UKC

Looking to the Font experts for tips regarding quick-drying areas...after snow/rain.

There was a lot of snow on Friday and Saturday, and today has cloudless blue skies, so looking for tips of areas where a high proportion of red/blue problems will be dry.

We had a quick session at the hilltop section of 95.2 yesterday and found some dry rock to climb, so suggestions of similar areas would be good.

Cheers...

In reply to 1234None:

Gorge aux chats, top of JA Martin, Rempart - off the top of my head

In reply to 1234None:

Rocher Fin is often quoted as a quick drying venue. Blue and Red to be had there. Will be no worse off than 95.2

In reply to 1234None:

Parts of Rocher fin, especially the cube

parts of 91.1

parts of Cul de Chien

the rampart high up Rocher de la Reine

parts of Maunoury

parts of Apremont est (especially near Balafre/13ème travail d'Hercule)

I guess Apremont Butte aux Dames since lots of trees were felled last winter

 

Mind you, today is hunting day in the Trois Pignons and forêt domaniale so I wouldn't venture too far from a carpark.If you see signs saying Chasse en cours, better turn back or stay close to the carpark.

(Sorry you picked the worst winter in recent history to come over...)

In reply to Adrien:

Any idea if this hunting information is available (easily) online or a t billboard etc. As I'll be rollinin' into 'Bleau in about two weeks time, with 2 small kids in tow. Would prefer not to visit areas where they are hunting with a rather slick & quick 2 year old...

Oh, and here's to better weather... At least with over 4 weeks there, I'll have ample time to also get some good days in...

In reply to HeMa:

There may be maps with the hunting schedule at some areas like Franchard and Cuvier but you certainly won't find them everywhere (and they're in French). You can download this map here: http://www.onf.fr/ile-de-france_nord_ouest/sommaire/chasse_cueillette/chass... (click on "La carte et le calendrier des zones chassées" under Massif forestier de Fontainebleau). In two weeks' time it will almost be over though (stops end of February).

 

Basically:

-there's hunting every Monday in both the Trois Pignons/Coquibus/peripheral areas (areas in green) and Forêt domaniale de Fontainebleau (Cuvier Franchard Apremont etc. =>areas in light blue) until 26/02.

-there's hunting every Thursday in Forêt de Fontainebleau, and some Fridays (vendredi).

-there's no hunting during school holidays in the Forêt de Fontainebleau (light blue).

-there's also fox/badger hunting (I don't know how you call it in English; you know, when you have dozens of dogs followed by pricks on horseback followed by 4WDs) on Tuesdays and Saturdays until end of March I believe, but as far as I know they don't use guns (they simply harass animals with their dogs until they're too exhausted to run, or find their burrow and literally dig them out with shovels)

-you'll always be fine if you're immediately next to a carpark, like Guichot, Bas Cuvier, Sabots... And also in areas outside the map like Eléphant, Dame Jouanne, Buthiers, Petit Bois, Gréau, etc. But not in areas on private property like Boissy, better not to go there in winter (I know some do but I wouldn't, or at the very least not on weekends).

In reply to Adrien:

Thanks for the reply Adrian.

In reply to Adrien:

Thanks - useful information about the hunting in the Font area!  I am used to avoiding them now as I live in the Correze.  We ended up at L'Elephant this afternoon and it was, as you suggested, fine there - free of snow and pricks with guns.  In contrast, my wife went for a walk in the forest with our daughter this morning, by the Rocher Cailleau and said it was bloody terrifying!  We're staying for a week in Le Vaudoue so she sort of just forgot and ended up in the middle of a hunt...oops!  

In reply to 1234None:

Yeah I cycled past Cailleau/JA Martin around noon, don't think I heard gunshots but there were signs everywhere so I went to Guichot instead (conditions were so-so but I couldn't be bothered cycling further). I believe Rocher Cailleau is one of those areas where they systematically hunt on Mondays. Which bums me since I live in Achères so it's the closest crag to home.

Tomorrow looks brillant! I'm nursing a finger injury but will probably still go do some easier stuff.

 

PS: I feel like I remember advising you on where to live in France - how do you like Corrèze? I've only been to Bort-les-Orgues where there used to be a lovely crag, which partly collapsed three weeks later (makes you think).

In reply to Adrien:

Yes - fantastic day today - we went to Rocher du Potala - lovely spot and despite perfect conditions we were the only ones there...magical.  Never been to Guichot but could be a possibility tomorrow of Thursday if the weather turns showery.

We like Correze....fantastic area with some great forests and super-friendly, welcoming people.  Most of our climbing is limited to weekends down in the Lot (St Gery etc) but during Spring and Summer we also manage a bit of bouldering at Carsac in the Dordogne.  Every time in come up to Font I am blown away by just how incredible it is - the sheer amount of quality problems at all grades is mindblowing.  I started to warm up on the blue circuit problems at Potala this morning and ended up doing the whole circuit, as the problems were so good.