[shurt]

Just been on a a family holiday around Gorges de l'Averyon near a place called St Antonin Noble Val. The crags there looked incredible but it was very hot (prob not the time of year to go although lots is north facing). I've had a look on UKC and other places on web (article on Planet Fear etc) and it looks pretty good.
Wondered if anyone had done any climbing around there specifically around St Antonin town as a friend has a house out there? Was thinking it could work as a good place to take a trip to sometime. The crags look huge and really good.

[ian dunn]

Went there years ago, mid nineties climbing was fantastic at l'anglar and at other cliffs down the valley towards Montauban don't know what the current state of the bolts / routes / guidebook are but well worth a visit IMO climbed lots upto 8a+ really good climbing

[holgerman]

We stopped there about 4 years ago on our way to Spain and really enjoyed it. The village is nice and has a good market in the weekend.  Lots of the older climbs are getting a bit polished - like Malham  -  but were still fun to climb. Bolts were generally good and at the time some new cliffs were being developed that looked really impressive. You get a guide book at the town council office for 6 or 7 Euros, in the older established areas - mainly Super Manjoc there is not much above 8b though if I remember right.

[jwi]

I have climbed there for two days, one on a big south facing sector (Capucin) with some good routes of all lenghts and one day on a popular north facing sector (Roc d'Anglars). Loads of routes of all grades up to 8b or thereabouts. Stiffer grading than most other places in France. Very polished rock, especially in the lower grades, some of the 6s and low 7s are almost rendered unclimbable.

There is a scan of the old topo floating around on the internet. If you can't find it PM me.

[shurt]

Well I guess that mostly confirms what I was thinking. Might see if I can get hold of a guidebook over here. There was some stuff on the database on UKC about lots of polish on the most popular crags. There are a lot of different crags in a concentrated area though so there should be lots to go at. Sounds worth a trip if I can sort out cheap/free accommodation. 
It will be a while before I would consider going. France is more expensive than the last time I went (last summer) especially for food although Leffe, Cheese and Wine are still good value!

[tomrainbow]

My parents have a house nearby and so I have climbed in the gorge for about 15 years now on and off. Although Anglars and Capucin are both excellent, they feel quite old school and as one is N facing and the other S facing they can tend to be used most in the height of Summer and the depth of Winter, especially by the locals.

That's mainly because the climbing at La Croix is much better. 40m pitches on overhanging tufas, pretty intimidating, mainly in the high 7s and low 8s. Cazals is another newly developed cliff just across the river and is friendlier than La Croix and has a load of new mid to high 7s. Again really good climbing and not polished at all.

One more gem to consider is St Gery in the Lot valley. It's about 50 mins N of St Antonin and has great rock and a lovely base that is fantastic for children. Excellent crag.

There are other bits and bobs around but these crags are the pick.

One more thing...some of the newer routes are not in the topo but the locals have produced information sheets and boards that live at the crags at Cazals and La Croix.

[SA Chris]

Very polished rock, especially in the lower grades, some of the 6s and low 7s are almost rendered unclimbable.

Sounds like a home away from home for our Bristol dwelling OP.

[jwi]

Thanks tomrainbow!

I second the suggestion about St Gery.

[jwi]

That's mainly because the climbing at La Croix is much better. 40m pitches on overhanging tufas, pretty intimidating, mainly in the high 7s and low 8s. Cazals is another newly developed cliff just across the river and is friendlier than La Croix and has a load of new mid to high 7s. Again really good climbing and not polished at all.

Thanks again for the suggestion tomrainbow! I've been to La Croix two days now, and it has been two of the best climbing days this year! What a fantastic crag!

I managed to find a photo-topo for La Croix with most of the new routes in it. Available on request.

Tom, do you have any info on the new crag in Cazals? I have never been there but I have a list of route-names, and the directions “Quand tu prends le pont de Cazal, tu prends à gauche et c'est quelques centaines de mètres après sur la droite” which should suffice, however it doesn't say which direction to traverse the bridge... It makes quite a difference...

[tomrainbow]

When I last went to Cazals there were topos available at the crag in a little notice board type affair. The route names are painted on the rock anyway so a quick search on 8a.nu for names and grades will give you plenty to go at. Cazals is basically the continuation of Couryrac so if you have the topo guide go as for Couryrac but park at the top of the hill rather than at the bottom (you'll see the path heading off to the R).

What have you done at La croix? They say Alcatraz is the one, but pretty much everything at the right hand end is top drawer.

[jwi]

I spoke to some people at the gym, so now I have directions and some info for Cazals, but thank you, much appreciated! (There is always a risk that I misunderstand spoken french, it feels much better to see it written down, thanks!)

I've only spend two climbing days on La Croix, but every route, bar one, has been super good! I have saved Alcatraz for when I feel in shape, as it looks—and is, by all accounts—amazing.

I did The nameless one right of PP (a bit soft touch, and judging from 8a.n it is the most popular 7b+)-very good, The second pitch of PP coming in from the right using long slings—again very good, but a bit sandy and flaky (also a bit of a soft touch maybe). Tried the first pitch of PP but broke off bits from 2-3 holds before sliding off sand (I don't think its been climbed before this year: its the only non-three-star route) and Mistral Gagnant the first day. Mistral Gagnant in particular was very pleasing. It also felt a lot more difficult than the other routes. It has a sequence at around 35m which was super-tricky to figure out, and the finish is not easy.

The second day we went up to the ledge on the right and I did the first pitch of Les prémices de la chicorée. Also really good, but surprisingly enough a bit dirty? Then I did L'espoir est à vendre, which I hold as one of the best tufa routes I have ever climbed. Finished the day on Kalymnos, where I totally run out of steam. Again, three stars, but tres physique. Hit the metaphorical wall and spent the next day in the foetal position....

[tomrainbow]

Sounds like a great couple of days - I have done La Java Des Comptoirs which is simply awesome and not all that hard and Les Premices.... Have tried the 7c+ L of Alcatraz (Les Nuits etc) which was amazing but super airy and a little scary especially if the direct line is taken. So much to go at now on the crag, can't wait to get back there.

What is the situation regarding the topo - does it have the new routes in it? I have lost my old one unfortunately which had loads of useful information nscribbled in it such as the routes at La Croix, Cazals and the tunnel crag at La Croix.

[jwi]

The photo topo has all routes bar 4-5 new ones on La Croix. You have a PM

[tomrainbow]

Cheers - that's great Jonas. Thanks.

Looking at some of my friends from Toulouse scorecards there must be at least another dozen new ***/** routes at La Croix climbed since the topo.

[DDDD]

Going to add to this in case anyone else comes across this thread.

The info for Cazals is that it is actually Couyrac but the right hand side bit nearest to the road.

There has been a lot of development at La Croix with two new sectors - extreme left and extreme right. Quite a lot of new routes.

[jwi]

Here's a map

https://27crags.com/crags/couyrac/map