Qu'est-ce que le canyoning et où le pratiquer?
Pour commencer le canyoning est une activité aquatique à caractère verticale. Le principe est de descendre le long d'un court d'eau accidenté et encaissé dans une gorge étroite appelée "canyon". En général ces courts d'eau sont soumis à une forte déclinaison de pente et contiennent des cascades. Ces cascades pouvant mesurer plusieurs 10e de mètre devront être franchies à l'aide de corde (descente en rappel) ou si c'est possible, en sautant dans les vasques de receptions.
Les canyons étant encaissés, ils sont soumis à de fortes variations du niveaux des eaux et peuvent monter trés rapidement. Cette notion inclue donc un besoin d'engagement, une forte notion en météorologie ainsi qu'une parfaite connaissance du site et du bassin hydrologique sont requises. Parfois les canyons sont tellement longs que si un orage violent eclate 10kms en amont, une crue pourrait subvenir sans même que les pratiquants aient vu l'ombre d'un nuage. Ceci reste des cas rares.
Le canyoning peut se pratiquer en autonomie si les compétences techniques sont acquises.
Il existe de nombreux clubs assiociatifs où il est possible de se former à la pratique. Des diplômes Fédéraux y sont même dispancés permettant de pratiquer l'encadrement de groupe du club de manière bénévole.
Pour pouvoir encadrer en tant que professionnel et de manière rémuré il n'y a qu'une seule voie. La case diplôme d'état. A ce jour seul le DEJEPS mention canyoninsme est dispensé au sein des centres de formations "CREPS" ou le diplôme de guide de Haute montagne peuvent vous mener à conduire un groupe en tant que professionel.
Historiquement d'autres diplômes d'états étaient compétents pour l'encadrement comme " Le BE Spéléologie avec option canyonisme, Le BE escalade avec option Canyonisme, certain BE kayak avec l'option Canyonisme, certain ancien AMM
En france plusieurs site majeur accueil des canyons :
L'ensemble des Pyrenées
l'ensemble des Alpes
Le cantal et massif central
Les cevènes
Le Lubéron.
De manière général il y a un grand nombre de sites répartis tout autour du globe. Si vous êtes globtroteur cette activité vous permettra de découvrir des lieux accecible uniquement par des pratiquants expérimentés
Si vous souhaitez découvrir en sécurité cette merveilleuse activité lors de votre passage en Aveyron ou Lozère n'hesitez pas à nous contacter. B&ABA Sport Nature 06.32.80.49.40
For canyoning, you need to bring a pair of sport sneakers able to go in the water and a swimsuit.
We provide you with the rest of the compulsory equipment: neoprene wetsuit, helmet, and harness. It is also preferable to bring a towel and a change of clothes for the end of the activity.
In canyoning as in aquatic trekking, you need a pair of shoes like basketball shoes, with a good sole and which hold your feet well with laces!
Water shoes" are to be avoided for this activity because they do not protect your feet in sometimes rocky passages, and you regularly lose these water shoes in the river...
Yes, during the activity, you will make jumps, abseiling, swimming, slides...
You will end up completely immersed during the activity.
The group of aquatic trekking is composed of 8 to 12 people maximum for an instructor according to the chosen course.
The unroped canyon of the Dourbie is limited to 8 people plus an instructor.
The aquatic hike of the Pas de Soucy in the Gorges du Tarn is limited to 12 people per instructor.
You can also choose the private formula and have the instructor only for your small group of friends, family or even for a couple.
You'll need good trainers or hiking boots, a long-sleeved sweatshirt and light trousers. Technical underwear is also very suitable (lycra, fleece, etc.).
To go caving, we provide you with a wetsuit to protect your clothes. The wetsuit is slightly waterproof, but caving conditions can be more or less dry depending on the time of year and the cave you choose. We therefore recommend that you take a full change of clothes for after the outing.
To explore the underground river, you'll need a swimming costume, towel and water shoes. We'll provide you with neoprene socks, a neoprene top and a neoprene wetsuit, so you'll be in the best possible condition to cross the crystal-clear lakes of this beautiful river.
To go caving you don't need to be claustrophobic. However, this phobia is nothing more than a fear of being locked up, and like all fears it can be overcome with a little willpower. It is advisable to do an introduction to caving in a cave with relatively comfortable access, such as the Poujol cave, which begins with large volumes.
During this outing, if you wish, you can try out some narrow passages to test your sensations.
If you'd like to try your hand at caving, we're offering a first-step outing for children aged 4 and over. Accompanied by at least one responsible adult, children will take on the role of explorers on an underground treasure hunt that has a few surprises in store.
For climbing , we have selected sites suitable for younger climbers, from around the age of 4.
Fear of heights is a fairly natural thing, as humans are not designed to be at heights. It's precisely by practising this kind of activity that you gain confidence in yourself and your equipment. Climbing is a great way of gradually overcoming your fears.
To practise via ferrata, it's best not to be too afraid of heights, as the route is aerial and vertiginous if you're not used to it. We recommend that you start by getting comfortable during an introductory climbing session.
For the via ferrata, it's best to wear trainers or hiking boots. If your ankles are a bit fragile, you're better off wearing hiking boots, which will protect your ankles better.
Gloves are not essential for via ferrata climbing. However, if you're not a climber or manual worker, your hands will be more sensitive to contact with the cable. In this case, wearing soft, lightweight gloves may bring you greater comfort.
When it comes to climbing, the choice of footwear is crucial and depends on your climbing style:
- for initiation climbing: slippers are not essential, depending on the site you choose, you can simply wear light, flexible sneakers. If you want to wear booties, it's best to wear lightweight, symmetrical booties, the size of the smallest shoes you can wear without becoming uncomfortable.
- for advanced climbing: slippers become indispensable, so opt for asymmetrical, stiffer slippers in the smallest size you can manage. Be careful not to go to extremes, or you'll end up with very sore feet, with adverse effects on blood circulation, for example. However, you'll need to find a size that slightly compresses your toes to keep them folded in order to gain power and precision. It's not easy to walk in tight-fitting climbing shoes. As a general rule, a size smaller than your street shoes will do just fine. It's a good idea to try on a pair of climbing shoes before you buy them, as different brands come in slightly different sizes.
- for long-distance climbing: the liner must remain comfortable, as it stays on the foot longer. It can be softer and a little larger than the improvement liner.
To practice canoeing, it is imperative to know how to swim.
Because the activity is practiced in a natural environment. Therefore, it is highly possible to fall into the water. The life jacket alone is not enough to move in the rapids when you fall. You must be able to turn around and swim to shore in the currents.
There are 2 differences between canoeing and kayaking: the paddle and the position in the boat. In a kayak, you sit flush with the water and propel yourself using a double paddle, whereas in a canoe, you sit or kneel slightly above water level, using a single paddle.
The best time to observe beavers is at the end of the day. It's easier to spot them in June and July, as twilight comes late, but you'll need to be on or near the water to avoid frightening them. You can try to spot their burrows made of shrub branches along the banks.
The beaver feeds on the young shoots, bark, aquatic plants and foliage that abound along the river's banks. In this way, it helps to regulate the afforestation of riverbanks, facilitating the development of riverside flora and fauna.
By the middle of the 20th century, the beaver had disappeared from the Languedoc-Roussillon region. Despite being a protected species, it was hunted by poachers mainly for its fur, and by local residents who feared it would cause a nuisance. Reintroduced in the 1980s, it is now present in many valleys.
There are plenty of places to see beavers in their natural habitat, but it's easiest to get out on the water in a canoe or kayak. The plan d'eau des Vignes is a fairly strategic spot if you don't have a boat, as you can easily walk along the bank on the right bank between the village and the Pas de Soucy on the municipal footpath.
Effectivement, les loutres sont bien présentes dans les Gorges du Tarn et aussi plus bas dans la vallée. C'est un animal très discret plus difficile à observer que les castors, vous pourrez plus facilement trouver des traces de leur passage : leurs épreintes (excréments) ont une forte odeur de miel et de poisson, ainsi que les restes de leur chasse nocturne (pinces d'écrevisse ou écailles, arrêtes de poissons).