Woman survives 30 metre fall off Dordogne cliff, rescued by two helicopters
‘Miracle’ survival after woman spent night trapped following the fall
Hikers only found the woman the day after her fall in the Trémolat area
David South / Alamy Stock Photo
A woman who fell more than 30 metres down a Dordogne cliff and was trapped overnight has miraculously survived after her belongings were found the following day by walkers.
The 62-year old was walking alone when she fell from a viewing point at the Cingle de Trémolat (near the village of Trémolat) on Sunday (April 6).
She was found after walkers noticed her belongings at the top of the cliff, prompting them to look for the walker at the foot of the cliffs on Monday afternoon.
Two helicopters used to rescue hiker
Several emergency services combined to help the woman.
Firstly, the local mountain rescue team airlifted her from the foot of the cliff, where she had remained since the fall.
A medical team was waiting at the top of the cliff to provide immediate assistance.
Following this, another helicopter was utilised by the gendarmerie to transport the woman to a hospital in Bordeaux.
She arrived unconscious at the hospital, and had suffered multiple life-threatening injuries (polytrauma).
Stay safe when hiking
Although such incidents are rare, there are cases where hikers can fall or become trapped when walking – around 50 people in France disappear each year when hiking, and in 2023 over 80 hiking-related deaths were recorded.
Whilst these accidents sometimes cannot be avoided, certain safety precautions can help minimise the risk of something happening to you.
Firstly, you should know your route well – there are several hiking apps available which can show you information about nearby walks, including their difficulty level, so that you do not get lost or take on a route that is too challenging.
You should also teach yourself what the signs on French hiking paths represent, helping you avoid wrong, and potentially dangerous, turns.
Read more: What do the signs on French hiking paths mean?
Informing others about your journey is recommended, so that if you do have an accident and do not return home or contact anyone, rescuers know where to start looking for you.
In turn, using safety technology such as location sharing apps and signal boosters (so you can use your phone even when service is poor) can help you if caught in a difficult situation.
Read more: British hiker's disappearance in France highlights importance of safety tech
