[James Malloch]

Also got an upcoming Font trip on the cards, anyone got any good Font video recommendations for some extra hype/inspiration? Not sure how many more times I can watch The Real Thing or that Shawn and Giuliano video

Nalle on a circuit 

[lagerstarfish]

Also got an upcoming Font trip on the cards, anyone got any good Font video recommendations for some extra hype/inspiration? Not sure how many more times I can watch The Real Thing or that Shawn and Giuliano video

Bleau

It's still good

[warmonke]

That's my evening sorted, cheers lads!

[sxrxg]

Another one for you

[UnkArl]

Thanks sxrxg and Bradders - exactly what I was after 

[James Malloch]

To anyone heading out soon, i saw an Instagram post today about the huge numbers of processionary caterpillars in Font at the moment.

They shed hairs which can give off rashes (i was covered in spots lt april from putting my top on the ground a presumably getting hairs on it).

They are super poisonous for dogs too, and not great for kids. So take extra care if you’ve got little ones!

[MischaHY]

To anyone heading out soon, i saw an Instagram post today about the huge numbers of processionary caterpillars in Font at the moment.

They shed hairs which can give off rashes (i was covered in spots lt april from putting my top on the ground a presumably getting hairs on it).

They are super poisonous for dogs too, and not great for kids. So take extra care if you’ve got little ones!

Can confirm we saw a ton of these knocking around. Thankfully our dog doesn't even pay attention to actual food most of the time.

[James Malloch]

To anyone heading out soon, i saw an Instagram post today about the huge numbers of processionary caterpillars in Font at the moment.

They shed hairs which can give off rashes (i was covered in spots lt april from putting my top on the ground a presumably getting hairs on it).

They are super poisonous for dogs too, and not great for kids. So take extra care if you’ve got little ones!

Can confirm we saw a ton of these knocking around. Thankfully our dog doesn't even pay attention to actual food most of the time.

It’s making me wonder whether to go elsewhere over the May bank holidays. Our dog is similar but some stories of friends racing to find emergency vets (after standing on them and licking their paw) make me quite averse to being around them…

[dunnyg]

Here is some nightmare material. Working  in Turkey, digging trenches, one person would be swinging a pick, and the other would be flicking the furry caterpillars off. Couldn't sit down all day for fear of them.

Couple of days later, climbing down some craggy limestone in the woods, I slipped and landed in a seething ball of them about 6 inches across. I've never moved so fast in my life.

Hate the little bastards, but they are all also pretty rad (when they aren't touching me!)

[MischaHY]

To anyone heading out soon, i saw an Instagram post today about the huge numbers of processionary caterpillars in Font at the moment.

They shed hairs which can give off rashes (i was covered in spots lt april from putting my top on the ground a presumably getting hairs on it).

They are super poisonous for dogs too, and not great for kids. So take extra care if you’ve got little ones!

Can confirm we saw a ton of these knocking around. Thankfully our dog doesn't even pay attention to actual food most of the time.

It’s making me wonder whether to go elsewhere over the May bank holidays. Our dog is similar but some stories of friends racing to find emergency vets (after standing on them and licking their paw) make me quite averse to being around them…

I think it'll be fine. I only saw them once in the main areas.

[SA Chris]

Also got an upcoming Font trip on the cards, anyone got any good Font video recommendations for some extra hype/inspiration? Not sure how many more times I can watch The Real Thing or that Shawn and Giuliano video

A classic

[Wellsy]

Currently two days into my first font trip. Only done chill circuits cos my god this is incredible. Just endless beautiful slabs, mantles, hops, slaps, crimps... amazing. Psyche for days and days.

[owensum]

Currently two days into my first font trip. Only done chill circuits cos my god this is incredible. Just endless beautiful slabs, mantles, hops, slaps, crimps... amazing. Psyche for days and days.

Nice, have fun, watch those elbows!

Just got back from two weeks in Font heaven. Highlights: blues at sabots & bois rond (couple of weird-hard 6A slabs in there), sky blue at rocher canon (at one point, a flock of 8 golden retrievers turned up, pure joy), caterpillar teams training over the rocks; saw Honnold at Isatis and later in the day met an old French couple who came over to chat with us, turned out to be Charles Albert's parents! (nice people)

Checked out the cavern of the brigands on a rest day hike around Apremont. Pretty cool, love checking out the quirky stuff in Font. If anyone's got any other quirky recs, Im all ears! Also did about a third of the mountain circuit at Cuisiniere. So much fun. Longer than I realized, I now know it's a 6km loop. Quite insane. Will def be back to finish this off. Need to get some cardio fitness.

Might not be new news (haven't been for a while) but saw that the tree behind La Mare got cut down! Massive improvement IMO.. one of my favorite 7Bs (and actually doable for the grade, feels easier than the nearby 7A Chassuer de Prises).

[SA Chris]

Nice, have fun, watch those elbows!

And manage that skin!

[Duncan campbell]

… sky blue at rocher canon …

Really nice circuit that isn’t it? Some brilliant arêtes in there especially the last one!

[owensum]

… sky blue at rocher canon …

Really nice circuit that isn’t it? Some brilliant arêtes in there especially the last one!

For sure, good mix of styles and quite a few steep lines in there. I also have a soft spot for Canon in general. Good texture, really feels like proper sandstone, and nowhere near as polished as Cuvier.

[SA Chris]

Canon is one of my favourites too. Also not many grattons.

[Wellsy]

Font elbow avoided, skin rather thin, Rasta 7A done(!). Made some good moves on Master of Puppets, definitely keen to get on it again

[James Malloch]

Does anyone know if the normal routes from calais to font are captured by the paris emissions zone or if this is something we need to worry about?

[Andy B]

The A/N104, that is worth using anyway, to avoid Parisian driving craziness, is not within the emissions zone.

[Tom de Gay]

The A86 ring road is excluded from the zone.

[James Malloch]

Thanks! Crossing the channel now and realised I’d read something about it recently - good to know, thanks.

[nik at work]

Wasn’t sure whether to resurrect or start a new thread but as Autumn Font trip season is pretty much upon us I thought it might be time to update the top tips…

I’m heading there for a few days, not been for several years.

Driving, do I need a crit d’aire to drive in France or is it only relevant if going in to cities/Paris? Does the Font approach go within Paris restricted area? I previously went the peripherique route, is “the other way” (N104??) the route of choice now?

Anything else significant likely to have changed in the last 5/6 years??

[spidermonkey09]

I haven't been for a while but the N104 round the eastern side of Paris is infinitely superior to the peripherique.

[JamieG]

Hi Nik,

We didn’t get a crit’air stick when we went in the summer as I’m pretty sure the outer route N104(?) I tend to use is outside the zone. But double check as I think they’re expanding the zones to both cover larger areas and include new towns.

Download the free Boolder App. It’s awesome! Check your roaming data allowance etc too. Easy to rinse through the ‘free’ data.

Buy lots of tasty croissants!

Jamie