Not getting stuff nicked in Font (Read 8353 times)

sidewinder · February 15, 2011, 06:47:09 pm

Going to Font for a week in March, staying in a gite and was thinking about maximising our stay by booking a formule one either in font or near Calais on the Saturday to let us climb on the Saturday and get the ferry on the Sunday.

However this leaves us with a bit of a problem of what to do with our worldly goods while climbing on the Saturday obviously leaving them in the car is a poor option in the area. Anyone got any ideas other than hiring a heavy to guard the car?

Thanks

lagerstarfish · February 15, 2011, 07:17:30 pm

Ask the people who manage your gite if you can leave your neatly packed bags with them during the day

tomtom · February 15, 2011, 07:20:33 pm

Less sensible than Lagers option, but equally viable, is ensure one of your party drinks way way too much on the last night, so has to slump in the car recovering all day

lagerstarfish · February 15, 2011, 07:28:57 pm

Quote from: tomtom on February 15, 2011, 07:20:33 pm

Less sensible than Lagers

not something that one hears very often

Obi-Wan is lost... · February 15, 2011, 09:05:09 pm

Don't take anything worth nicking, go to some esoteric area on Saturday with a short walk in or...
take a big dog

fatdoc · February 15, 2011, 09:32:03 pm

Quote from: sidewinder on February 15, 2011, 06:47:09 pm

Going to Font for a week in March, staying in a gite and was thinking about maximising our stay by booking a formule one either in font or near Calais on the Saturday to let us climb on the Saturday and get the ferry on the Sunday.

However this leaves us with a bit of a problem of what to do with our worldly goods while climbing on the Saturday obviously leaving them in the car is a poor option in the area. Anyone got any ideas other than hiring a heavy to guard the car?

Thanks

keep away from cuvier / cannon and take yr passports etc.. with you.

no worse than areas of the peak...

sidewinder · February 15, 2011, 10:31:14 pm

Leaving the bags in the gite is clearly the easiest option, however this is very owner dependent and as the last gite I stayed in charged us for using the bath mats they had put out on the floor of the bathroom I do not hold out much hope for the good will of French gite owners.

Good suggestion tomtom, it is only my gf and I so maybe I will try and work on her alcohol depency between now and then.

The esoteric area one is also a possibility although I am am probably too super wary to relax and do this. Not had the best experience in font, certainly in my experience worse than the Peak, one trip found someone going through our bags at the crag and a car break in on another trip, luckily they caused no damage and their was only a bag of food in the boot (what kind of thief steals an avacado, dried pasta and some croissants?). I therefore go for the parcel shelf off glovebox open approach. Reccomendations for the most esoteric venue (this could be a thread in itself?).

fatdoc · February 15, 2011, 11:05:43 pm

last day?

easy red day??

merciers...

off track?

guichot.. (sp.)

neil h · February 15, 2011, 11:17:08 pm

beware guichot guys, there have been loads of kids hanging round there on bmx's, last weekend the little fuckers keyed my car, every panel, full re spray needed

fried · February 16, 2011, 07:06:35 am

Get to Apremont early and park the car right in front of the café.

grumpycrumpy · February 16, 2011, 08:49:16 am

Just wear ALL your clothes and possessions until you get to your Gite ......

SA Chris · February 16, 2011, 09:09:04 am

Kill everyone?

Alternatively wire up a bomb to the car, so that if anyone tries to break in the car blows up.

Drewski Rootbitch · February 16, 2011, 09:19:45 am

You need a trunk monkey.

sidewinder · February 16, 2011, 06:04:33 pm

Good, so the current plan is to kill everyone, then leave my car in an esoteric area, that is not guichot, and have it guarded by a hungover monkeydog.

On a more serious note, does anyone have any dire warnings about the crimes levels at Buthiers or any other suggestions of safe(r) areas, we are thinking there might be good as the parking is next to the restaurant and visible from much of the bouldering.

SA Chris · February 16, 2011, 06:12:16 pm

I personally think parking at busy car parks is safer than parking at quiet out of the way ones. A constant coming and going of folk is more likely to deter potential thieves. If it's a Saturday most of the popular places will be busy. Get there early and park in the most obvious spot.

sidewinder · February 16, 2011, 08:37:51 pm

I wonder how much the ladies of Cuvier charge for car minding....

Stef · February 17, 2011, 03:12:16 pm

Gite owners shall always allow you to drop your bags, even grab the key for when you are back in the afternoon.
I actually do it even on the last day when leaving.
Too many car windows broken.
And guys, remember that if you have any worries with your owners, you have to report it to the Reservation Office. That's what a label stands for, and if there is a black sheep in the group, it has to be removed.

Paul B · February 17, 2011, 03:16:50 pm

Gite de France are wonderful though aren't they? follow the booking completely in English, pay your deposit then get sent a french email telling you what to do, another with a french contract, and a third; in French.

sidewinder · February 17, 2011, 03:31:37 pm

Quote from: Stef on February 17, 2011, 03:12:16 pm

Gite owners shall always allow you to drop your bags, even grab the key for when you are back in the afternoon.

I hope so, that is obviously the best idea, I went with a gite from the Gites de France Essone site this time.

I always find the system wierd, though so far efficient, it seems odd that you can book a gite and be so far removed from a person. Previously booked, gite 263 on the seine et marne site, near Barbizon. Didn't think much of it until, on following the directions you arrive at a locked automatic gate to a drive, going off into a wood with no house in sight. At that point the worry as to whether the gite existed was pretty high! Luckily it did though the owner spoke no english.

yorkshireman · February 17, 2011, 11:17:44 pm

if the main carpark at cuvier is busy(it will be on a saturday) its likely to be safer than leaving your car at one of the more wooded areas.ive never had problems at cuvier leaving all my kit on display

Paul B · February 18, 2011, 02:36:54 am

Quote from: yorkshireman on February 17, 2011, 11:17:44 pm

if the main carpark at cuvier is busy(it will be on a saturday) its likely to be safer than leaving your car at one of the more wooded areas.ive never had problems at cuvier leaving all my kit on display

I think you've been lucky.

lagerstarfish · February 18, 2011, 08:17:58 am

Quote from: Paul B on February 18, 2011, 02:36:54 am

Quote from: yorkshireman on February 17, 2011, 11:17:44 pm
if the main carpark at cuvier is busy(it will be on a saturday) its likely to be safer than leaving your car at one of the more wooded areas.ive never had problems at cuvier leaving all my kit on display

I think you've been lucky.

here speaks an expert on the subject of luck

SA Chris · February 18, 2011, 09:05:22 am

Quote from: yorkshireman on February 17, 2011, 11:17:44 pm

if the main carpark at cuvier is busy(it will be on a saturday) its likely to be safer than leaving your car at one of the more wooded areas.

As I said a few posts ago. Park right next to the snack van. On the East side of the road. The one on the west side is a lot more dodgy.

rodma · February 18, 2011, 03:35:56 pm

Quote from: SA Chris on February 18, 2011, 09:05:22 am

Quote from: yorkshireman on February 17, 2011, 11:17:44 pm
if the main carpark at cuvier is busy(it will be on a saturday) its likely to be safer than leaving your car at one of the more wooded areas.

As I said a few posts ago. Park right next to the snack van. On the East side of the road. The one on the west side is a lot more dodgy.

Wot snack van

SA Chris · February 18, 2011, 03:44:00 pm

Or is it an ice cream van? Not looked closely. Some sort of comestible supply vehicle anyhoo. Only been to Cuvier twice in the last 5 years, and it's been there both times. Guess it's not always there though

webbo · February 18, 2011, 04:00:10 pm

Would parking next to that guy selling stuff out of his van at Cuvier be fairly safe.That is unless he's selling stuff he's knicked out of cars that parked next to him.

lagerstarfish · February 18, 2011, 04:04:46 pm

Quote from: rodma on February 18, 2011, 03:35:56 pm

Quote from: SA Chris on February 18, 2011, 09:05:22 am
Quote from: yorkshireman on February 17, 2011, 11:17:44 pm
if the main carpark at cuvier is busy(it will be on a saturday) its likely to be safer than leaving your car at one of the more wooded areas.

As I said a few posts ago. Park right next to the snack van. On the East side of the road. The one on the west side is a lot more dodgy.

Wot snack van

It's a mobile GU clinic

tomtom · February 18, 2011, 04:19:21 pm

Maybe someone pinched his van?

fried · February 18, 2011, 04:19:59 pm

If the van's a rockin' don't go a knockin'.

rodma · February 21, 2011, 01:05:36 pm

Quote from: lagerstarfish on February 18, 2011, 04:04:46 pm

Quote from: rodma on February 18, 2011, 03:35:56 pm
Quote from: SA Chris on February 18, 2011, 09:05:22 am
Quote from: yorkshireman on February 17, 2011, 11:17:44 pm
if the main carpark at cuvier is busy(it will be on a saturday) its likely to be safer than leaving your car at one of the more wooded areas.

As I said a few posts ago. Park right next to the snack van. On the East side of the road. The one on the west side is a lot more dodgy.

Wot snack van

It's a mobile GU clinic

If that's the case, SAChris has a very particular taste in snacks $:-\$

SA Chris · February 21, 2011, 01:15:59 pm

I said snack, not snatch.

yorkshireman · February 25, 2011, 08:36:50 pm

Quote from: Paul B on February 18, 2011, 02:36:54 am

I think you've been lucky.

on about 10 occasions now then

slackline · February 26, 2011, 09:32:50 am

Quote from: Paul B on February 18, 2011, 02:36:54 am

I think ~~you~~I've been unlucky.

granticus · February 26, 2011, 12:06:41 pm

Wallet, passport, tickets and keys zipped (or velcro'ed) up in your crashpad, travel light in bouldering areas and move your stuff around with you (or leave it next to the recovering hungover/ injured / lazy person in your group).

If you have a car full of stuff and it's the weekend either go somewhere busy where there are likely to be people (not thieving types) around coming and going all day ie. Apremont, Sabots, Cuvier.. Or go somewhere really off the beaten track that thieves aren't likely to know about. Whilst the busier spots will be perfectly safe in the day time, don't stay at the crag too late, you may return to an empty car park and a smashed window, there maybe people waiting around later in the day for an opportunity or more likely a crew that scans round all the main carparks looking for an opportunity.