[Paul B]

Right after a few fase starts i'm heading out to europe in the next couple of days with Natalie, she started climbing a few months ago and is doing pretty damn well, the plan is to head over to Font (Yes I know its going to be roasting, but its a nice introdution to bouldering outside and there must be loads to go at?) and do some easy enjoyable stuff with her as well as lounging around in the sun and eating cake. I know i'd probably be better off asking this on UKC but I can't bring myself to do it, what are the best areas for easy circuits/problems, and are there any that are particularly good? also if anyone can recommend any good problems around the 6a mark (Marie Rose) that would be great...Thanks
 

[dave]

the thing with finding spouse/significant-other friendly problems in font it trying to avoid all the old pollished death highball circuits. For example, the orange circuit at cuvier probably isn't a great idea unless your bird has got some balls (insert smutty innuendo here). Though there are some good approachable problems there if you fish around a bit, my trouble& was made up when she got up that boot-wide crack near Marie Rose. Similarly avoid the orange circuit at cuisiniere (there are some nice easy slabs down in the black circuit area though).

Theres loads of good friendly easy problems at roche aux sabots/91.1/cul de chien, which is a good day out. Canche Aux Merciers is also a good bet cos most things are quite low. For a really gentle intro when walking along the now-closed road to apremont theres a little kids curcuit area on the right thats good some good stuff on it. apremont itself is a bit hit and miss really, a lot of the easy shit is death or like glass, or assumes you've been doing orange circuits for 35 years. Avoid 95.2. Some nice easy stuff at franchard haute plaines (its the bit past Isatis where Surplomb De Bivouac is). Rocher Canon is good too.

Also, places i've not bee that are recomended for beginners in a jacky godoffe article years ago which sound alright are:
JA Martin yellow/orange
Rocher Avon yellow
Mont aigu orange#1
Valee de la Mee orange
Isatis blue#2 (if she's pretty handy cos some of these ain't easy)
Bois Rond blue#4 (i've been to bois rond, not with the shortie, and its good. some really nice looking stuff, quality)

good luck.
 

[Paul B]

Cheers for the info, franchard hautes plaines was one I thought would be good, I remember it being quiet not too high and I think I was on the blue circuit which was mostly alright (apart from some easy mantel that I failed on a lot of times).
Elephant another good one or am I imagining that?

[dave]

i'd avoid elephant, the easy stuff is all sandy high pollished death, just like the harder stuff. take here there if you fancy being single again.

[Paul B]

ah ok, I remembered a few kind of easy ish nice slabs but i''ll tale your advice and avoid it..... 

[Carnage]

I'd recommend the blue circuit at Roche Aux Sabots. Whilst there are a few highish tricky probs thrown in, on the whole its very friendly, particularly around the sandy area at the start (although some of those a pretty polished).

[Dr T]

i'd avoid elephant, the easy stuff is all sandy high polished deat

got back yesterday and was pretty gutted by the amount of erosion at elephant

my best idea for an easy would be the yellow and then maybe orange circuits at 91
there's some really nice 6a/6b up there too

this http://bleau.info/91.1/5971.html gets 6b now and is probably worth it if a little on the soft side, brilliant problem though
and this http://bleau.info/91.1/5978.html is a beut' at 6a, just remember to get your feet up or its barn door heaven

anyways it was great up at 91 on Saturday so enjoy

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

The easy circuit at Cul de Chien is always a good day out. Never too high. I've done in in the wet in trainers, all pretty easy, sometimes hard to find which adds to the fun. Can't remember the colour, Orange or yellow I think. It's big though, around 45-50 problems.

[jfw]

I've done in in the wet in trainers, all pretty easy, sometimes hard to find which adds to the fun.

[sanctimonious]i hope you were super-careful not to snap any holds climbing in the wet on sandsotne - shame on you! [/sanctimonious]

as mentioned above - roche aux sabots blues are nice - and even playing on the children's white circuit there can be a fun (totally no fear) way of getting used to the rock. there's also a yellow circuit there.

the mountaineering circuit at cuisiniere is very easy (and very long!- 6km) - once did part of it it in approach shoes and it was a great confidence booster jumping and playing about in trainers (again getting used to the rock)

haven't done the marie rose (yet! - those slopers at the top are grim when its sunny) - have done la nescafe, some other black slab thing a cuisiniere, some red 6a at j.a. martin

[nik at work]

The wife and her cronies think hautes plains is the mutts testicar-lays (yellow circuit, all low and easy)

Canche has also been popular with the little lady, as has roche.

Cuvier is a total non-starter.

Have fun.

[Paul B]

just 'Trying' to book a ferry as we speak....thanks for all the info, looks like Day 1, hautes plaines....

[(woz)]

I really got into the easy circuits at Hautes Plaines and Rocher Canon - would recomend both. Go and have a look at the rainbow rocket wall whilst you are at HP if you haven't seen it. Very impressive. Possibly not one for the leg though.

[Paul B]

yeah i've seen it before....the leg is really almost back to normal climbing wise i'd say, the only thing I really have problems with is pushing really damn hard or standing up on it from as low as you can get.... Thanks for all of the info people, we're leaving in 5 mins or so...

[fatdoc]

The easy circuit at Cul de Chien is always a good day out. Never too high. I've done in in the wet in trainers, all pretty easy, sometimes hard to find which adds to the fun. Can't remember the colour, Orange or yellow I think. It's big though, around 45-50 problems.

 i agree, wiv the cul de chein ... most of it on top of the hill, might get a bit of wind... cool walk up to there too - v. inspiring.

[neil h]

I really got into the easy circuits at Hautes Plaines and Rocher Canon - would recomend both. Go and have a look at the rainbow rocket wall whilst you are at HP if you haven't seen it. Very impressive. Possibly not one for the leg though.

def cool places with some good harder problems on the way round, very good warm up day at haute plaines, yellow mountain circuit, 30 problems or so

[Jim]

another vote for the yellow at haute plaines. the orange is also rather good but harder

[neil h]

another vote for the yellow at haute plaines. the orange is also rather good but harder

yes def, orange is a good one, but i thought a little stiff for the grades

[inn wislon]

Diplodocus is friendly, yellow orange and blue, all pretty low (apart from a couple of exceptions), I've never seen it too busy either....quite near the car park.....nice spot for a picknic la la la....I've just looked in the guidebook and it says it's polished, I don't really remember that though....I just remember low blocks with good landings.