Route: Villet-Pollard VF4C/D+, West Ridge
Area: Chaine des Aravis, France
It's been a long time since I last did a full-length Via Ferrata but I thought it would be a good 'active rest day' option when I noticed this route when cycling up the Aravis yesterday (in the same way that I used to alternate cragging with mountaineering). Technology has moved on since Tim and I did some of the most famous Dolomite VFs in the 1990s - you don't just clip a couple of slings nowadays! I hired the lanyard for a tenner in St Jean after the ride, then drove to a superb campsite in the car park used for the route, near the top of the col. After another thunderstorm it was a delightfully cool night (lovely sunset) and I headed out refreshed quite early in the morning. Not early enough, as it happened, as a large guided party was just setting out on the route when I arrived! The guide showed me a way I could get ahead of them and this worked well, just a few minutes and up a short scramble to the first proper section, all of which were named which was a nice touch (the route was straightforward and very well equipped, but 700m long). Donjon des 2 niches turned out to be a steep corner, and after a few more sections an escape was possible. I was stuck behind another party so briefly considered this but decided to return and was glad I did as then came the mur du bon geste, a superb rising traverse to a steep section. This was followed by a bridge suspended over a big drop, then up to the slabby dalle aux lapiaz where I dispensed with the ironmongery and climbed the rough limestone. Finally, the angle relented and the traversee des jardiniers continued the line along a large horizontal break. In fact, the entire line was less contrived than some via ferratas, as it was really a natural rising traverse up the south face of the Borderan. The escape was easy and after a short break I moved across to look for any kind of continuation path up the obvious west ridge coming down from the main peak. Given the desirability of a rest day, I should probably just have descended and relaxed, but the ridge was so appealing and the weather so wonderful that I continued. After the storm, the clarity was extraordinary with fabulous views across the col to the Dent du Chatelet and its neighbours. I was tired for the steep and narrow initialy path but this led to the ridge (steep to the right, wooded to the left). At a little spur, it traversed left to gain a huge area of slabs very reminiscent of Carnedd y Filiast. They were gentle but the best line across wasn't overly obvious. I went for a rising break (upright, they were very shallow) to round a little crag and make my way up steep grass to the ridge. The Pointe des Aravis itself is just a bump on the ridge, a spur really. The main peak was the Aiguille de Borderan but at this point, running out of water and energy, I made the sensible decision to call it a day with a view to keeping things going. Indeed, the Galibier was on the agenda for tomorrow! It was also getting very hot (the VF had been in the shade thank goodness). I descended back to the ferrata and easily located the descent path which actually took longer than I'd expected.
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