The challenge is being carried out by Adam Ondra, a Czech climber born in 1993 on a track in Norway.
Questions
The questions concern the 20 main rooms in French-speaking Switzerland.
Which climbing rooms offer bouldering?
- All climbing rooms in French-speaking Switzerland offer bouldering.
What are the free rooms in French-speaking Switzerland?
- None, all climbing rooms in French-speaking Switzerland are fee-based.
What is the largest block in French-speaking Switzerland?
- Totem Ecublens climbing room offers the largest climbing surface in French-speaking Switzerland.
What are the rooms where you can rent climbing equipment such as slippers or harnesses?
- All climbing halls in French-speaking Switzerland offer equipment for rent.
What is the oldest room in French-speaking Switzerland?
- The Laniac room in Bulle, created in 2005, is the oldest in French-speaking Switzerland.
What is the only city with two climbing rooms?
- Bulle is the only city that offers two climbing rooms.
What are the climbing rooms around Lausanne?
- Rocspot Echandens
- Le Cube Mont-sur-Lausanne
- Totem Ecublens
What is the minimum age for climbing?
- There is no minimum age for climbing.
Is it possible to do lead climbing alone?
- Yes, all the climbing halls in French-speaking Switzerland, with the exception of the Chavornay wall, offer reels that allow you to climb alone.