UKC

Hi to all

I'd really appreciate some informed advice from the clearly extremely knowledgeable and helpful members of the forum.

My daughter is 10years old and has been climbing for a couple of years. She currently boulders v0-v3.

We are stopping at Font for a couple of days as part of a French camping holiday starting in a couple of weeks. We have never been to Font before and also never bouldered outdoors! So I have a couple of queries:-

Accommodation
I've been recommended the Camping LES PRÉS campsite at Grez sur Loing - http://www.camping-grez-fontainebleau.info/caravanning.html. Seems very nice but...my daughter ideally would love to go to a site that has a swimming pool. It's not an absolute must (after all, we'll only be there for 2 nights/2days) but can anyone recommend a nice (preferably child friendly) site with a swimming pool? I've looked at:-
Les Courtilles du Lido - http://www.les-courtilles-du-lido.fr/en/campsite/ - seems ok but not many reviews, and
Campsite La Musardière - http://www.gralon.net/campings-france/essonne/camping-la-musardiere-milly-l... - large site, 4 pools but very mixed reviews
Camping La Belle Etoile - http://www.campinglabelleetoile.com/content/gb/le-camping/1/ - child friendly, large site, further away.

I'd be grateful for any feedback on any or all of these sites, including the one I've been recommended (Camping LES PRÉS campsite at Grez sur Loing), plus any others you think I should consider.

Bouldering at Font
Given this is my daughter's first experience of outdoor bouldering, I want her to have a good, successful and easy time where she can achieve a lot without too much struggle. We can always return another time to do some harder stuff but I don't want to dent her enthusiasm or turn her off by being daunted by and/or failing at problems/routes that are too hard for her.

I'd therefore really appreciate some advice from those who have 'been there, done that' as to places where there are lots of easy/easier grade routes for her to have fun on. I'd rather stick/go to 1 or 2 places than drive round too much - at least on our first trip!

I've been recommended:-
Rocher Canon - http://bleau.info/canon/ - seems to have quite a few lower grade circuits (am I right in thinking that white, yellow and orange circuits will be pretty much the right levels? I'm finding the Font numbering and colouring system quite confusing!).

Given we're going in the height of summer, I'd appreciate people's feedback and views on good spots to go to which are shaded, not too crowded (I understand this may not possible given the time of year!) and most importantly has a number and variety of suitable graded problems/circuits for her to do.

Many many thanks to anyone who can help. All advice/views/recommendations gratefully received!

Cheers

The campsite at Grez sur Loing is really nice and there is a river two minutes away where you can swim. I haven't stayed at any others so cant comment on them.

In reply to largeruk:

This will be the second summer for me sheparding various nieces and nephews around Font, so..

Le prez is lovely, friendly and you can have a fire in the bivouac area - Toasting marshmallows is fun.

There is a river running through the village which although has a sign up saying 'no swimming' is swam in by everyone from the camping and local area.

The problem with circuits for kids is that they can be quite different in height, some problems are quit technical is you don't have the reach. Yellow problems can be O.K or impossible depending on how the holds are spaced out.

It will likely be hot, so good shady shots for kids circuits are Apremont Bizon,(my niece's favourite, she's 10), Rocher aux sabots, and Rocher canon as you mentioned.

Some people prefer La Musardire and it does have a pool. It is much more expensive but shorter driving distances might cancel the difference out.

If you have any more questions I'll answer this evening.

In reply to largeruk: I've just come back from Font staying at Les Cortilles. If a medium sized site, a bit off the beaten track (15 mins from Bas Cuvier) but a cracking site.

All the pitches are separated by hedgerows and fairly large, so you get a feeling of privacy. The pool is heated and clean and open late in the evening. They have a little bar and serve pizzas only.

Toilets are good and clean with free showers.

My tip would be to keep away from the far left handside pitches as they are close to a small road but you do hear the noise in the night. I'd go for one in the middle as the main line to Paris runs behind but it is some way away and I never really noticed the noise from them.

Don't do Bas Cuvier with her as it's tough. Also if it's very sunny stay away from anywhere where the is no shade as it gets baking.

I hope this helps.

Hope this helps.

In reply to largeruk:

Les Courtilles is pretty good for kids but it does mean driving around a fair amount. The village Moret sur Loing is very nice, good restaurants and you can get the train to paris nearby too, so if you have non climbing members it's a bit easier.

There is a small area on the D606 towards font, can't remember what it's called, has orange circuits, very nice for picnic too but possibly less dense tree cover, it's much closer than the main areas though.

If you want her to get the best out of it get some outdoors practice in first.

In reply to largeruk: I stayed at Camping Le Pres last summer and it was really good, good crowd/facilities and also there is a river nearby that you can swim in! Close by to all the bouldering spots, my Mrs wanted easier graded stuff as she was a beginner for the outdoor stuff so we went a place called Franchard Hautes-Plaines this was a really good place to start then moving onto harder places.This was my favourite area personally

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=1654

In reply to largeruk: I have been to font many times and stayed at la musadiere. it is a nice campsite very busy at weekends so ring to check availability its also got a bit pricy. however the faciities are good, the swimming pool is lovely,a baker comes round every morning with croissant etc, most nights there is also a van that turns up that you can buy pizza/roast chickens from.The main benefit of this campsite over the others is how close it is to the trois pignons forest.
With regards to the bouldering i would go to bois rond as there is a lovely orange circuit as well as a blue and red circuit if u fancy trying someting a bit harder. canche aux merciers is also a good spot as the rocks tend to be lower with a fair few traverses.
Hope this helps and you have a good time

In reply to largeruk:

We've used Courtilles du Lido and La Musardiere.

Lido is a bit run down these days (used to do EuroCamp and be really busy, but I don't think it has the facilities they demand these days). Moderate sized, traditional swimming pool - very cold whenever I've been! You get a bit of noise form the train line, too. Fairly quiet, although it may get busier in middle of summer - if so you might not get a pitch surrounded by hedges, they have an open field bit too.

La Musardiere is full of climbers, has much better pools (about the only thing they show in the photos!) which have some heating and are in the sun. But can get pretty busy. The normal tent camping (assuming you don't want electric, etc) is a free for all in clearings in the wood. And much closer to the bouldering.

Bottom line - I'd be happy to recommend either of them.

Bouldering itself - white kiddy circuits - tend to be nice and low with good landings, but might be fairly easy for an experienced 10 year old (my older one could do a large chunk of them last year at 6). Yellows are likely to be about right, but there's quite a lot of variation in how high they go, and what landings are like.

Places I'd suggest are Beavais Rocher du Duc East - bit out of the main area, NW of Font itself (off D76). Has a kiddy white in the trees, and yellow and oranges. And not too polished.

Rocher des Potets - close to La Musardiere. Yellow and Orange on smallish rocks with good landings. Some might be a bit hot, but also plenty in the trees.

Canche aux Merciers - also fairly close to La Musardiere. Big area, masses of stuff, white, yellow, orange and harder. Some quite polished and fairly busy - but much less so if you head to the far side of the area to the car park. Actually, I walked back from here with the 6 year old, so probably less than a couple of miles from the campsite by foot, though rather further by car! Lots of trees round the rocks, huge sunny sandy areas too.

In reply to largeruk: We as a family have always gone to courtille de lido (at least once a year) its perfect with kids. Highly recommended. Short drive up to apremont Cuvier franchard a bit further out to the 3 pigneon but no great deal. Swimming pool mini golf tennis ping pong bouledrome ect on site. Just by moret which is a beautiful medieval village with a superb ice scream shop. Hope you're convinced cos you won't be disappointed