UKC

A friend and I are off to Les Calanques in March for a week and were hoping to get some accommodation (and other general) advice if possible. Appreciating what's been said in this archived article (http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=516089), we're looking at staying at either:

- "Auberge de Jeunesse Cassis" (http://www.hifrance.org/auberge-de-jeunesse/cassis.html?page=article) or
- "Hotel du Bois Joli" (link not working but has a website...)

...but are open to other recommendations (camping in Cassis??). Has anyone stayed at either of these places? We'll be renting a car so should have no problem getting around the place.

Also, our main focus will be multi-pitch routes but if there are particular spots that come higher recommended, I'd be keen hear them!

Thanks all,
Chris

In reply to cl204:

Leave your car doors unlocked at night( car preferably imobilised), with the dash open and the boot empty. Otherwise the criminal element, mainly from Marsielles will just smash the windows. It's really boring having to get your windows repaired and losing climbing days.

In reply to cl204: We camped in Cassis - campsite is nothing special but fine for a budget option.

No problems with car break-ins! This was in 2009.

Don't miss En Vau!

In reply to cl204:

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1842758/Climbing-in-the-Calanques-M...

In reply to Chris Lowe:

Thanks very much for the comments so far, some really useful stuff! Keep em coming!

Chris

In reply to Chris Lowe:

Despite Al's suggestion of doom and disaster, I've never had a car problem in the Calanques and I've been there a lot. Unlike the Costa Blanca last month where we had our rental car broken into (in the Carrefour car park) before we'd even been in the country 12 hours!

In reply to Chris Lowe:

The climbing and situation is brill!! Cassis is a lovely town, although, very expensive... more so than Nice. Please do the Arete de Marseille. We didn't experience any car problems but I was well warned and took heed.

In reply to Fraser:


Hire cars are targeted in Spain on the assumption that there may be something worth stealing.
We had driven down to Cassis in Andrea's mini and we were staying in a pension, so the car was in the street. It may be safer at the campsite. We'd actually emptied it but not left the doors open so the only problem was the broken window. We had insurance so took it to the recomended garage to get it fixed which was on the outskirts of Marsielles. We sat for two hours watching traffic go round this roundabout and in the time we saw loads of minor shunts (ignored by the drivers)plus four serious ones with big damage, the arguments were so fierce that we were worried guns were going to be produced, a lawless place.

In reply to Chris Lowe:

We camped in Cassis, OK campsite. We didn't have any problems with car breakins but we were careful. In some of the climbing areas there are pay car parks which are supervised, and I remember us using them on the basis that 3 euros or whatever was cheaper than a lost climbing day and a broken window.
Top tip. If you head up a route marked "coinceurs obligabatoire" without any trad gear, you will have to retreat as there will be no bolts. .
If this happens on a crag marked "retrait complex / impossible" you will have an epic. It is possible to get off falaise du canceou without trad gear even though you have abseiled down overhanging rock, but the solution took some finding. Well done Kevin...

Paul

In reply to Chris Lowe:
You may also try a hotel at the very south end of marseille ... from there you can minimize driving to goudes, morgiou and sormiou which all feature nice multipitch options. From cassis, the only place with little driving is en vau. Spent several weeks in the calanques over the last 20 years and never had a proplem with theft.

Invest in the local guide for many less polished options.

In reply to Al Evans:

What year was this all happening Al?

In reply to Fraser:
Oh I can't remember now, sometime in the late 70's I think.
Though the Spanish situation is current.

In reply to cat22:

I parked my camper at the parking near the university, left it there all day and slept it in one night, no problems. Spring 2013.

In reply to Chris Lowe:

I've just bivvied.

Leave nothing in the car and make it obvious that there is nothing in the car.

Take the HV leads (or something similar) with you if leaving the car overnight.

9 times out of 10 the car will be fine, but 1 in ten in won't be. (My wife lived in Nice for a while, so I have some data!)

In reply to Al Evans:


Ahem, yes, that's kind of my point. No offence, but the OP is presumably interested in relatively up to date information regarding the area, less so in 40 year old memories.

In reply to tjekel:

Hehe, Thanks again folks. Great stuff and thanks for the recommendations! @tjekel, do you remember the name of the place South of Marseille, could well be an option for some of the trip!

In reply to Chris Lowe:

Sorry, no, but it was on the way to goudes, still close to a northfacing bay ... might look into booking or expedia map tools ...

In reply to Fraser:


Ok, point taken, but my info says it's much the same today, as does at least one of the respondents above.

In reply to Chris Lowe:

Just a wee trip report now that we're back.

First off, what a place! Stunning views, beautiful lines and friendly local climbers, couldn't have asked for a more.

Quality - if you are climbing in the 6's and want a multi-pitch (<150m) heaven, this place is cracking. Yes some of the classics are polished (we did l'Arete de Marseille to finish the trip and P1 resembled a window...), however this is certainly not the case throughout the area and the majority of routes we did were in great nick! May not be Verdon, but good enough for something by the coast!

Accommodation - ended up staying the whole week a the "Auberge de Jeunesse - la Fontasse", which was brilliant. A basic (eco) hostel, but more equipped than we expected, with a friendly manager and in a very peaceful setting. Highly recommended!

Routes - We did routes on Cap Canaille (really interesting from a geological POV), l'Eissadon (beautiful setting on the sea) and the Grande Candelle (nice mix of climbing styles) amongst others, but these all come highly recommended.

Crime - had no trouble, but could have just been lucky.

Generally, the routes were well bolted, temperature was perfect (mid teens - low 20s) and climbing was ace. I'll be heading back one day for sure.

Hope that helps, if you're interested in going to this place!

Chris