[Wellsy]

BID and I are planning a font trip for roughly 22nd April to the 3rd of May (yes around Easter we know but it's the tes we can do).

We'll be driving and we don't mind camping or staying in a hostel, but we've never been and we were wondering if anyone has any advice for good places to stay? Ideally would be nice to stay in climber-y places where we can meet people and chat etc.

Any font advice and tips also welcome thanks all!

[cheque]

Any font advice and tips also welcome thanks all!

Don’t wear all your skin off on the first day.

Balance days where you throw yourself at named, aspirationally-graded problems with days where you do easier circuits, ie. circuits with a grade range where each one will theoretically take you 1-3 tries so you can complete the lot. Obviously you want to come back having done something a bit famous/ impressive but really circuits are the best bit. It’s like crazy golf.

Don’t feel bad if you get shut down on 4+ slabs.

[lagerstarfish]

Any font advice and tips also welcome thanks all!

If I could lend you my tips, I would

[edshakey]

Don’t feel bad if you get shut down on 4+ slabs.

This is v important. You will get shut down on 4+ slabs - it's an integral part of the font experience 

Check out the town itself if you can, pretty nice place with a good range of cafes and restaurants. The chateau grounds are cool too. Makes for a good rest day.

La musardiere (sp?) campsite is popular with climbers, and others, and is very well located for Trois Pignons area - i've stayed twice without a car and there is loaaaads within an hours walk. If you've got a car, this is obviously a bit less important. Facilities are decent, including a pool, a bar serving pizza some nights, and a patisserie visits some mornings with pastries and bread. I've only been in summer but pretty sure it's all the same at easter. Not stayed anywhere else so can't really compare.

It's also relatively easy to camp for free if you don't have a car to get in the gate and are tight on money. Shhhh who said that

If you've got a van, don't try to camp in the car parks of the crags, you'll be found out and moved on pretty quick by some no nonsense rangers, hearing stories of it makes it sound extremely not worth it.

[deacon]

What happened to maisonbleau & Neil? This was always a good, straightforward solution for a place to stay in font. Is there a similar alternative, there are gites everywhere but his was always well priced?

The van parking thing is the same as the peak. Don't park In obvious place (like under the fucking tor), just go for a little five minute drive away from the bouldering sector's and you'll find loads of hassle free
Sleeping spots.

[lukeyboy]

Make sure you visit the patisserie every morning and try all of the different pastries

[cheque]

What happened to maisonbleau & Neil?

This.

Don’t feel bad if you get shut down on 4+ slabs.

This is v important. You will get shut down on 4+ slabs - it's an integral part of the font experience 

Yeah I was going to put “will” instead of “if” but didn’t want to sound mean. 100% agree that it’s part of the experience.

[deacon]

Oh yeah, forgot about that.
Hope he's doing alright these days. He's a good bloke. 👍

[Bradders]

He's now behind Alien Holds.

https://www.alienholds.com/

[Wellsy]

I am pretty used to getting shut down on 4+ slabs!

La musardiere sounds like it's worth looking into at the very least

[tim palmer]

I have always thought musardiere was very expensive for what it is, i think a Gite is preferable and not much more expensive if you arent in a van.

[sheavi]

For camping I've liked this place in Font. 

https://www.aquadis-loisirs.com/en/nature-campsite/camping-les-pres-fontainebleau

[teestub]

Second Les Pres, lovely spot, weekly (?) pizza van and a bakery you can walk to.

[duncan]

I’ve stayed at Les Pres and also Les Courtilles du Lido. Both cheaper than La Musardière. They are family orientated places but have always had a scattering of climbers too. You’ll need a car to get to the climbing from both. Les Courtilles has a small pool and the town, Moret-sur-Loing, has supermarkets and is on the train line into Paris if you fancy a day in the city. The immediate area around Les Pres is more attractive.

I’d look at gîtes too, although these tend become competitive when you are a larger group.

Not much to say about the climbing, it’s both wonderful and humbling.

[devonshirepiemuncher]

Second Les Pres, lovely spot, weekly (?) pizza van and a bakery you can walk to.

Yeah great campsite, my favorite

It is a bit further away from many of the popular crags in the troi pignons  area but damejoanne  and l'elephant are close if i remember right

[CrimpyMcCrimpface]

We've just booked for the same dates, see you dans la foret.

Another recommendation for Camping Les Prés - Aquadis Loisirs if you're camping. I stayed there about 12 years ago and it was very friendly with other groups of climbers. Recently we've been staying in AirBnbs which has been worth the price for not transporting stoves and floor sleeping.

Get used to bellyflop swimming topouts, prep your triceps.
Pace yourself, go easy on your tips.
Get in the habit of cleaning boots before pulling on (if not already) bc sand.
Be outclimbed by entire youth groups half your age.
Train to Paris on your day off.
Watch every possible video of font and get yourself so excited you cant sleep until you go
Hmu if you want to meet some more brits at one of the venues
Enjoy the pilgrimage!

[i.munro]

Get in the habit of cleaning boots before pulling on (if not already) bc sand.

This one cannot be emphasised enough - chunk of carpet/door mat is really useful.

[Wellsy]

Les Pres does look pretty good! I think there's a bunch of solid options but I'll explore that first

@crimpy yeah would be cool to see you there! Techy bullshit and swimming tops, I know someone will be in love with the sound of that, it might not be me though :D

[BID]

Ahhh I sensed my name being called.
I'm of the opinion that I'm going to have a fine time and not get shut down. Pointless technical slabs is my church.
I will report back humbly in about 3 months time having been slapped about.

Thanks everyone!

Rob

[Eddies]

Plenty of press-up training before you go, to limit the debilitating 'Font elbow'

[mrjonathanr]

Pointless technical slabs is my church.
I will report back humbly in about 3 months time having been slapped about.

Stalingrad would be a good place to start (in Cuvier, not Russia) https://bleau.info/cuvier/2005.html

[BID]

Pointless technical slabs is my church.
I will report back humbly in about 3 months time having been slapped about.

Stalingrad would be a good place to start (in Cuvier, not Russia) https://bleau.info/cuvier/2005.html

Amazing. Wells will hate it. Thanks boss man.

[Will Hunt]

If you want your skin to last a week then walk away from anything sharp. Beware les gratons.

I've had a lot of fun with this list:
https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,26843.msg546205.html#msg546205

[i.munro]

Select your destination depending on the conditions not a list of problems.
Look at the weather, wind direction then choose accordingly. If it's cold then somewhere that catches the sun if it's hot the somewhere with lots of trees exposed to a breeze.

[remus]

Great advice from everyone so far. Font is an amazing place and you'll struggle not to have an amazing time!

I'd add that it can be great fun to just go exploring in the forest with a pad, shoes and chalk. Leave the guide at home (maybe take a pic of the map so you can get back to the car!) and just get on stuff that catches your eye.