{{short description|Mountain near Gap, France}} {{Infobox mountain | name = Céüse | other_name = | image = Céüze-60.JPG | elevation_m = 2016 | image_caption = South facing limestone cliffs of Céüse (the Corniche de Céûse) | elevation_ref = <ref name=PB>{{cite web | website=PeakBagger.com | url=https://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=13636 | accessdate=24 December 2021 | title=Montagne de Céüse, France}}</ref> | prominence_m = 1040 | prominence_ref = <ref name=PB/> | listing = | translation = flint, pebble | language = French | location = | range = Dauphine Alps | map = France | map_relief = yes | map_caption = Location in France | coordinates = {{coord|44|30|31|N|5|57|42|E|type:city_region:FR|display=inline, title}} | coordinates_ref= <ref name=PB/> | topo = | geology= Limestone }} '''Céüse''' ({{langx|fr|Montagne de Céüse}}) is a limestone mountain in the Hautes-Alpes ''département'' of France near Gap and Sigoyer. The "Pic de Céüse" is at an elevation of {{convert|2016|m|ft}}, and the whole massif is included in the Natura 2000 protected area.<ref name=PB/> The mountain has a distinctive large horseshoe-shaped cliff (the Corniche de Céûse) which contains some of the most extreme sport climbing routes in the world. It is also the site of a ski resort.<ref name=PM/>
==Naming== According to ''{{ill|Lou Tresor dóu Felibrige|fr}}'', the name "Céüse" comes from the Latin for flint, and also means "flint, pebble" in Occitan.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.camping-serigons.com/en/list-news/news-detail/news/hiking-lovers-lets-go-to-pic-de-ceuese.html | accessdate=24 December 2021 | website=The Parc des Sérigons | title=Céüse mountain}}</ref>
==Geology== The mountain is an example of a perched syncline, which presents as a south-facing horseshoe-shaped limestone cliff.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://undiscoveredmountains.com/french-alps/geology | title=Céuze and Petite Ceuze | website=UndiscoveredMountains.com | accessdate=24 December 2021}}</ref>
==Ski resort== The northern end of the mountain was the location of a small ski resort, called Céüze 2000 (or also the Gap Ceuse Ski Resort 2000);<ref name=C2/> it was built after the Second World War and updated in the 1990s, and contains 8 lifts serving 35 kilometres of green, blue, red and black runs, from an elevation of {{convert|1550|m|ft}} to the peak itself at {{convert|2016|m|ft}}.<ref name=C2>{{cite web | url=https://www.skiresort.info/ski-resort/ceueze-2000-gap/ | title=Ski Resort Gap Ceuze 2000 | accessdate=24 December 2021 | website=SKiResortInfo.com}}</ref>
==Climbing== [[File:Rock Climbing Ceuse.jpg|thumb|left|Rock climber on a sport climbing route in Ceuse in Autumn]] The southern end of the mountain's long horseshoe-shaped limestone cliffs, the Corniche de Céûse, is the home to one of the world's best rock climbing crags,<ref name=PM/> including several notable extreme sport climbing routes such as ''Realization/Biographie'' {{climbing grade|9a+}}, and ''Bibliographie'' {{climbing grade|9b+}}.<ref>{{cite web | website=UKClimbing.com | url=https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/destinations/ceuse_-_summer_sport_climbing_in_france-118 | title=Ceuse - Summer Sport Climbing in France | first=Mark | last=Glaister | date=August 2015 | accessdate=24 December 2021}}</ref> Another notable route ''Pornographie'' {{climbing grade|9a}} was established in 2020 by Alex Megos. Its south-facing cliffs have a distinctive blue and ochre colouring, and the climbing is via pocket-marks in the limestone rather than via cracks.<ref name=RF>{{cite book | url=https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/books/france__haute_provence-704 | title=France : Haute Provence | first=Alan | last=Berry | isbn=9781873341278 | publisher=Rockfax | accessdate=25 December 2021 | date=2009}}</ref> The Corniche has over 600 climbing routes from {{climbing grade|4a}} to the highest grades in rock climbing, and is situated at an elevation of {{convert|1800|m|ft}}.<ref name=RF/><ref name=PM/> Most of the climbs are single-pitch 25 to 40-metre climbs, with long-run outs often between bolts, however, there are also 200-metre sections with multi-pitch routes.<ref name=PM>{{cite web | url=https://www.planetmountain.com/english/rock/crags/falesia.html?idfalesia=39 | website=PlanetMountain.com | accessdate=24 December 2021 | title=Céüse}}</ref>
==See also== {{commons category|Montagne de Céüse}} *Buoux, leading limestone rock climbing crag in France *Verdon Gorge, leading limestone rock climbing crag in France
==References== {{reflist}} ===Further reading=== *{{cite book | url=https://climb-europe.com/rockclimbingshop/ceuse-rock-climbing-guidebook.html | title=Ceuse Rock Climbing Guidebook | date=2018 | accessdate=30 December 2021 | first1=Rolland |last1=Marie | first2=Laurent |last2=Girousse}}
==External links== *[https://www.thecrag.com/en/climbing/france/ceuse Ceuse Sport Climbing Guide]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ceuse}} Category:Mountains of Hautes-Alpes Category:Two-thousanders of France Category:Climbing areas of France {{HautesAlpes-geo-stub}}