[James Malloch]

Does the french alps always have a shite forecast? Or are the daily thunderstorms just possible ones?

The forecasts seem to be really variable day to day (looking at Briancon, Orpierre, Ailefroid etc.) which is making planning where to go next hard.

We’d like to find some sport climbing in France with a range of 6’s and 7’s where we can find some shade. Currently getting fried in Spain.

Some of the Italian crags look okay, but ideally we would stop in France for a while first.

There’s places like St Leger north wall,  but Zora would run of of things to do within a day or two. A lot of the south France crags seem to be pretty sunny or real hard…

[Ged]

Vallouise are for sure. And also rue des masques. Plenty of shade and high up, and proper quality in the 6s. Especially rue des masque.

This is one of the best 6c you'll ever do... https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/falaise_de_fessourier-12404/oz-183089
With lots of good 7b and 7c next to it.

[Fultonius]

This is good for getting a general feeling about any confidence levels and how the "models" (windy etc.) correlate to what the local weather experts feel is actually going to happen.

https://chamonix-meteo.com/chamonix-mont-blanc/weather/forecast/morning/5_days_weather_forecast.php

[petejh]

We’d like to find some sport climbing in France with a range of 6’s and 7’s where we can find some shade. Currently getting fried in Spain.

Can't recommend Le Boffi highly enough. Mix of sun/shade, very good 6s and 7s. 30 min walk is mostly flat from memory. Plus there's Tarn and Jonte nearby.
https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/destinations/le_boffi-1329

[spidermonkey09]

 There is a reason Ceuse gets so busy in the summer months, it's because there's no shade anywhere else!

As per Geds advice though, go to Rue de Masque and Mont Dauphin near Briancon.

[Wood FT]

We’d like to find some sport climbing in France with a range of 6’s and 7’s where we can find some shade. Currently getting fried in Spain.

Very cool spot for the Vultures too. Lots of long and decent 6s.

Can't recommend Le Boffi highly enough. Mix of sun/shade, very good 6s and 7s. 30 min walk is mostly flat from memory. Plus there's Tarn and Jonte nearby.
https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/destinations/le_boffi-1329

[petejh]

Those vultures! Incredible. Will never forget the last pitch of Le Reverend and looking down to see a gigantic wingspan floating past a few metres below.

[Paul B]

I've had them pass so close in the Verdon that I went out and spent far more than I could afford at the time on a lens and then spent most of my rest days taking photos.

I got a slight fright topping out on the Duc to find one sat on the block which hosted the chains too. I also managed to mantel onto a ledge where one was nesting in Riglos a few years ago (quite pumped). Turns out they hiss like swans and I had to basically take a lob to get out of there. Fun times?

[James Malloch]

Vallouise are for sure. And also rue des masques. Plenty of shade and high up, and proper quality in the 6s. Especially rue des masque.

This is one of the best 6c you'll ever do... https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/falaise_de_fessourier-12404/oz-183089
With lots of good 7b and 7c next to it.

Looks great, and we’ve got the guide too. Thanks!

Weather is a bit hit on the forecasts and miss though a friend lives in Briancon and says the weather is generally good despite forecasts (which is what led to my confusion about forecasts!).

Hopefully get there in the next 2-3 weeks.

[James Malloch]

We’d like to find some sport climbing in France with a range of 6’s and 7’s where we can find some shade. Currently getting fried in Spain.

Very cool spot for the Vultures too. Lots of long and decent 6s.

Can't recommend Le Boffi highly enough. Mix of sun/shade, very good 6s and 7s. 30 min walk is mostly flat from memory. Plus there's Tarn and Jonte nearby.
https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/destinations/le_boffi-1329

I’ll have another look at Le Boffi, thanks! I’d put a cross next to it for some reason when looking at it last week, but I can’t remember why.

Looking back it seems awesome!

[James Malloch]

This is good for getting a general feeling about any confidence levels and how the "models" (windy etc.) correlate to what the local weather experts feel is actually going to happen.

https://chamonix-meteo.com/chamonix-mont-blanc/weather/forecast/morning/5_days_weather_forecast.php

That’s super useful; thanks.
Much better than the Google search!

[AJM]

We’d like to find some sport climbing in France with a range of 6’s and 7’s where we can find some shade. Currently getting fried in Spain.

Very cool spot for the Vultures too. Lots of long and decent 6s.

Can't recommend Le Boffi highly enough. Mix of sun/shade, very good 6s and 7s. 30 min walk is mostly flat from memory. Plus there's Tarn and Jonte nearby.
https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/destinations/le_boffi-1329

I’ll have another look at Le Boffi, thanks! I’d put a cross next to it for some reason when looking at it last week, but I can’t remember why.

Looking back it seems awesome!

Caterpillars? I thought it had problems a few years back.

[James Malloch]

We’d like to find some sport climbing in France with a range of 6’s and 7’s where we can find some shade. Currently getting fried in Spain.

Very cool spot for the Vultures too. Lots of long and decent 6s.

Can't recommend Le Boffi highly enough. Mix of sun/shade, very good 6s and 7s. 30 min walk is mostly flat from memory. Plus there's Tarn and Jonte nearby.
https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/destinations/le_boffi-1329

I’ll have another look at Le Boffi, thanks! I’d put a cross next to it for some reason when looking at it last week, but I can’t remember why.

Looking back it seems awesome!

Caterpillars? I thought it had problems a few years back.

It could be that. It’s very close to GdT and GdJ which have both had big problems. It might have been mentioned on one of the articles I read.

We’ve Enden up coming to Mouriès as it was kind of on route to lots of places and has lots of shade. But if time here and whilst working out where to go - just needed to get somewhere a bit cooler really.

And fuck me it seems hard. A lot of the routes seem to have been out up in the 80/90’s - maybe while the Buoux craze was going on?

Tried a 7a today and couldn’t even manage half the moves on it. Only logs on UKC are did not finish. Seems to be similar with a lot of routes… Crazy bolting too! Going to a different sector tomorrow to see what it’s like.

[Paul B]

Personally I think that old skool venues aside, French grades (in France) are tougher than Spanish grades on the whole.

[James Malloch]

Personally I think that old skool venues aside, French grades (in France) are tougher than Spanish grades on the whole.

Yeah I’d agree with that. This place seems like another level though haha! Though I’ll see how tomorrow goes…

[James Malloch]

Personally I think that old skool venues aside, French grades (in France) are tougher than Spanish grades on the whole.

Yeah I’d agree with that. This place seems like another level though haha! Though I’ll see how tomorrow goes…

The next days went better though we only climbed up to 6c. Grades felt in the right kind of region, but harder than Margalef for sure!

We’re finally just heading to Ceuse though. Weather looks a bit more iffy but it seems to change so much day to day. Hoping to ride out this heatwave and then maybe head back to a few places…