UKC

In this article we explore a French limestone crag just an hour and a half drive from the famous sandstone bouldering mecca of Fontainebleau.

The French limestone crag of Le Saussois is a magnificent sprawling crag composed of limestone buttresses and bays spread along the side of the Yonne.

The lazy river unspoilt village of Merry Sur Yonne provides a stunning backdrop for your hard redpoints...

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=2960

In reply to UKC Articles:

Great little article.

In reply to UKC Articles:

No mention of the local " snake juice " in the bar underneath the crag.

In reply to Big Jonnie:

Ah yes, I'll have another...

In reply to UKC Articles:
Didn't know about this place, thanks! Really fun read too.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Glad to hear it's been rebolted. I still have nightmares about clipping some of the second bolts. It used to be a regular (I hesitate to say popular) stop on the long flog back from Buoux but always seemed scruffy and polished though in a lovely setting and a great cafe. Maybe it suffered from comparison with the bigger crags, friendlier bolting and sunnier weather of Provence.

In reply to UKC Articles:

Remember seeing this crag back in 2009 after boating down the canal, good to see it being revisited.

Chris

In reply to Chris Ellyatt:

The village has an awesome riverside fiesta on the second weekend in August (might need to check this date) that includes vertical ballet on the crags, fireworks, a lightshow, beer, frites and about 10 million moths. Well worth the trip!

In reply to UKC Articles:

Great place - but, as the article says, not good for a soft touch. It is pretty much in very centre of France.

Our visit was curtailed when my wife's early morning vomiting turned out to be pregnancy and not road trip catering and she declared that it was time to go home.

Really nicely written piece.

In reply to simoninger:

i'd echo that, really well written and far more interesting that just a run down of the routes/ facilities that passes for a desintation article in the magazines. THanks.

In reply to UKC Articles: As others have said its an ideal stop off en route to the south. Spend 3/4 days here 10 years ago or so and had a great time.
Hottest place I've ever climbing though in the summer 41 deg in the shade next to the bar!!

In reply to UKC Articles:

great article - thanks. The crag looks similar to la guignoterie, near Poitiers - which I thought was great! The main buttress there has some awesome routes.

Climbed there years ago on the way back from a cave diving trip. A great crag if a little hot in August.... well worth a visit.

In reply to UKC Articles:

We climbed there a lot way back - the polish on the classics (of all grades) was horrendous! I can't imagine it has improved much.


Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs: Agreed Chris !

Hi, me and the other half have been climbing in Burgundy now for a few years and can't understand why we don't see more brits climbing out there seeing as it is relatively close.
We have not been to Le Saussois before (but after reading the article I think we are definately going to pay it a visit!) but we take the van out for a couple of weeks and just travel around the various crags just north of Dijon. Jingo Wobblys guide is a god send!!
Last year though we thought we would treat ourselves and we stayed in a cottage about an hour away from Dijon (burgundyvillas.com) for a week and with in an hour of this place there were 8 crags! highly recommend the area for climbing and the wine...

Definitely don't count on being able to source a guide locally, I went there in the summer and all the local Bar Tabac chez Pascal Café had to offer was a lot of friendly locals, and none of the other shops in other villages had one either. The campsite opposite the crag across the river wasn't open when I went, and looked like it had been shut for a while, and although the poster of the guidebook was still up in reception, no one was around to open the barred door to see if they still had any hidden on a shelf. Happily enough the Municipal Le Pre du Roi campsite, near Mailly le Chateau was definitely still open, although not speaking a lot of English but offering fresh morning croissants instead. Unfortunately we too ended up mainly practising our slackling skills.

In reply to Climbing_Chris:


I often think that about Freyr in the Ardennes, Belgium:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=2018

In reply to Chris Ellyatt: hi chris yhm

In reply to UKC Articles:

Just read the article and enjoyed it. Heading to Font at the end of the month and fancy a day there.

Does anyone know where online I may be able to get a copy of the guidebook? Don't like leaving these things till I get there and half the fun before a trip is looking over topos!

In reply to UKC Articles:

Bump?