[MischaHY]

I'll be knocking around Tarn the next few weeks and hoping for some recommendations. It's my first time there so everything is new. 

Ideally long/pumpy/steepish/good holds 7c+ to 8b+ 

Thanks in advance for the psyche!

p.s. any van beta also highly valued.

[Ed booth]

It’s all ace , but for that description all of the stuff at Tennessee sector would do nicely .

[jwi]

Yeah, Tennessee wall is the greatest. I am not aware of any great 8b+ in the style you mention, but Tennessee is probably as hard as many 8b+ in other places.

I have not been there for many years, but I doubt the police are checking for vans this late in the year. If they do, drive up on the rim between the Tarn and the Jonte.

Enjoy!

[Wood FT]

DM'd you a van spot.

Nothing to add from posts above aside from making sure you get on Planete Groove down in the gorge to the left and also check out Le Grand Toit (Little Big Boss, 8a) as it's not in the guide but highly regarded.

Enjoy, my favourite climbing spot. The bolting is similar to the Jura.

[MischaHY]

DM'd you a van spot.

Nothing to add from posts above aside from making sure you get on Planete Groove down in the gorge to the left and also check out Le Grand Toit (Little Big Boss, 8a) as it's not in the guide but highly regarded.

Enjoy, my favourite climbing spot. The bolting is similar to the Jura.

Ah nice one, although nothing came through unfortunately! Could you try email instead?

Thanks for the recommendations folks, sounds ace. Getting some good psyche burning.

[jwi]

Le plaisir qui démonte is still the best endurance route I have done. Get to it! The bolting on the first pitch is a bit stupid though. The routes under the great roof stay dry in all weather.

The routes on Planète Causse and Oasif are good to get used to the style.

Les ailes du désir has to be the most onsight friendly 8a in all of France, so do Les nouvelles plantations du Christ first to get used to the situation.

[MischaHY]

Le plaisir qui démonte is still the best endurance route I have done. Get to it! The bolting on the first pitch is a bit stupid though. The routes under the great roof stay dry in all weather.

The routes on Planète Causse and Oasif are good to get used to the style.

Les ailes du désir has to be the most onsight friendly 8a in all of France, so do Les nouvelles plantations du Christ first to get used to the situation.

Nice!! All looks mint. Proper psyched.

[duncan]

Le plaisir qui démonte is still the best endurance route I have done. Get to it! The bolting on the first pitch is a bit stupid though.

I found this hard and scary. But good.

 

Is the Tarn worth a visit if you're an up to 7b punter?

[jwi]

Is the Tarn worth a visit if you're an up to 7b punter?

Most definitely. There are many brilliant long pitches from 6b and up.

I also refer to my comments on the "extension"

[AJM]

Is the Tarn worth a visit if you're an up to 7b punter?

The Jonte next door could provide some good adventurous fun even if the Tarn doesn't suit...

[T_B]

It’s pretty limited below mid 6s but loads of easy 7s so long as you’re there in the autumn rather than late summer. IIRC a lot of the choice looking 7a - 7bs are S facing. Probably the sport venue I’d most like to return to. Beautiful valley and an easy drive from Font (if you’re breaking the journey there).

[MischaHY]

Is the Tarn worth a visit if you're an up to 7b punter?

The Jonte next door could provide some good adventurous fun even if the Tarn doesn't suit...

What's the score with this? Is it traddy? Should I have the rack?

[hongkongstuey]

very steepish and not particularly good holds - but a good excuse to dig out on old pic of Ru on La Spectre de Lottokar

[jwi]

Is the Tarn worth a visit if you're an up to 7b punter?

The Jonte next door could provide some good adventurous fun even if the Tarn doesn't suit...

What's the score with this? Is it traddy? Should I have the rack?

I don't think you need a rack. But I've only done two routes there, so what do I know.

I am not sure I would bother, the rock in Tarn is better.

[AJM]

Is the Tarn worth a visit if you're an up to 7b punter?

The Jonte next door could provide some good adventurous fun even if the Tarn doesn't suit...

What's the score with this? Is it traddy? Should I have the rack?

I think there is some stuff there that's trad. I think I remember Adrian raving about something he'd done there, about E5, that it sounded like he had had to take a full rack on.

I've done a few of the easier multipitches which have been good but I don't think they required trad gear.

Would love to go back and try some of the harder multipitch stuff.

[duncan]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Going via Font. does make it seem less onerous, probably not harder than north west Scotland from London.

[MischaHY]

Aye. I'm heading from Germany so only about 9hrs to drive.

[Paul B]

Is the Tarn worth a visit if you're an up to 7b punter?

Back in 2008 (before the bolt issues?) we visited as part of our euro-tour when Nat was climbing <7a (in France) and I don't remember her scratching around. She did horrify me by managing to fit two fingers into what for anyone else was a mono to the point where I expected a foot slip would mean a visit to the hospital.

Don't buy an inflatable boat as a cheap alternative to a kayak trip down the gorge. It doesn't end well  .

[petejh]

Jonte has a mix of multi pitch fully bolted and half/half bolt-trad. Good for an adventure or a change of scene. Still plenty of single pitch bolted too.

The best crag we visited for 7s when we went to Tarn wasn't in tarn, it was La Dourbie. Amazing crag. 30 min flat walk in from the plateau.

[abarro81]

Huh, some friends and I went to Dourbie/Boffi for a day many years back and we were a bit underwhelmed... with the exception of Tete de Gondole, which we didn't try but looks amazing. Maybe we were just having a grumpy day though!

[petejh]

 Sorry yes I meant Boffi. Dourbie being the area (I think?).