[Mr.Burns]

Anyone been there? it looks waddage!!!

Where can I get some info?

I've also not been to Font :cry:  is October a bad time to go?

[BoulderHog]

October's a great time to go to Font, November's wet usually. I've had 10 degrees crisp days in October, great for hard stuff, but it can get pretty hot as well.

But the best times I've had in font is just going there in summer and doing circuits everyday - you learn the style quickly and realise that just cos something gets 5a, doesn't mean it's easy. If you've never been then I suggest you go and enjoy the forest and the circuits for as long as you can, and just chill out there, get to know the place. Then go again a few months later and work hard things. Long live the Mecca

[mark]

Haven't been to Annot but would very much like to. It's on a hillside and have heard that the higher you go the better the rock. Lower down it's a bit soft and grains break off under hands and feet.  Looks lovely. Full details, including a full topo, are here: http://www.annotabloc.org/index.php

October's a fine time to go to Font. Any time is a good time to go to Font. Go to Font.

[dave]

isn't annot  supposed to be all manufactured shit?

[webbo]

my mate who lives in france has been to annot.he says a lot of the routes have drilled pockets. apparently there are routes which would be e10 and the like but are chipped and bolted down to f6b.

[Mr.Burns]

Cheers guys :up:


Think I will go to Font first

What do you think is the best area in Font?

[a dense loner]

mr burns how dare you ask such a question! the only place not to go is calvaire :D

[ian h]

my mate who lives in france has been to annot.he says a lot of the routes have drilled pockets. apparently there are routes which would be e10 and the like but are chipped and bolted down to f6b.

i rekon there is loads of unmanufactured stuff as well. i have not been there myself but have an issue of grimper with an annot feature in and from those pics the rock looks outstanding

but i do agree font has to be the first port of call

[Dave Flanagan]

Anyone been there? it looks waddage!!!

Where can I get some info?

I've also not been to Font :cry:  is October a bad time to go?

Was there in March this year and January the year before. The conditions where great both times. In January it was very cold with lots of snow on the road that leads to the higher boulders. In March the road was drivable but it did snow higher up a few times.

It is much smaller than Font but there are few very hard or very easy problems (loads in the 5/6/7 range). The rock is a slightly bigger grain than Font, a tiny bit sandy in places and never polished.

The bouldering is about 3 km up the road from the village but the routes are beside the village. Alot of the routes are manufactured but I don't think m/any of the problems are.

If you have any more questions PM me.

[BenF]

Just thought I'd resurrect this thread for a bit of further weather/season beta. 

Anyone been in February time?  And if so, what was the score with snowline etc?  Is it likely to be buried under snow?  Obviously no-one can know for sure (unless anyone has the holy grail of bouldering... the conditions crystal ball), but on average how low does the snow get in February time?

Even if you don't have a clue about Winter snow levels etc, feel free to pass on any opinions or thoughts on the place that would help decide whether to head there or not early next year.

Oh yeah, I've already read through the various threads in existence on UKB but am keen to hear any more recent musings and information.

Thanks.

[Andy W]

I went there a couple of years ago, I found a topo in the village. I thought it was a bit crap, however I don't think I saw the better stuff higher up the hill. I'd driven there from Font and stayed a day, before going to Escorial and Targassone in Spain, neither of which kept me for long before heading back to Font.

[i.munro]

Made a flying visit one day in mid  Nov, nice crisp day cold but sunny. I got the little "train des pignes" from Nice
which stops at the chuffin' area but there were some marked problems there as well.

From what I saw it looked like routes had been drilled on overhanging blank sections  but the routes that went
up elsewhere looked natural as far as I could see from the deck.

[Dave Flanagan]

As I said above was there in January and it was ok, there is a cheap hotel in the village that was 13 a head. Not much to do in the village though.
I think it is worth a visit, it has great views from the higher areas - something which Font really lacks. Unless you boulder below 5 or above 7 you will have plenty to go at for a few days.

[Serpico]

A lot of the routes are manufactured but the boulders are all natural. It snowed there a couple of weeks ago, but I've friends in Nice who go pretty well every weekend throughout the winter. They say there's now over 1200 problems there. I've been a couple of times for short visits and I'd say it's worth making the effort for.

[BenF]

Thanks for your rapid replies everyone.  Annot remains amongst the options being considered, despite the chance of being snowed under.  Obviously if we head there, its snow free and it's amazing, you'll see the photos.  Likewise, if we get there and its under ten foot of snow, you'll see the photos.

[fashionguru]

Are Ben,

We are like minded. Looked at this thread when I got back on Saturday and saw DF's post with regards the snow, now with the other post saying there is snow already as one of my friends had already told me I think we should talk about this between us all again, but if folks use it all winter long maybe just maybe...

Looks great and Topos online look interesting especially for someone like yourself, who likes running around like an idiot..

Speak soon

T

[BenF]

Hi Tony,

Yeah, I'm not sure at all about the snow thing, could be fine or could be utterly snowed under. 

Also, have you had a look at the topos for the area that other Owen was on about?  Mick knows where to find them if you fancy checking them out.  It looks like a good area, not disimilar to el Cogal in parts.  Anyway, we'll discuss further no doubt.

[Percy B]

The bouldering in Annot is great. The routes are pretty poor, and drilled to death. Routes were commisioned by the town mayor to attract climbers, so he paid someone to drill the cliff and create a load of crap routes. The bouldering is very good though. Some poor rock lower down the hill, but it gets better the further up you go. A lot of the new stuff is very good - as ever either ask a local where the good stuff is or go with someone who has been before. I've been twice, and will be back again next year. The place is awesome. A lot of high boulders, and more debilitating mantle top outs than Font by a long way! Should be an article in Climb about Annot in the near future, if they ever get round to publishing it. Could be snowy in winter though, but the sunny crags of Nice are close by so take a rope anyway as a back-up plan.

[fashionguru]

Hi Ben,

Found one Topo though not sure I was looking at the right thing.

This was a limestone crag that was like a wave at the bottom not diss to stuff you find out in Germany?

have you details of the stuff Owen and Mike are looking at?

T

[Richie Crouch]

Looks quality!:

http://www.rockclimber.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=9 - Small article with a topo link at the bottom of the page

May be the same one Tony came across 

[BenF]

have you details of the stuff Owen and Mike are looking at?

Owen found the topos on zebloc, I think the area is Charente. 

[fashionguru]

Cheers Ben,

Spoke with both mike and owen and also looked at the website and topos for owens dads place, where we are now going Ive been told.

Looks great and loads for all to do. The MUSHROOM bouldering just looks fab.

May see you this weekend if your over.

p.s get that ticket booked I want someone to run round doing all the mid grade problems with!!!!

T

[BenF]

p.s get that ticket booked I want someone to run round doing all the mid grade problems with!!!!

What you trying to say?    I always thought 6b+ was hardcore! 

[fashionguru]

Trying to say I want an idiot to run round and show me how to do all the 7a/b problems n then spot me on them.

Cheers T

[BenF]

I'll admit to the "idiot" bit.

[Percy B]

Try www.abloc.org for Annot beta.

[BenF]

Thanks for the link.  Appreciated, but it looks like we're going somewhere more esoteric.