[dav]

Hi all.
Just hoping to get a bit of advice regarding Ceuse from people who have been. A couple of us are thinking of going to Ceuse from mid-june to end of july. But although it looks an amazing place, I've heard horror stories about how busy it can get, how you have to queue for routes and the crag can become over run. I'm hoping really if anyone who has been can share any advice regarding this? I can't tell if it's people just exaggerating or not, but I'd be pretty disappointed if we travelled that far only to find that you couldn't get on any of the routes you wanted to. I realise the more popular routes may be more busy like anywhere really, but just the general outlook of the crag I'm thinking about. Also if anyone has any advice of some great areas in any other parts of France for this time of year please let me know. We're looking for quite a range of grades, i.e low 6's to mid 8's.
Many thanks,
Dav. 

[slackline]

Also if anyone has any advice of some great areas in any other parts of France for this time of year please let me know. We're looking for quite a range of grades, i.e low 6's to mid 8's.

Verdon Gorge

[Doylo]

I haven't been for years but it could well be rammed then. Best bet for Cascade is an EARLY start. I used to get up at 6.30, its really nice walking up the hill when its cool, you beat the crowds and get much longer before the sun comes round. Apart from that the only way to beat the crowds is to be strategic about the time of year you go but obviously that's no good to you now.

[Oldmanmatt]

Ardeche.

So many crags within 15-20 minutes of each other, massive number of routes of all grades.
Lived there (well, when I wasn't at work) from '95-'00, never got too crowded.
was starting to get polished in a few spots, that may be worse now and I haven't been back since.

[robertostallioni]

was d-e-a-d a couple of years back. top class venues too.

[Doylo]

Ardeche.

So many crags within 15-20 minutes of each other, massive number of routes of all grades.
Lived there (well, when I wasn't at work) from '95-'00, never got too crowded.
was starting to get polished in a few spots, that may be worse now and I haven't been back since.

Ye but it's like comparing Horseshoe to Malham, nice place though for a chilled holiday

[Oldmanmatt]

Oh yes, best thing (for me) about the Ardeche, was always finding a shady crag (or sunny come winter). Lots of hill tops with shade and breeze or sleepy little canyons (these often threw up real gems if you took a slightly longer walk from the car park than the average punter..). We once stumbled on a cave, covered in Resistance Graffiti; looked like no one had been there since '45 ish (Brit army ration pack wrappers stuffed in cracks etc). Just noticed an overgrown path beside the start of a route. Two big campsites, in Vallon, used to have good facilities and there were crags in walking distance and good gear shops in town. Not close to the topo right now, but there was an excellent Lime boulder area close to Vallon, with loads of well marked circuits, for those rest days...
Oh yeah, you've got to canoe the george. The "Pont d' Arc" is something to see.

You know.

I think I know where I'm going this summer.

Health issues permitting.

[Oldmanmatt]

Off topic but...


scan0004 by oldmanmatt, on Flickr

Somewhere in the Ardeche '89/'90 ish.
Always spent a week there on the way back from wherever on the way to Font and home.
I remember the hair, I don't remember looking such a Poof...

[groovedog]

I've been a few times Aug 08, July 09, June 10, and I've never felt it especially rammed. I mean if someones on a route you want to try there's one next to it similar grade and quality thats free. I didn't do any RP ing on the first trip, and only a few things on the 2nd 3rd. Just left the drawers in and popped back and had a go or wait a few mins. I think it with it being a big crag it absorbs the numbers and with people just doing a morning session at cascade it whittles it down. Magic place though when it goes into the shade see the shadow of this behemoth of a crag across the valley.

Also worth a try in the summer Ecrins, maybe bit scrappy in comparison to ceuse but such varied rock in small area. Ailefrode is beautiful not far from Gap/ ceuse. Orpirerre is worth a few evenings. Theres meant to be a north facing wall at saint Leger thats meant to be really good. There seems to be a lot of people ticking stuff in le Tarn (was having a mooch out of interest on UKC) that time of year too??

[Paul B]

Ceuse can get fairly rammed, especially around the Chamonix stage of the world cup circuit. It seems all the wads turn up to get fit and then dissappear when the comp is on (less come back).

Getting up at 6.30 for Cascade as Doyle suggests is a good idea but if you climb here in the morning I'd doubt you'd get on any of the big name routes at Berlin by the time you're done. Pick and choose.

I also found it remarkable just how polished Cascade is becoming (given its not exactly roadside), its a tonne worse then when I first visited and Super Mickey is fairly horrendous to start these days.

You can always find a quiet sector if you wish, left of cascade there's actually some pretty darn good lower grade routes which weren't in my guide last time I visited. There's also a fair bit past Bibendum towards the Grand Face which is growing in popularity.

I wouldn't go to the Verdon in the summer, you'll get baked alive (even if Barrows does think the shade will be enough to save him, it won't).

Incidentally, I climbed at Ceuse in December one year. Instead of hiding from the sun you could follow it and I shared its entirety with around 6 people.

[abarro81]

http://guillaumelebret.blogspot.com/2011/08/king-lines-paradise.html
http://www.kairn.com/news_escalade_76334.ascension-9a-pour-seb-bouin-verdon.html
Look at the dates on them bitch (though I emailed the guy whose blog it is, so hopefully get some more info confirming if it's a usual occurrence or just on cold years. Will post up if he replies).

Ceuse: June/July should be mint, I was there all June last year and it was great temps and scene. Fair few people, but never issues with routes being too busy. By late July it will be getting busy, August can be rammed which makes for annoying queues on classics and no real scene in the campsite. In addition, June/early July is better anyway, as the sun is higher so there's more shade, and longer days - this becomes a real issue by late August as the afternoon sectors dont get in shade until about 4, and it's dark at 8/9.

Alternatives:
La Balme? Never been but people seem to get up hard stuff there in summer.
Pic st Loup? Again, never been, think there's not much there but apparently it's cold and what is there is good.
In my experience of Tarn it's hotter and more humid than Ceuse.
St Leger north wall is good, but again hotter than Ceuse. Could be ok if the temps are reasonably low, also the East face gets afternoon shade and is totally mint (again, only if temps are ok).

Dear lord I love France!!

[highrepute]

Ceuse: June/July should be mint, I was there all June last year and it was great temps and scene. Fair few people, but never issues with routes being too busy. By late July it will be getting busy, August can be rammed which makes for annoying queues on classics and no real scene in the campsite. In addition, June/early July is better anyway, as the sun is higher so there's more shade, and longer days - this becomes a real issue by late August as the afternoon sectors dont get in shade until about 4, and it's dark at 8/9.

BEst advice in this thread. August is when it get really busy. It should be ok in June/July.

Just have to start training for the walk in

[Pitcairn]

Ive been there 5 or 6 times since 1992, the last time being last summer in August.  It was absolutely horribly busy to the extent that we left and went to climb elsewhere.  Mid June to Mid July should be ok though and even though the Cascade is polished it is still awesome and there are still many new routes being put up on the sectors round towards the Grande Face.  Getting up at 6.30 for Cascade is a good plan but its easy to be swept into the campsite scene of staying up late, sleeping in late and heading to Berlin / Demi Lune.  There are some other pretty good venues within day-trip distance too.  Maybe not Ceuse class but certainly worth a trip for a change of scene.

My advice would be to go as the climbing is awesome.  If you dont like crowded places though you may well get pissed off in which case you should just head somewhere else.  Rive Gauche of Verdon (Bauchet for example) is good in the summer and not too hot in my experience.  Ardeche is ok too but a bit hot even in the shade.  Briancon and the Alps have some great crags aswell so theres lots of options but the rock at Ceuse is special.

[abarro81]

Rive Gauche of Verdon (Bauchet for example) is good in the summer and not too hot in my experience.

Did you find it ok in August? Paul's trying to scare me off...
The stuff I'm interested in for this year is on that side - Hulk, Ramirole, Bauchet, Galettas (if I can get info on it)

[AJM]

The stuff I'm interested in for this year is on that side - Hulk, Ramirole, Bauchet, Galettas (if I can get info on it)

If you want to borrow the guide that covers Bauchet (the Aiguines guide) give me a shout, have one from the prep for last years failed Verdon trip.

[dav]

Hey all just wanted to say thanks for your advice, definitely much appreciated. It does sound amazing going to check out when the chamonix comp is and see what we think.
Cheers,
Dav

[chris j]

Some great advice on here, answered many of the questions I had. I'm looking at heading down there first week in June with the missus to meet up with a couple of friends who are on a roadtrip. Has anyone got any recommendations for (reasonably civilised) gites for four people in the area? Have been looking on gites-de-france which has a fair choice for that week but I've never been to the area so haven't a clue what any of the villages are like.

Cheers

Chris