The Thaurac via ferrata

The via ferrata is set on the Thaurac massif, the pale cliff you can see from the pool. It is the most spectacular thing to do here without being a climber: a route fully equipped with cables, metal rungs, walkways and rope bridges, followed while clipped to a continuous lifeline.

The principle is reassuring once understood. You move along a twin lanyard fitted with a shock absorber, transferring from one anchor to the next while always keeping at least one carabiner clipped. The difficulty is not technical in the climbing sense, there are no moves to learn, only exposure to manage and a certain amount of arm. It is exactly the kind of outing a group still talks about years later.

The site offers several sections at different grades, so the day can be adapted: a shorter, more horizontal route for beginners and children, and distinctly more airy pitches for those who want them. The views over the Hérault valley, the river below and the village are open along the whole route.

Equipment (helmet, harness, via ferrata lanyard) can be hired from the guiding offices in the area, who also offer instruction. We recommend it strongly for a first attempt, and it becomes genuinely necessary as soon as there are children in the group: someone watching the carabiner handling changes the whole tenor of the day.

Two practical caveats. The cliff faces due south and bakes in the afternoon in summer: start early, or save it for spring and autumn, which are the better seasons. And you need a reasonably solid head for heights, this is not an activity you can easily back out of once committed.