UKC

New year , new destination for summer holiday.

This year hopefully Les Arques in the Lot region.

The local topos seems to be Topo du Ceou from Club Périgord Escalad and Escalade dans le Lot from the FFME.

Using my very bad French, I have tried contacting them to find out if they will post the guides over here as I like to plan. No responses as yet.

Just wondered if anyone on here had climbed in the region and had any recommendations - range of levels from 4's for the children to 6b's for us.

Also and recommendations for general child friendly activities in the area.

Many thanks

In reply to PhilWS:

There is a pretty good guide - Escalade en Perigord - which you might find useful. I obtained a copy from a guy called Dan Evans who took some of the photos'. He was very helpful and posted a copy without problem. If you search on Dan Evans Design you will find him.

In reply to PhilWS:
I have visited Le Ceou a couple of times. I bought the topo guide for the crag from Camping Maisonneuve which is a campsite situated at the foot of the crag. You could try contacting them to see if they carry a stock of the topos. Camping Maisonneuve is a really nice place to stay with a family but you'd need to book early. I should add, that you will find Le Ceou to be a really good crag. It does get quite hot in the summer but there's plenty of shade at the bottom of the crag.
I cadged a belay from a french climber last time and he told me of another crag nearby that he had visited. He really rated it...sorry, can't remember the name but it is in the other guide that you mentioned. It might begin with M... Milhac
If you have no luck getting the Le Ceou topo let me know.
Cheers
Rich

In reply to John Postlethwaite:

Thank you. I have sent him an email.

In reply to rhudson:

Thanks for that. I'm hoping the wife has the accommodation sorted!

Milhac does look another good crag.

I'll try a bit longer to get the guide but may contact you again.

In reply to PhilWS:

Hoping it's not against too many unwritten rules to give myself a bump

In reply to PhilWS:

hello, I'm 90% sure I've got a guide book for down there that was bought from a campsite we stayed at, I'll see if i can dig it out tonight.....

In reply to robal:

Thank you - not had much joy from the french sites - probably my french!

In reply to PhilWS:

HI Phil
I've got the 2006 and 2010 FFME Escalade dans le Lot guidebooks. You are welcome to take the older one off my hands if you still need a guide. There is also a guide to St Gery written by Jean-Denis Achard of 3Sup publications. Decathlon stores down here have it in stock.

In reply to Laramadness:

Yhm

In reply to PhilWS:

As above Camping Maisonneuve is at the foot of le Ceou, ten minute walk and guides available at reception - last summer. Excellent family campsite, very spacious with a great pool, discreet live music and good food. Stunning Chateau and lots of river based activities. We found the French grades hard compared to Spain etc and it reached 40degrees in August - however we still climbed in the morning in the shade of trees.

In reply to PhilWS:

Dunno if I fancy climbing in the Dordogne in summer, it gets so hot. When I was there it hit 42°.

http://www.bike-bus.co.uk/
In reply to PhilWS:

Bike hire and local kowledge in English.

In reply to PhilWS:
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g2213890-d4260377-Reviews-L...

Fantastic home cooked cakes and meals.
You can cycle there from camping maisonneuve where the climbing is (and a nice spot for river swimming), along a safe greenway which is great for kids.

There is a zoo which is also good with children. I cant remember where sorry.


Its a great area for a family holiday.

In reply to PhilWS:

Hi,

We are heading heading there in the summer too.
When are you going?

Thanks

Richard

In reply to coldfell:

Thank you. Think I'll have to have patience and wait until we go.

In reply to aln:

Thanks - it's my excuse to drag the family out early in the morning then!

In reply to marsbar:

Thanks for all the useful suggestions - we usually go further south, but decided to try a new region this year.

Funnily we have always managed to find a zoo wherever we go so I'll keep an eye out for one in this region.

In reply to Richard Justice:

Looks like the middle of August at the moment - just need to actually get the wife's rota before we confirm!