[lukeyboy]

I've had a brief trawl of the forums and couldn't find any old topics quite what I'm after. Heading out to font at the end of sept, have only climbed 7a's in the forest before but looking to find some projects for this trip and maybe a bit beyond. Not very interested in traversing or bad landings. Could anybody please give me some recommendations of 7a to 7c problems in font that are really worthwhile/great lines/hidden gems etc.

I've got a couple of ideas so far -

Appartenance 7c (buthiers)
Noir Desir 7c (rempart)
El Poussif 7a+ (isatis)
L'Arrache Coeur 7c (isatis)
Caresse 7a+ (isatis)
Sur-prises 7b+ (isatis)
Carnage 7b+ (cuvier)
Sale Gosse 7c (sabots)
Impasse du Hazard 7a+ (cuisiniere)
La Coeur 7a (elephant)

Obviously not going to go and tick these all in a week, but the more options, the more likely I am to find something I get on with. As a sidenote, are any of these horrible sandbags/not very good?

[lagerstarfish]

Have you got the off-piste guide? There's a "best problems" list at the back.

[GCW]

Not very interested in traversing or bad landings.

Impasse du Hazard 7a+ (cuisiniere)

You may not like that one, but have a look.  It's in a corridor which can be off putting.
What sort of stuff do you want to do/ avoid?

[lukeyboy]

I'm quite all round, but I like slopers, techy stuff and slabs I'd say. But not averse to power problems. That's partly why I didn't specify type of problem, I don't mind that much, it just has to be good! Not looking for anything too highball. I saw that Impasse is in a corridor, is it thin enough to make falling off nasty? That move just looks really good.

And I don't have the off piste guide, I'm ashamed to say I've only got the purple one. I'm only just starting to get into the grade range for the 7+8 (though I hear it's worth it for the topo's alone) and I'm not really keen to spend £30 on a guidebook until I'm going to get the most out of it.

[GCW]

I didn't fancy trying it on my own, the corridor is too narrow for a mat to lie down.  I'm told it's fine though, I'm just a wuss.

This thread may give you some ideas too.

[Stubbs]

7+8 is probably the best guidebook out there, buying it should act as a source of inspiration, and if you are already climbing 7A's there's plenty in there for you to go at.  The filled and hollow star system is also a great way to go to new crags to try problems that you probably wouldn't have checked out otherwise.

[SteG]

  what stubbs said

I'd thoroughly recommend La Joker at Cuvier if you haven't already done it, or the direct start to Duroxmanie on the way up to Rempart at a borderline 7a/7a+ if you're heading that way to look at Noir Desire

[lukeyboy]

what stubbs said

I'd thoroughly recommend La Joker at Cuvier if you haven't already done it, or the direct start to Duroxmanie on the way up to Rempart at a borderline 7a/7a+ if you're heading that way to look at Noir Desire

I had a quick go on duroxmanie last trip on the last day, I'd like to do this but my skin was too thin to achieve much. I'll definitely go back to it. I've tried La Joker and found it completely desperate. Might have had duff beta, but I thought it had a rep for being pretty solid at 7a. Thanks for the recommendations.

[lukeyboy]

I'd love to get a copy of 7+8 but it really is pushing my budget at the moment, maybe if I get a new job or a lot stronger 

[Jim]

ignore SteG's post. the only good prob there is noir desire which is no push-over.

[lukeyboy]

ignore SteG's post. the only good prob there is noir desire which is no push-over.

The only good problem in his post or on my list? Or at rempart..?!

[Jim]

la joker and deroxamie direct are both well hard and not particulary pleasant

[SteG]

interesting  I find both reasonable but very solid 7a's but then I generally prefer crimpy wall climbs over compression style stuff. I had a quick play on Noir Desire with tanners last xmas and I was utterly shit on it while he cruised it. Also enjoyed La Baleine as Petis Bois but it doesn't quite fullfill landing creiteria, it's OK but not 5*

[lukeyboy]

Also enjoyed La Baleine as Petis Bois but it doesn't quite fullfill landing creiteria, it's OK but not 5*

Ok is ok, just not shit 

[Richie Crouch]

- Festin de Pierre
- Attention Chef
- Onde de Choc
- Rubis sur ongle
- Arabesque
- Aerodynamite

All worth doing I reckon

[lukeyboy]

Thanks a lot for the recommendations Richie. I've had a quick bleau.info of those and I reckon nearly all of them look excellent. Arabesque looks a bit on the thrutchy side but keen to have a look.

[dave]

Joker at cuvier is chipped garbage - AVOID.

[benpritch]

Joker at cuvier is chipped garbage - AVOID.

is anything at cuvier not chipped?

[highrepute]

Not very interested in traversing or bad landings.

Impasse du Hazard 7a+ (cuisiniere)

You may not like that one, but have a look.  It's in a corridor which can be off putting.
What sort of stuff do you want to do/ avoid?

I thought it was pretty safe, you don't really fall off it you put a foot on the wall behind you. which, infact, for me was the crux. if you're short(ish) this is a lot easier. Corridor was wide enough for a mat folded up the opposite wall which worked fine for us.

Gargantoit was my fav problem on our last trip, well worth seeking out imho.

[lukeyboy]

Thanks for that. Gargantoit does look really good, the only thing putting me off was that it's in the middle of nowhere on it's own (at least I seem to remember so) which would mean a special trip here to try just one problem. I guess that's kind of the case for other projects, but at least there's some stuff to warm up on (+ for the gf) and other probs to try if it's not good/too hard/out of condition etc etc. Anyone got any thoughts on this? Does it actually take long to get there and find it? Might save it for a longer trip.

[Baldy]

I rate Holey Moley (cuvier) quite highly at hard 7a with slopers and strong lockoffs...http://bleau.info/cuvier/200.html
Retrofriction at Cuisiniere was funky too. 7a again...http://bleau.info/cuisiniere/9531.html
I rememember enjoying Laser but it is apparently a little easier than you asked for...http://bleau.info/rempart/305.html

[Jim]

gargantoit is certainly worth going to do, there are other problems by it.
Also any of the 3 sit starts to gargantoit are also very good at 7b+ each

[Eddies]

Cortomaltès - Bas Cuvier 

[lagerstarfish]

Tarpé Diem at Appremont.

The ground used to be higher under this problem (was a naturally occuring lump), but I'm sure I had to do a move and some foot jiggery to get to the posiution that Neil starts from in the bleau.com vid - can't quite remember though 

[Jim]

cortomaltes - log
tarpe diem - morpho