UKC

I'm planning a trip to font in late may. It'll be just me going and being 17 I can't drive In France. Sorted out getting to font itself by public transport.

If I stay at a campsite. How much of the climbing is accessible by walking or cycling. Although cycling with 2 pads may be tricky.

Happy to stay at whichever campsite is close closest to the climbing.

Anyone done a similar trip? If so was it worthwhile?

Cheers

In reply to AlexSmurthwaite:

If you stay at the Musardiere camp site near Milly la forete, absolutely loads of brilliant bouldering is within walking distance. Not a bad place to hook up with other people with pads if you're looking to do highballs.

In reply to AlexSmurthwaite:

From the camping ground at La Musardiere it is possible to walk to all of these areas within an hour

Gorge aux Chats (the closest one, just up the road)
Rocher des Souris
95.2
Gros Sablons
Cul de Chein
Roche aux Sabots
Mont Pivit
Roche aux Oisseaux

Have a good trip

In reply to AlexSmurthwaite:

frequently go to Fontainebleau by train from Paris for the day, sometimes with a bike but often without. Many of the climbing areas are within an hours walk. Do you really need two mats?

In reply to AlexSmurthwaite:

What date you goin? We're goin on 19th or 20th of may and you're welcome to a lift if you are anywhere near notts or en route .

In reply to snoop6060:

No dates finalised. I'd be happy to get to font and meet up with you when there. If your keen for that

In reply to AlexSmurthwaite:



Why do you think being 17 stops you driving in France?

In reply to AlexSmurthwaite:

I wouldn't think you'd need two pads most of the time in in Font, unless you've specifically got something highball in mind.

Even if you do, you could check out the possibility of meeting up with other people to share mats and spotting.

Might make transport less hassle if you don't have to haul two pads with you?

In reply to Richard Wilson:

Getting insurance in another country would be impossible at 17 unfortunately

In reply to AlexSmurthwaite:


ALL uk insurance MUST have third part cover in ALL EU countries.

Getting the "green card" gives extra cover for your car but is not a legal requirement.


https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-insurance/driving-abroad

In reply to slab_happy:

Also, forgot to say -- first visit to Font? It's going to be amaaaaaaaaaazing.

In reply to AlexSmurthwaite:

The minimum age for (unaccompanied) driving in France is 18.

In reply to petegunn:

Don't miss Rocher Fin , awesome area, and it's about the same distance to La Canche aux Merciers as it is to Sabots, which is another great area.

If you planning to walk all over I'd also get an IGN 2417 OT map

In reply to AlexSmurthwaite:

Camped at/near Cuvier, one of the biggest areas, many years ago after the car broke down somewhere up north and we hitched the rest of the way down. It was definitely pretty limited because we had no transport. We just got all food from a small local shop and we couldn't get a shower. We were there for 10 days and were particularly desperate for a wash by the end. However if you've got a bike that'll be very helpful.

In reply to andrewmc:

Presume that means accompanied by someone else who is legal to drive, i.e.18 or older, who has a valid licence.... You could share the driving then too, and fuel cost, car ferry / chunnel cost, and car hire cost, between 2 or 3 people, and carry matts and other stuff.

Don't know if it'd be cheaper than public transport?

In reply to Rock to Fakey:

You would basically have to become a 16-17 French learner driver (different rules for 18+). You probably need a French driving licence rather than a British one. You have to complete a Highway Code test (probably in French, in France) before you can start driving. You then need to take a minimum of 20 hours (normally 20-25 apparently) with a French driving instructor. Finally your over-28 driver, having held a full driving licence for at least 3 years, can register with the learner's designated driving school and then (and only then) start accompanying your learner driver. In the UK any full EU driving licence (of the correct class) is OK to supervise a British learner driver, so it may be the case in France as well.

Your UK driving insurance will most likely not cover a person driving on a French provisional(?) licence. And of course, getting a French driving licence probably requires you to live there anyway (although as an EU citizen, at least for the time being, you are entitled to obtain one in the country of your residency)...

It's almost certainly not a sensible option.

(as an aside, it's almost like anything that the EU hasn't standardised across countries is a massive PITA if you are from the 'wrong' country... but you know, EU bad, strong and stable good, those EU beaucrats will give the UK a great deal, the best deal, we have all the best deals, once May talks to them sternly enough... and strong and stably enough...)

In reply to AlexSmurthwaite:

Walk to the middle of the Trois Pignons with a weeks worth of food and find a cave. There are lots and you'll only need one pad. All you need to walk down for is water (unless it rains) which you can bring in your sac for 3 days - 20 litres. Nobody does it so just keep the place clean, don't tell anyone and when people come around at the weekends pretend to be like them on a 'black circuit' and say allez, allez!