Advice for font

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Crit air probably isn't needed for passing Paris, it is cheap though and easy to do online.

For passing Paris i now always go via the N330 from Senlis to Meaux and then the N36 to Melun. Probably adds 15 minutes to the total drive however i find it much more relaxing, also not being on a motorway makes it easy to stop for drinks/pastries.

As for other changes make sure you have a UK sticker and not a GB one, also allow more time for getting through border control/customs I was surprised how much longer it took compared to pre Covid/Brexit.

Finally it might now be hunting season in Font, i can't find any information for this year however it looks like you might want to consider where you climb on Mondays/Thursdays assuming they stick to the same days as last year https://www.seine-et-marne.gouv.fr/Actualites/Calendrier-des-jours-de-chasse-a-tir-sur-le-massif-de-Fontainebleau#:~:text=%C3%80%20Fontainebleau%2C%20la%20chasse%20%C3%A0,2022%20au%2027%20f%C3%A9vrier%202023.
 
Bleau.info is generally good for hunting season info on a particular crag in my experience.
 
Also worth checking your passport as I think post brexit you need something like at least 6 months left on it to get into the EU.
 
Hi Nik, I tried the other way at Easter. I found the end bit through Melun – negotiating traffic lights, cyclists etc – a bit much at the end of the long drive so just went the standard route on the way back. Will depend on time of day and whereabouts you're staying of course.

nik at work said:
Anything else significant likely to have changed in the last 5/6 years??

This might have happened longer than 5 years ago, but the roads and car parks for the Apremont areas around Science Friction are closed. The parking for these areas is by the Real Thing chips café.

You can't climb on the Elephant.

The tree that used to cross L'Araignée at Cuvier fell over last winter, making for a dab-free problem, with somewhere to perch and contemplate.

€1500 fine for camping in the forest.

€8 for a fancy loaf of bread in the Barbizon bakery. The bakery in Larchant is good.

Have fun! Allezallezallez!
 
Bradders said:
I always go on the A1 to just after you've passed under Charles de Gaulle airport, then A104, N104, A6, and you're there.

There's one slightly tricky section where you need to make sure you're in the correct lane, and it's not completely obvious, but otherwise always found it very quick, keeps to major roads without having to go into Paris or the ring road.

My beta for the drive. Avoids Melun, never had any difficulty with it.
 
Bradders said:
Bradders said:
I always go on the A1 to just after you've passed under Charles de Gaulle airport, then A104, N104, A6, and you're there.

There's one slightly tricky section where you need to make sure you're in the correct lane, and it's not completely obvious, but otherwise always found it very quick, keeps to major roads without having to go into Paris or the ring road.

My beta for the drive. Avoids Melun, never had any difficulty with it.

this? https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Calais,+France/Fontainebleau,+77300,+France/@48.7904659,2.4384935,10.86z/data=!4m19!4m18!1m10!1m1!1s0x47dc3f75d7f1e363:0xacbed9e08cd279f4!2m2!1d1.858686!2d50.95129!3m4!1m2!1d2.4777922!2d48.6275212!3s0x47e5e0decbcb3121:0x4500a5cc14f7c167!1m5!1m1!1s0x47e5f38bf6baad81:0x40b82c3688c5a90!2m2!1d2.70162!2d48.404676!3e0?entry=ttu
 
Yes if staying in Fontainebleau itself, although I usually stay on the Milly side of the forest. In which case you continue on the N104, instead of going down the A5b, then down the A6.
 
Post trip report…
Got a crit d’air cos… why not. Was easy online and not expensive. Took a while to arrive though (almost 3 weeks) so if you need one plan ahead. Whether I actually needed one or not I dunno…

Driving there and back just went on the peripherique, it’s the route I know and hasn’t changed as far as I can tell in the 6-ish years since I last visited. Was relatively painless.

The track to 95.2 parking is in a very poor state!

Unfortunately it rained every day we were there, with a couple of brief dry spells where we managed to hunt out the odd dry problems. Frustrating as it was my youngest first trip to Font where he was actually climbing so a shame he didn’t get to do more, the flip side of this is I didn’t spend as much time being out-climbed by an 11 year old as I otherwise would have…

Brilliant place, loved it. We’ll be back soon… I better get training…
 
Also Boolder app is brilliant (if you have roaming data…?). Not as definitive as bleau.info but works so well, didn’t get the hard copy guidebook out once we started using it. I imagine the future may well be beautiful paper guides as “coffee table” references to keep at home, and apps in the field.
 
After a few years away we're about to book Font for next year. What are the best options on accommodation? Previously we've used Gite de France but wondering if AirBnB is the way to go now?
 
Anyone got any good knowledge on where to stay around Font in a van for a week in early March?
I know people have been taking the piss and things are pretty strict these days and I'm happy to pay to use a campsite, just dunno where's open at that time of year and google isn't being very helpful.
 
Anyone got any good knowledge on where to stay around Font in a van for a week in early March?
I know people have been taking the piss and things are pretty strict these days and I'm happy to pay to use a campsite, just dunno where's open at that time of year and google isn't being very helpful.
It seems bizarre to me that the cessation of van camping in the forest hasn't spawned a host of paid for van camping sites!? You'd think local business owners would be all over it [Insert shrug emoji]

This place on the outskirts of Milly had campers in most of the time we were there in October but no idea how you book it...

https://maps.app.goo.gl/FzkMne5JCzLmeQ8W8
 
It seems bizarre to me that the cessation of van camping in the forest hasn't spawned a host of paid for van camping sites!? You'd think local business owners would be all over it [Insert shrug emoji]

This place on the outskirts of Milly had campers in most of the time we were there in October but no idea how you book it...

https://maps.app.goo.gl/FzkMne5JCzLmeQ8W8
That particular camper place just closed.
If your camper has off grid capabilities, the “hippodrome parking and bivouac” area is nicest. Second choice would be the “faizanderie”. Third choice is the parking and bivouac on the edge of Bourron-Marlotte.
If you want to sty on a campsite; the Musardiere near milly is open most of the year. Some for “Boulancourt”. Other campsites open at different dates, les Pres near Grez sur Loing opens around the switch to summer time.
Parking at night at any of the parkings in the larger forrest area is strictly forbidden, big fines are quoted to scare people off.

https://www.onf.fr/vivre-la-foret/+...-stationnement-nocturne-sur-les-parkings.html
 
Thanks for the replies, sorry, just getting round to checking them!
Also, any advice on best weather forecasting sites for France? It'll be a fairly last minute decision whether I drive to Font or stay in UK, based on how the weather looks a few weeks in advance.
 
Bleau Meteo on Instagram for current/next day connies. Any forecast is probably fine for general outlook, Wunderground has some nice climbing relevant detail. But I don’t think anything’s going to be useful a few weeks in advance.
 

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