2025 LCC Alpine Paddling Holiday Day 3 Monday: The Veneon

We decamped and headed over to Grenoble, then up the Romanche Valley, and turned towards the Veneon.  We drove up past the new road and new flood defences following last year’s flood.  On glimpsing the river, it was clearly in flood, and it was very clear we were not going to paddle today.   The heavy storm last night had clearly affected the whole of the mountain region.  

Plan B was to walk over the footbridge to the waterfall.   This had also been washed away, and the whole valley had changed.   Even worse, the small café was now closed due to all the flood damage.  We walked up to the get-on of the river section next to the start of the Via Ferrata.  This rapid had changed significantly and was a mass of swirling, grey glacier meltwater.

Richard and Suzy had Via Ferrata gear and headed up on a three-hour, grade 3 route.   

A Via Ferrata, meaning “iron path” in Italian, is a protected climbing route found on cliffs and mountains, typically involving ladders, steps, and cables fixed to the rock face. It’s a thrilling activity that bridges the gap between hiking and rock climbing, offering a relatively safe way to experience challenging terrain.