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I remember being vaguely aware there was a lot there, but in 1996, coming from South Africa I knew very little. I picking up a friend in Paris on route to the south of France and they suggested stopping there for a day to check it out on the way, with the only info being that in the (frankly poor) David Jones "The Rock Climbing Guide to Europe". We parked up at the free campsite near Bas Cuvier and walked to BC along the forest road, and being blown away as we came over the hill by how much there was, and that that was just one area. We had no idea of circuits etc, we just climbed until our skin went and it got dark. I think we stuck with it for a week (in midsummer) before begrudgingly heading south to Ceuse to meet someone else..
 
BrutusTheBear said:
An alternative view. On your first visit.... all this advice will go out the window when you walk into your first area and observe the sea of boulders around you enticing you to climb them. You'll try to resist but you won't be able to. Be the child in a sweet shop, soak it all in and try everything. Patience and self preservation strategies can wait for future visits (you will go back). Get stuck in you will learn so much!

Another vote for this approach. Just get stuck in and learn all of the above the hard way. Apart from the doing loads of press ups before you go. Do that.
 
Do day one as an easy circuit ( I'd recommend the yellows at merciers ) it's a good way of getting your eye in.

Fuck camping, get on air BnB early and you'll find loads of cheap options, look to stay around milly / Arbonne or noisy sur ecole sort of area. Staying in a house you'll be climbing better and a lot less miserable if you get rained on.
 
Paris is great for rest days and clearly the food is really good… but it’s not easy if you’re vegetarian or even pescatarian. If you or any of your party is then I can totally recommend a restaurant called Maceo, I’ve been twice and it was brilliant both times. Food delicious, service very good and at both the booking and in the meal they were happy to speak English. Central Paris so can fit it in with the main touristy things, it’s just behind the Louvre.

https://www.maceorestaurant.com/

Tho this sort of thing might be a second and subsequent trip activity!
 
On the subject of food, if you go into any of the boulangeries (which you should) and your eye is caught by the chocolate-almond croissant pastry things, say hello to sugar-induced comas.

That being said, the coma is worth it.
 
Pub le Glasgow (https://www.facebook.com/Glasgowfontainebleau/) is a pretty fun place for few beers if you fancy an evening out. Nothing like a typical Glaswegian pub, for better or worse. :) A bottle of Belgian Chouffe is always recommended.

We always camp at the Camping Le Lido and think its great. Big plots, a bar for some food and beer in the evening, pool, supermarket nearby. But we tend to go in summer, rubbish for conditions but the wife wants to be warm, so comporises must be made. Maybe a gite would suite better at Easter.

As everyone else says enjoy yourself and don't fret about where to go too much. Brilliant problems and rock everywhere. In fact if you are going at Easter I would probably recommend avoiding the honeypots. They'll be busy.
 
Went for the first time in August 2000.. Didn't have a clue about conditions, projecting hard problems, lettice training plans, keto diets, tactics etc. etc. It was hot, like really hot, the whole time and I have 'ginger skin'. Naturally, we gravitated towards shady areas and problems. Climbed all day, every day. Purchased 'budgie smugglers' to allow access to the swimming pool, took us a while to work out why the board shorts weren't deemed acceptable. Met some great people, ate good food, drank good wine and had a brilliant time getting better at bouldering everyday. Went back that autumn, the following spring and so on for years until life/ responsibilities got in the way. Long overdue a return to the forest. :'(
 
Will Hunt said:
BrutusTheBear said:
took us a while to work out why the board shorts weren't deemed acceptable.

Out of interest, why aren't they?
Hygiene. Board shorts are likely to be worn for purposes other than swimming, Speedos aren't likely to have been used for anything other than swimming. This is pretty standard in French swimming pools, if you want to swim take your proper swimming togs.
 
seankenny said:
Paris is great for rest days and clearly the food is really good… but it’s not easy if you’re vegetarian or even pescatarian. If you or any of your party is then I can totally recommend a restaurant called Maceo, I’ve been twice and it was brilliant both times. Food delicious, service very good and at both the booking and in the meal they were happy to speak English. Central Paris so can fit it in with the main touristy things, it’s just behind the Louvre.

https://www.maceorestaurant.com/

Tho this sort of thing might be a second and subsequent trip activity!

It's fine so long as you go along with "pppff, lardons n'est pas viande!"
 
seankenny said:
Paris is great for rest days

We went into Paris as a group on my first trip but ended up doing so much walking to visit all the sites it definitely didn't count as a rest day!
 
Bradders said:
seankenny said:
Paris is great for rest days

We went into Paris as a group on my first trip but ended up doing so much walking to visit all the sites it definitely didn't count as a rest day!

You’ve got to sit in a café looking moody for a few hours. I take along a black polo neck. It seems to help.
 
Half thinking of a trip around Easter time too. On a scale of "tolerable" to "I'd rather go to Scotland peak midge season" just how busy can it get over Easter weekend itself?
 
Choose venues well, avoid honeypots and I've found it fine. Anything that involves a walk of 20 mins or more will be quiet.
 


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