UKC

Not really but i think it might be nice. I'm sure they could squeeze a couple of decent areas into a Costa Blanca size book....maybe in 2 volumes.....eg

Gorge du Tarn
Verdon
Ceuse
etc...

loads of places on my "list" so a single guide would be tops. I could also help out if need be

What would be the logistics?

In reply to Morgan Woods:

Preventing the French climbing establishment from exploding would probably be the biggest hurdle.

In reply to palomides:If we let them explode then the crags wouldn't be so darn busy...

In reply to Morgan Woods:

Great suggestion, which we'd love to do. The problem is one of too many projects, not enough time. Our schedule is pretty well fully booked up until 2009 and then we will probably start the cycle of next editions of the existing titles again.

A selective guide to France would be a huge undertaking which would probably take 3 or 4 years minimum to complete. This could well mean that we had to drop, or neglect, current titles in order to complete it. I am sure there would be plenty of people who would want to help - as you kindly offer - but gathering the information only represents a small part of the work required to produce a guidebook.

So whilst I wouldn't like to say never, I can say that it is extremely unlikely that there will be a France Select Rockfax in the forseeable future.

Alan

In reply to Alan James - UKC:

that sounds like a long time....couldn't you just get some of the local drunk on red wine and then photo copy their topos while they aren't looking?

In reply to Alan James - UKC:

But seriously assuming you had the time and resources to do something like this, how would you approach it....eg visit crags yourself, take photos, get names & grades from existing guides, get names of first ascentionists? Do you need to "tread" delicately if there are already local guides in place?

In reply to Morgan Woods:

Don't let the lack of an English guide stop you ! in the overall scheme of a French holiday, the cost of the guidebook (which generally helps pay for the bolting) is trivial.

Tarn and Verdon have a single guidebook each with a lifetime's climbing.

In reply to Morgan Woods: Buy the local guide which helps pay for the bolting.

In reply to Morgan Woods:

Well we would do it the way we normally do which is pretty much as you describe: visit the crags, do some routes, get crag photois, check exiting info, get action photos, draw our own maps, suss out local area facilities, contact local climber if appropriate.

We always need to tread delicately, even in our own back yards like Stanage! The general guidebook maxim is that no matter what you do, someone, somewhere will be pissed off that you have produced a guidebook.

Alan

In reply to Jon Greengrass and Graham D:

Local guidebooks are great if you can get hold of them, and they are properly produced. Sadly this is frequently not the case in France where little local guidebooks, covering single crags, with poor topos and general information, is often the reality. For travelling climbers it is often hard to plan a trip when you can't get the guidebook before visiting the local shop or bar. French web sites are still in the 90s which doesn't help.

A guidebook like the one suggested in the OP could be very useful. Lots of crags covered in summary details, with a topo or two at each crag but not comprehensive cover. Such a book would probably open up many more French crags to visitors, increase local guide sales and take the traffic away from the better known venues. Guidebooks like this have exisited in the past and done fine, and also Jingowobbly's Sport Vertical is half-way there since it at least lists all the crags, but doesn't have much actual topo information.

This idea that you should support the local guidebook since it funds the bolting is at best a distortion of the truth and at worst just an excuse for a poor guidebook. No guidebook could possibly fund local bolting in its entirety, most could only make a small contribution to the process. In terms of people who make money out of bolted climbs existing, guidebook producers are well down the list of those raking the money in - think local gear shops, local accommodation, gear manufacturers, climbing walls, etc.

Additionally, the whole guidebook-funded-bolting thing is said to happen in loads of places where it doesn't and there is also little guarantee about what it is used for. For example, would people who bought guidebooks be happy about a guidebook-bolt-sub going to bolting new routes in some steep cave?

Alan

In reply to Alan James - UKC:

Thanks for your response Alan....if i have a spare 3-4 years i'll have a think about it....keep up the good work anyway.

In reply to Morgan Woods:

Getting guidebooks in France has never really been a problem but they are never particularly inspiring. Bill Birkett and Martin Atkinson have both produced selected guides to the South of France but are very lmited in terms of the number of routes described at each crag. A selected guide would be brilliant but I don't know how you'd decide what to leave out, you'd need a couple of volumes just for provence.

I payed 16 euros for a topo to Claret last year. Worst value for money ever.

In reply to Morgan Woods:

There is something you could do, write an article similar to this, adding some topos if you have any that are nt filched off another guide. A link to topos on other websites would help, that would attract people to the site and show they had not wasted time putting it up.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=134

In reply to Tyler:

Why so? Could you not get up the routes?


I think the Claret topo - particularly the original edition - is one of the best French guides. Beautiful drawings, lovingly put together by the inspired developer of one of the best cliffs in France.

Big mountains (such as the one where he lost his life) have a lot to answer for....

Neil

In reply to Neil Foster:

Erm, Neil, the guy who drew the guide is still alive, snarling and doing full-page drawings for 'Grimper' (Pierre Rouzo)

You're mixing him up with Lucien Bérardini and/or Hugues Beauzille, who both sadly lost their lives in the mountains.

In reply to Alan James - UKC:

Don't get me wrong - I think a good selective guide to France to replace the completely out of date Birkett guide would be a really useful item (I'd buy one). I also know what you mean about some local guides and their lack of availability (Tarn and Verdon aren't amongst them, though).

My point was that the lack of such a selective guide shouldn't put the OP off going anyway.

In reply to GrahamD:

agreed i wouildn't be put off by lack off a "single" guide....just want to see what people thought.

In reply to palomides:

Yes, it's Hughes that I was thinking of.

The current guide has the same drawings as the original topo (or at least the first Claret topo I saw, many many years ago). As Hughes was so involved in the development of the crag at that time, I (mistakenly) assumed the drawings were his.

My main point still stands though. The Claret topo is a great guide, just like the crag!

Neil

In reply to Neil Foster:

I'm sure the fact that I didn't like Claret doesn't help but even so I thought the guide represented poor value for money. A few hand drawn topos with no descriptions or supplemental info. IIRC the photos are nearly all black ad white. Padding the whole thing out with cartoons of hippies smoking spliffs didn't really add value in my opinion but that could just be because I have no sense of humour.

Compared to the Seynes guide bought on the same trip the contrast was stark.

In reply to Morgan Woods:

The places you mention all have excellent local guide books

Why not buy and use them????

Or would that be too difficult??

In reply to kevin stephens:

Sometimes it is remarkably difficult to buy the most recent topo for a place, unless you find the right shop or bar.

In reply to any one looking for French topos
Best collection of topos I've seen in France is in the Paris branch of Au Vieux Campeur - they don't have everything (does anywhere ?) but its pretty extensive and usually more on the shelves than in the catalogue (on line or paper)

Worth a visit when it rains at Fontainebleau