It is known for routes that are long, hard and steep, and its limestone rock is of very high quality. It's also on the top of a 6,500-foot mountain with incredible views over southern France.

The number of rock climbing-related posts on the Xiaohongshu social media platform rose 30-fold between 2019 and 2023, it said. The growth also means a boon for equipment makers.

America is known for its rock climbing destinations, with places like Yosemite, Red River Gorge, and Zion accounting for a significant portion of the millions of participants between 2006 and 2021.

After setting up an open bivy at the base of the massif, we began the climb the following day. The initial slabs went smoothly, and we gained around 1,500 feet, navigating terrain with pitches up to 5 ...