Sébastien Thouément
The Calanques seen from the Val Vierge

Sébastien Thouément

Climbing instructor based in Marseille

DEJEPS Escalade en Milieux Naturels — French state instructor diploma

Passionate about outdoor climbing, I will guide you toward autonomy or expertise on all types of routes!

Get in touch

Crag climbing

Introduction

  • 1 to 6 people

Learn the fundamentals of crag climbing and reach autonomy.

Beginners welcome

Calanques de Marseille

  • 150 € per half-day
  • 260 € per day

Multi-pitch routes

Coaching toward autonomy, or guiding so you can simply enjoy the routes.

Multi-pitch introduction

Multi-pitch introduction

Learn how to move on multi-pitch routes: route finding, organisation, belay management and rappelling techniques.

All levels, crag experience required

Calanques de Marseille

Cap Canaille

Indicative route list:

L'arête de Marseille

L'arête de Marseille

  • 120 m
  • max 5c
  • D
  • Bolted

A legendary route leading to the top of the Grande Candelle. Excellent rock and open views over the Calanques. Nothing harder than 5a once you have overcome the polish of the first pitch!

Calanques de Marseille

Trad climbing

Introduction course

Introduction course

Fundamentals of gear placement, crack-climbing basics and protection tactics. Leave the course able to climb a pitch protected 100% on trad gear! Course handout provided.

Min. level: 5c on-sight at the crag, multi-pitch experience required

La Tour

  • 320 € per day
Advanced course

Advanced course

Review of trad fundamentals with a focus on building belay anchors, aid climbing and piton placement. Course handout provided.

Trad experience or solid multi-pitch experience required

La Tour

  • 320 € per day
Guiding a trad climbing session in the Verdon gorge

DEJEPS preparation

  • 2 to 5 days
  • 1 to 4 people

Introduction and progression for the DEJEPS (French climbing instructor diploma) and the TEP route list.

I assess your level and give you the keys to progress in trad climbing and to complete your route list safely. I also prepare you for the trad certification.

From 6b on-sight

Verdon gorge

Calanques de Marseille

  • 200 € per day for 1 person
  • 250 € per day for 2 people
  • 300 € per day for 3 or 4 people

About

Sébastien climbing Clean Up D (8a) at l'Étoile Noire
in Clean Up D (8a) at l'Étoile Noire
Sébastien taking a break on the summit at La Tour
at La Tour
  • Passionate climber for 15 years
  • Active FSGT club member for 8 years: organising outings, introducing new climbers, coaching progression, opening new routes
  • Trad-climbing referent of the FSGT mountain and climbing training collective
  • DEJEPS Escalade en Milieux Naturels — Aix-en-Provence, class of 2025
  • Professional liability insurance (MAIF)
  • Outings guided in French and English
Sébastien, a tiny dot on the huge Marches du Temps wall in the Verdon
in Les Marches du Temps, Verdon gorge

Climbing areas

White limestone cliffs above the sea in the Calanques

Calanques de Marseille

  • September to May (depending on aspect), excellent in winter

An inexhaustible area with a huge number of single- and multi-pitch routes at every level. The trad routes, though, call for real expertise. Climbing on the white "calanques" limestone in a natural, often maritime setting, in the heart of the Calanques National Park.

The Cap Canaille cliff between Cassis and La Ciotat

Cap Canaille

  • September to May

A cliff of almost 400 m between Cassis and La Ciotat. A geological wonder mixing limestone, sandstone and pudding stone. Multi-pitch routes from 5c/6a. The site is part of the Calanques National Park.

The sandstone walls of the former Étoile Noire quarry

Étoile Noire

  • September to May

A single-pitch sector in La Ciotat, behind Cap Canaille: this former sandstone quarry holds a large number of beautiful routes, mainly in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades. Its only flaw: the routes are often reachy — not always easy when you are under 1.70 m.

The red rhyolite walls of the Blavet gorge

Blavet gorge

  • September to May

The Var's essential single-pitch crag. There are routes in the 5th and 6th grades, but the gorges are above all a paradise for 7th- and 8th-grade climbers. Rhyolite, the red rock typical of the Blavet and the Esterel, is a geological curiosity — only a handful of deposits exist worldwide.

The vertical walls of the Verdon gorge

Verdon gorge

  • spring, summer and autumn (depending on route aspect)

A landmark of the rise of free climbing in the 1980s, the Verdon seduces with the verticality of its walls, the quality of its limestone and the demands of its climbing. On the menu: multi-pitch routes (a handful in the 5th grade, far more choice in the 6th and 7th, even 8th) and very demanding trad multi-pitches.

The La Tour climbing area

La Tour

  • September to June

A fairly recent, purely trad area in the hinterland of Nice, on a sandstone vein quite similar to Annot's; the site is wilder and well suited to introduction courses. Digital guidebook available on Omega Roc.

Frequently asked questions

What level do I need?

No climbing experience is required for the crag introduction. For the other offers, the minimum level is shown on each card: for example 5c on-sight for the trad introduction courses, and from 6b on-sight for the DEJEPS preparation. Unsure? Get in touch and we'll find the right outing.

Is the gear provided?

Yes. All technical safety equipment — rope, helmet, harness, protection gear — is provided and compliant with current regulations. I can also lend climbing shoes, subject to limited stock. Practical details are given when you book.

What happens if the weather is bad?

Safety comes first: if conditions do not allow safe climbing, the outing is rescheduled to another date as a priority, or refunded if no new date works.

From what age?

From 12 years old. For minors, either a legal guardian takes part in the outing, or written authorisation from a legal guardian is required.

Coming as a large group?

Beyond the group sizes shown on each card, I call on a second qualified instructor from my network to keep the same quality of supervision — up to 12 people on trad courses. Mention your group size in your message and I'll propose the right setup.

Do I need personal insurance?

I carry professional liability insurance (MAIF) for the instruction itself. Personal accident insurance covering climbing is strongly recommended for every participant. Common options: an annual FFME or FFCAM licence, a one-day or one-week FFME discovery licence for a single outing, or the multi-sport insurance included with the Au Vieux Campeur Club card.

Contact

Want to climb together? Get in touch:

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