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New child friendly crags in Font with grades 5-8! (Read 27173 times)

fried

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Bois rond dries slowly so is a good choice if it's warm (possible in March), if it's damp simply cross the road to the quick drying canche aux merciers. I wouldn't recommend Drei zinnen to anyone with a push chair (or anyone at all really!).

Beauvais Telegraph always goes down well with mixed groups and kids.

Nigel Poustie

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I've been it Bois Rond and I thought it was the worst area I've been too! There isn't enough to go at if your opperating in the 7s and above. Your right though it would be good with kids.

Anyone been to Montrouget there is a awesome looking 7c roof crack there and looks like a short walk-in.

fried

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Roche qui torne  and Montignotte are even closer to the car, although the parking is an adventure. Looks like some good highball slabs (too hard for me).

You're right taht there's not much in the 7's at Bois Rond, but it's easy to keep the kids encircled :yes:

Andy B

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Montrouget would be a mission with a pram, and there's not stacks there. The 7c roof crack (Zone Interdit) was wet when we were there but didn't look amazing in the flesh.

I would recommend Roche aux Oiseaux as an easy access, compact area with open flat spaces to play in and a good range of quality problems. Maybe also Apremont Bizons if you have slightly older kids, easy access for most things, and reasonable range of problems and a good kids circuit. Rocher Fin is a long but mostly flat walk in on big tracks and once you're there it has a good open central sandpit to play in and, again, quite a few excellent problems. We've been there with young kids.

dave

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Good call on Oiseaux, I forgot I'd been there with minidave, no bother.

fried

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Quiet too, even when the crappy, polished Sabots is full of Belgians!

Nigel Poustie

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from maps on bleau.info it looks like a fair walk in to Roche aux Oiseaux compared to Sabots?
Prams aren't a issue, we use slings. A short walk-in and concentrated once your there is the critria.

Would Roche qui Tourne any good then, Pagota 8a looks good and very do-able? All the areas here abouts look very close to the main path which is good.
« Last Edit: February 28, 2012, 08:39:15 am by Nigel Poustie »

Bonjoy

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I haven’t been but I suspect Rocher Greau might meet those criteria. Certainly looks to have some good harder things in a compact area close to parking.

Andy B

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The main area at Rocher Qui Tourne is in an old quarry amongst rubble slopes. I didn't think there was masses of quality there, but a few good problems. When we were there (October) the walk had increased as they had barriered the road at the parking for the next area down (Gorge a Veron I think). Pagota is pretty much on its own about 10-15 minutes walk up hill from the main area.

The Oiseaux walk in is about 5 minutes on the flat.

Bonjoy's right about Rocher Greau.

fatdoc

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The Alien roof is about a ten min walk in along a decent (strurdy pushchairable) track. Nothing really there below 7a+, but JA Martin itself is pretty child friendly if mostly a bit dull.

Buthiers is a good bet, all areas close to the car, mostly with a flat approach and loads of brilliant probs of all grades (the best stuff tends to be high).

Petit Bois is a good choice. Compact flat based crag, close to car, good mix of grades inc some classic harder things.

I agree.

Merciers is a family fav! Just have an easy day on the reds.
Buthiers is ideal, but keep them away from the road.
Most of the stuff in vallee de mee is Ok
You will have to at least let them play at elephant.

fried

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Worth repeating that for Roche qui torne/ Montignotte etc, the parking is still as for gorge à Veron. It is incorrectly marked on google.maps and hence bleau.info. The parking is at the end of chemin de la gorge bois feuille, so just continue straight on from the parking (or take the very pretty back way in). This will save hours wandering about lost!
« Last Edit: February 28, 2012, 05:16:01 pm by fried »

joeb

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Rocher greau also has a play park where you park. Its worth noting that as a venue it gets very little sun and can be freeeezing.

T_B

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I wouldn't recommend Drei zinnen to anyone with a push chair (or anyone at all really!).

Resurrecting this thread as just back from Font and remembered this comment. I'd previously avoided Drei Zinnen because of the noise (motorway) and what looked like few inspiring 7s, but we had a good day there.

There is a really good lowball blue circuit, it's excellent for little kids (some good flat spots), has a v short walk in and does actually have some decent 7a-7c problems.

fried

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I have to confess that I've only been there on damp days when I all I can hear is the motorway (anyone that complains about the noise at Canche should pay a visit), the ambience of the place doesn't inspire me, (what does when it's damp).

I'll visit again when it's more clement.

T_B

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Thread resurrection!

Any new comments on quieter venues? Going at Easter with a 5yr old, 3yr old and psyched wife. She wants to try something at Apremont Envers.

Also, any top tips on kids stuff for parent looking after them? Best kids circuits (they both like climbing), playgrounds (I only know the one at Rocher Greau), swimming pools?

dave

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Last time with the kids we went to the following:

Apremont Bizons - the flat on the right of the path bit before you get to the main bit has a good kids circuit, nice spot but not much for adults. You could always nip up the hill to Shoot etc. Lack of adults stuff means not liekly to get super busy, despite short walk-in.

Sabots - really good kids circuit, plenty of stuff for adults. Can get busy.

Elephant - decent kids circuit in the area just before you get to the main elephant boulder. Obvs main area can be busy but the kids bit is out of the way a bit.

JA Martin - this was a surprise to me, really great kids circuit close to the parking at JA Martin, before you get into the main huge sprawling part of the area. Nice ambience, seemed a bit quieter than the other areas. Also some adult circuit stuff, nothing hard but enough for a potter around.

Think there's one or two kids circuits at Rocher Canon, I'll probably go there this time. Supposed to be good kids stuff at Beauvais too. Also I think there's one at Mont Ussy or Rocher de Hercules, one of those small areas near Font town.

T_B

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JA Martin - this was a surprise to me, really great kids circuit close to the parking at JA Martin, before you get into the main huge sprawling part of the area. Nice ambience, seemed a bit quieter than the other areas. Also some adult circuit stuff, nothing hard but enough for a potter around.

Good knowledge. Super short walk in plus sand pit action near the parking. Oh, and a certain 7B+ arete with left hand crimp for me to 'finish off'.

Think there's one or two kids circuits at Rocher Canon, I'll probably go there this time. Supposed to be good kids stuff at Beauvais too. Also I think there's one at Mont Ussy or Rocher de Hercules, one of those small areas near Font town.

Yeah Canon is v child friendly but not much for Dad's? Went to Beauvais when Leo was 1. It's kid friendly and there's another similarly named nemesis for me to 'finish off'.

dave

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Should be plenty of stuff at Canon - 36.15 power, chasseur sitter, the Mare stuff, Nuts, Baleine, Orca, etc etc.

lagerstarfish

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Also, any top tips on kids stuff for parent looking after them?

Parc Animalier de l'Emprunt at Souppes-sur-Loing

http://www.ccgvl77.fr/Parc-animalier-de-l-Emprunt-a.html

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g1945706-d6561564-Reviews-Parc_Animalier_de_l_Emprunt-Souppes_sur_Loing_Seine_et_Marne_Ile_de_France.html

get to see wild boar and deer up close

rabbits and goats wandering around all over the place

playground, cafe

don't think it was much money to get in (a few years since I last went)

usual ethical issues about cheap animal attractions abroad
« Last Edit: March 01, 2016, 11:22:55 am by lagerstarfish »

T_B

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C'est parfait!

SA Chris

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Good shout, added to the list!

duncan

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The lad (4) enjoyed the Sabots children's circuit but had at least as much fun just following his dad around the main area and climbing any lump of rock that took his fancy.

Swimming in the Loing river at Grez is lovely in summer (but possibly not Easter...). We thought the narrow gauge train near Grez was great but it might be a little boy's thing.

Off again in May, so keep the suggestions coming.

cofe

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We thought the narrow gauge train near Grez was great but it might be a little boy's thing.

Like the sound of that. The kids might do too.

lagerstarfish

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weirdest thing we experienced was a travelling shark show that was parked in a supermarket car park (near Nemours, I think?)

big trailers with tanks full of live sharks and recorded commentary blasting over the sound system 

proper Victorian vibe

T_B

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Bring. It. On. I might not even bother climbing.  ;D

Any indoor wet weather option knowledge? Ours are still of a indoor play age...

 

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