A night hanging from the wall

6pm, we head for the Causse Noir and the Boffi site.
Wow! Ahead of us, the rocky Dourbie Gorges, carved out between Larzac and Causse Noir. The panorama is exceptional! From the edge of the ledge, the emerald-colored Dourbie beckons for a swim and a plunge into the abyss… For now, it’s time for the via ferrata.

Pressure and excitement mount to the rhythm of the clanking of carabiners, pulleys, harnesses being prepared for us by Vincent, our guide on this adventure.

Let’s go for 2 hours of via ferrata. First amazing steps: here, everything starts at the top of the cliff and goes into the void!
Imagine!!

Two steps and you embrace the high cliffs of the Gorges de la Dourbie.
The route is very aerial and accessible… the impression of walking into the void!!
Progress on the via ferrata is horizontal as well as vertical, from metal rungs to holds or natural steps in the rock, from monkey bridges to footbridges.

And then, at the bend of a rock, the Millau Viaduct! It looms in the background of this mineral setting! It’s disconcerting to find yourself here, clinging to the cliff, in the heart of the Parc Naturel des Grands Causses, and facing the Viaduct of all records. From 100% nature to 100% high tech, there’s just one step… or rather 1 rung!”

The Millau Viaduct is like us: suspended in the air, light and airy. There’s gas (vacuum for the uninitiated) beneath our feet!

Let’s get down to business! We discover the portaledge, this wall tent that can be hung on cliffs.

Vincent, our guide from the start, explains how it works before setting it up with us. It’s simple, minimalist but very ingenious. He’s benevolent, with just the right words to reassure us about sturdiness, fastening and safety.

The apprehension is palpable as we set up on the portaledge, particularly as Vincent leaves. This is it, we’re there, alone in the world!

It’s a real cosy little nest, perched high above the Gorges de la Dourbie…

Give way to contemplation, meditation, reverie…

For me, bivouacking on a rock face was something out of the movies… inaccessible.
Yet here I am, with my daughter, suspended on a rock face for a fantastic, timeless experience.

Like in an eagle’s nest, all our senses are awake:
the view of the rocks cut out in strange silhouettes against the light of the last rays of sunlight
birds chirping as they return to their nests giving way to those of crickets waking up…. the mountain echoes
the evening breeze carries the scent of flowers and minerals
the spit cake doesn’t have the same flavor tonight!!!
have you ever touched the void?!

Organization! Space is limited on the portaledge and it’s picnic time, facing the void and the sunset. You’ve got to dare to have your meal, 60m up!

On the menu this evening: dry roquefort sausage, walnut bread, cured lamb ham, farçous, ewe’s tomme, spit-roasted cake, cherry nectar… short circuits and Aveyron delicacies.

The first stars are already here… the tête à tête becomes a candlelit dinner!!

The chill is falling fast. Fortunately, Vincent has provided us with 2 very warm sleeping bags. So cocooning! As comfortable as camping or a bivouac.

No need for smartphone or TV, the show is all around us. Let’s brush up on our astronomy classics. Where are Cassiopeia, the Big Dipper, the North Star, the Milky Way, Sirius? Here, 1 shooting star, 2, 3… Here, 1 satellite, 2, 3… It’s a pleasant plunge into childhood, a lovely lullaby before falling asleep with your head in the stars.

Total letting go. Good night.

We wake up early, at first light, to the sound of birdsong. They’re all here: from titmice to red-billed choughs, robins to majestic griffon vultures and lammergeiers. The location is ideal for observing these birds of prey.

Waking up perched like a vulture in its nest is quite dizzying, as if the night had made us forget where we were!

Vincent arrives (out of nowhere!) to offer us a piping hot tea/coffee and some pastries. We’ve met up again with Ricoré, our breakfast friend!

The first rays of sunshine are most welcome. Natural stove essential to start this day.

It’s time for us to dismantle the portaledge, brimming with pride at having done so. Yes, we said it!”

Before returning to the cow floor, a little abseiling beautifully completes this magical experience.

A deep breath, we lean back into the void and above all we trust the rope! In this challenge, we’re swept away by the breathtaking views of the Gorges de la Dourbie. What a feeling of freedom and aerobatics!

After this immersion in the vertical world, we extended the pleasure with a swim in the crystal-clear (and invigorating!) waters of the Dourbie, a way of peering at the Boffi cliffs from below this time!

A river, a pebble beach… It’s too tempting! Let’s make some ricochets!

Beware beautiful trout, beavers, kingfishers… it’s going to be a splash!

Here’s an unforgettable adventure between mother and daughter (it must be unique as a couple too)! A truly unusual night, sleeping suspended on a wall, on a portaledge. A via-ferrata and abseiling experience to boot. All in the sublime scenery of the Gorges de la Dourbie. What else?