[cha1n]

Yeh they are climbers, they're hardly going to rape your wife and kidnap your children, it's just a bit of dirt. People are shitting in that forest regardless of if they are staying in the car park, I doubt the people staying in the car park increase it by much, maybe just makes it more likely that it's going to be done before you arrive...

[Richie Crouch]

I don't even consider leaving the gite until I've swigged down enough coffee and scoffed enough pastries to force that satisfying 2nd  of the day!

[nai]

I'm not allowed to take the family to Isatis any more as my wife remembers it as the place with all the crusties, dogs, slacklines and shit everywhere.

Shame, I like Isatis.

[finbarrr]

i was so happy when they put up a high barrier at the isatis parking last year, at least the high campers couldn't get in anymore. i dislike people staying overnight at the parking areas, mostly because the locals and nature lovers hate it, and it is a reason to close parkings.
then the parking was nice and quiet and my car got broken into.
luckily they only took my toilet bag.

[rodma]

Chain, your presence there would have been detrimental to others, regardless of what a friendly bloke you might be.




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[fried]

I can understand you wanting to sleep in your van, but use a bit of imagination. There are plenty of spots to sleep for a night without using Isatis etc car park.

It's been talked about for years, but there are vague plans to turn the forest into a national park and reduce access to one or two large 'reception areas'. Be whiter than white, they maybe just giving you enough rope to hang us all.

[cha1n]

I personally think that it's tolerated in all but the high season, though I can see why people would be against it.

Had I not been travelling with my girlfriend then I'd probably stuck it out with the free ones out of principle but any car park in Font that has fast access via a main road has cars coming in and out all night, with what I can only assume is prostitute related business. You'd then pull up a Franchard and be told how quiet it was there every night and you can only resist that for so long.

I agree with the high barrier at Isatis, it was good for saving spaces for cars. Don't remember seeing lots of shit there but only had a couple of sessions there.

[rodma]

The one at bourron is fine, good, near climbing ( though clearly not near what you wantedl and prozzy free.

When on my long trip I bumped into a guy that was staying at grez and cycling everywhere. He was spending about 2euros a night ( cos he was in the bit described as the bivvy site ) on accommodation. Font is open to all, those that care about their impact , those on a really tight budget, those that can afford motorhomes, those that care about their impact, those that don't.

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[rodma]

Oh and tolerated by whom? I fucking hate seeing overnighters regardless of the time of year, as do others.

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[finbarrr]

I personally think that it's tolerated

yeah, tolerated and hated.

bourron is nice, personally i like the designated spot at the hippodrome de la sole better as it is further from the road, thus more quiet.

[lagerstarfish]

possibly of use...

from ONF site

http://www.onf.fr/enforet/fontainebleau/explorer/informations_pratiques/20120521-101448-15332/@@index.html

Camping et bivouacs :
un camping est situé au niveau du parking du Petit Barbeau, sur la commune de Samois-sur-Seine
deux sites de bivouac sommaire sont aussi à disposition : l'un à côté de la maison forestière de Bois-le-Roi (emplacement pour les tentes et point d'eau), l'autre à côté du parking de la Grande Vallée (emplacement pour les tentes, point d'eau et toilettes).

Points d'eau potable au niveau :
du parking de la Faisanderie de Fontainebleau
du centre d’écotourisme à Franchard (fontaine à eau et distributeurs de boissons à l’intérieur du centre)
du parking de Noisy-sur-Ecole
des deux bivouacs

[kelvin]

Nice one Lagers.

Fuck knows how I read that. Can't speak even English without sounding like a pigeon.

[lagerstarfish]

I was quite surprized by the number of vans and cars overnighting in the Croix Saint Jerome parking over the Easter fortnight given the proximity to several expensive looking houses.

[remus]

Oh and tolerated by whom? I fucking hate seeing overnighters regardless of the time of year, as do others.

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Why?

If someone is being otherwise responsible (not shitting in the woods, not littering etc.) what's wrong with staying overnight in a car park?

[cha1n]

Bottom line is that it's not permitted, regardless of how covert you're being.

I don't think it would be a problem if it wasn't for the fact that Font get's a lot of people using the forests for walking, cycling, horse riding and so on. Whilst the climbers know that us smelly hippies mean no harm, we still look like riff raff to the general public. Something I was reminded of every time I had to go into a supermarket whilst travelling, you sort of forget that you look like a homeless bum because so does everyone else you're around 95% of the time.

[Will Hunt]

you sort of forget that you look like a homeless bum because so does everyone else you're around 95% of the time.

Have you been to Font, Chain? It's like they hand out fluorescent trousers and posh tops in the car parks. Not sure what the gentlemen of the road wear around your way but I've never seen a homeless person wearing E9 strides.

[cha1n]

Ah yeh but that's the school holiday climbers. To be fair, I had some of the original, rust coloured E9s with me on my trip but they had holes in both ass cheeks, both knees and looked more of a chalky white/dirt colour most of the time.

[kelvin]

I have the 'yellow' E9 trousers and after a few days in Albarracin, they definitely say down and out hobo. Might last a few days more in Font but I'm not optimistic.
Obviously, if people are incensed by scruffiness, they won't go on to notice the attendant smell.

[fried]

You back this weekend?

[rodma]

Oh and tolerated by whom? I fucking hate seeing overnighters regardless of the time of year, as do others.

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Why?

If someone is being otherwise responsible (not shitting in the woods, not littering etc.) what's wrong with staying overnight in a car park?

Imagine you turn up on your own early in the morning at an otherwise deserted car park in the middle of the forest, in say an area well known for car break ins, and some fucker you've never set eyes on before is peering at you through their van Window as you get your shit together to go out climbing, walking or biking or whatever.

It's crap, lazy and unnecessary. It has fuck all to do with money.

I can understand how you ended up looking for somewhere safer to stay after your horrible sounding previous free spots and can see why you ended up where you did, but that doesn't make it a good choice and should definitely not be encouraged on a public forum you doofus. The parking is limited enough as it is and access is always a fragile beast, even when it appears to be a given.

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[kelvin]

You back this weekend?

I think Monday in all honesty - I'll message you my new number but have data also.
Mates arrive on Tuesday, plenty of psyche and pads around...

[kelvin]

Oh and tolerated by whom? I fucking hate seeing overnighters regardless of the time of year, as do others.

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Why?

If someone is being otherwise responsible (not shitting in the woods, not littering etc.) what's wrong with staying overnight in a car park?

Imagine you turn up on your own early in the morning at an otherwise deserted car park in the middle of the forest, in say an area well known for car break ins, and some fucker you've never set eyes on before is peering at you through their van Window as you get your shit together to go out climbing, walking or biking or whatever.

And I thought paranoia was the preserve of the weed smoking, dreadlocked dirtbags.
It's fair enough to think parking in the forest could affect access but to not like it because you're scared, intimidated or whatever is a poor argument against it.

It'd be really nice if people just listed places that were convenient, safe and a rough idea of cost and facilities - cos I keep hearing about places but having no French and often no internet fail to find them.

[rodma]

People complaining because overnighters intimidate them could easily affect access. I'm not saying that I was one of them :/

I agree that the thread really needs to get back on topic. Perhaps someone could split this drivel off into a logtopic

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[lagerstarfish]

from
http://www.camptocamp.org/summits/118197/en/foret-de-fontainebleau#authorized-bivouacs

Authorized bivouacs

Near the Forest-Hut of Bas-Bréau. Between Barbizon and Fontainebleau on N7, when you enter the forest after Barbizon. Water. Fires allowed after Ranger authorization. Closed.

Near the forest-Hut of Petit-Barbeau (close to the private camping), extreme northeast of the forest, close to the river Seine, north of the city of Samois-sur-Seine, at the entrence of the forest. Water. No fire allowed. Closed.

Near the Forest-Hut of Bois-le-Roi, on the south border of the city of Bois-le-Roi (north of Fontainebleau), at the entrance of the forest on N6. Water. Fires forbiden, gas stoves allowed.

Near the Forest-Hut of La Grande-Vallée, north of the city of Bourron-Marlotte (south of Fontainebleau on N7) when route D58 enters the forest. Water. No fireallowed, gas allowed. You must book for this one, probably many days before if you are a group. Should be OK if 2 or 3 climbers. Telephone of the Forest Hut where you will have specific infos on this bivy : +33/1-64-45-96-46. Address : Bivouac de La Grande Vallée, Maison Forestière de La Grande Vallée, 77780 Bourron-Marlotte, France.

Hippodrome de la Solle, just NW of Fontainebleau.

[kelvin]

Muchly appreciated both of you - as I'm gonna be in Font a month or so, the info really helps me out in the immediate future.
The free parking situation changes from month to month in all climbing areas, I'd assume Font to be no different, and being up to date isn't always easy. Living in a van full-time can mean you're in the know instantly or totally out of sink with an area in another country. I can happily answer questions about Suirana, Chulilla or Albarracin as it stands now but I've never spent much time in Font at all.