A Taste For Normandie…..
Mike asked a few weeks ago if I wanted to go to France and climb. I was keen to go to Portland the week before so I sort of declined although I thought it was a great idea. Anyway, Portland didn't happen and nor it seemed would Fontainbleu later in the year so it was on!
Mike and I set off from Portsmouth on the overnight ferry to Le Havre on Thursday night. We didn't kip much on the way as even the recliners we'd booked were pretty uncomfortable but we arrived on time at 06:00 and made our way out of the ferry terminal and over the new 'Pont Du Normandie'. This crossing consists of two recently built bridges, the first, a sweeping curve over the Canal du Normandie followed by a stylish suspension bridge built in 1994 high over the Seine and €5 for the pleasure.
Autoroute (and a couple more tolls at €1 and €2.70) then via the Caen Peripherique and south east on the N158 to Falaise, birthplace of William the Conqueror in 1027. Here we met up with Pat and Bob, friends of Mike's who arrived while we were putting his ancient Vango Mk IV up at the municipal campsite - clean and beautifully situated beneath the Chateau on the hill. We also spied our first crag - about 200m from the tent although we didn't inspect the crag for a couple of days.
Breakfast next after a trip into the town. Myrtille jam, bread and croissants. Then off to the crag. First day = Clécy, about 30km to the west along the D511. The crag is actually called 'Les Rochers Des Parcs' and it's probably best to get a topo before you get to the crag - we went armed with Bill Birkett's 'French Rock' and although it got us to the crag, the route descriptions leave a little to be desired. Topo available for €8.38 at the tabac next to the tourist information bureaux in Clécy's main square. Follow signs to Le Vey, cross the river and turn right. Continue ahead along the track until you come to a viaduct. Park here and walk up onto the viaduct either from the left hand end of the grass area or by walking under the viaduct and climbing up the bank to the left. By walking out onto the viaduct, you can get a good view of the crag. A path from the railway on the right as you walk away from the river leads to the crag (5 mins). Walking further along the path below the viaduct (100-200m) reveals various paths leading up left to the crag.
The crag is somewhat reminiscent of Tremadog as it rises from the trees. The crag is well (some might say excessively!) bolted with modern cast eye-bolts which appear to have been glued into the rock - dark, with bits in it that seems naturally quite polished.
We started on a 2 pitch route called 'Toboggan' graded 3+. Nice climbing to acclimatise ourselves with the rock. From where I stood at the top of the route, I could touch 5 bolts without trying! We continued on up L'Ombilic (3+) then abbed off. Le C.O.B. (5-) just to the left looked good - and it was, although I thought a little stiff for the grade. La Dalle de la Souris (4+), Le Ressurection (4+), and La Souris (4) followed, all done in blistering September sunshine which didn't help with hand friction. We generally descended by abseil but there was an extensive rope trail descent along the top of this part of the crag, leading down one of the gullies. Back to Falaise and a barbie with Bob and Pat.
Next day, we set off for Clecy again. Mike led off up L'Essaim (5) and I got the prize - La Chartreuse (4+) with a great finish through the improbable looking roof. We also looked at la Z, with a very stiff (6b?) upper part on the logical line, (although with no description or line in the topo, we'd no idea), and a very' interestingly' named route next door on which I won't elaborate, suffice to say 'KFF' (5). Ate out that evening at a restaurant on the junction just down from the main square in Clecy - very friendly and fully recommended!
Sunday saw us heading for La Fosse Arthour - a crag some 50km away to the south west. From Clecy, follow the D962 south through Flers to Domfront and then the N176 west for 1km where the D907 heads off north west for 5km to Rouelle. Here, follow the signposts passing cider apple farms to the crag. The café at the crag sells an excellently produced topo (€10). Follow the path past the café, over the bridge and left, past crags on your right to a cliff rising away to the right above a boulder field. This is La Grand Barre. We started on easier stuff.and found the grading more as we would have expected. In fact, we didn't climb a bad route here and we only scratched the surface with La Cabernet (4), Le Diedre (4+), La Biche (6a), Malesdoue (5c), Rock Epine (5b), Le Petard (5c) and Fi Sur Dalle (6a). We found Malesdoue considerably easier than the other 5b/5c routes - maybe a misprint but maybe it was due to the crack at the start - bomber jambs but little else!! - more like 5+ but a good climb nonetheless. The crag is well bolted but it's worth taking some wires and even cams on some routes. A careful study of the route beforehand will give you some idea of what's required. Back at the site that evening, Pat made a delicious salad and we sat in their caravan and chatted.
Our final day saw us up a bit earlier. The tent was packed away and we said our goodbyes to Pat and Bob before having a brief look at the crag at Falaise. There were half a dozen routes on the crag by the roadside and more rock above. We made a note to return and headed off, via the supermarket, to La Breche Diable, about 5km north of Falaise. Well signposted and on the opposite side of the N158 from Potigny along the D261 this crag was a little more elusive and, as usual and we headed off in the wrong direction. Climbing a steep bank, we followed our noses and came out at to top of an outcrop overlooking a small gorge, across which more rock could be seen. As time was short, we decided to do just one route so, selecting what looked like a reasonable line, I set off up a line of bolts. A few tricky moves found me at the foot of a vertical 4m headwall. I shuffled my feet up and hanging onto a huge side pull (that unfortunately I couldn't take with me) I managed to clip the next bolt. The next 3 or so moves were thin but I stretched up and found a good slap on the top. From there on, it was easy ground and I belayed and brought Mike up. He reckoned it was F5c/6a.
Sadly, we were out of time and we packed up, took a few more photos and drove back to Le Havre for the 15:45 ferry back to Pompey.
Notes:
Souris = Mouse.
L'Essaim = The Swarm.
Interesting to see French grading broken down into smaller increments - e.g. 4+, 5+ on some crags and others with 5a, 5b, 5c etc.
Other Crags not visited:
Mortain - about 15km to the west of La Fosse Arthour along the D907 or 24km south of Vire on the D977.
URL's:
http://www.ciel.asso.fr/index.php
http://www.malhere.com/gres/index.php
Clecy.
Les Rochers des parcs. 32km south west of Caen on the D562. Go through the town (get your topo fron the Tabac next to the Information centre in the main square) and follow signs for Le Vey. Turn off right just beyond a sharp left hander and follow this track for about 300m to a parking area below a viaduct carrying a disused railway over the Orne. Park here and climb directly up to the railway level. From here there's a good panorama of the crag. Head away from the river for 100m or so and turn right along a footpath (marked with a stake). The crag starts 150m along this track. Alternatively, walk under the viaduct and up any of the paths on the left as they join the crag at various points - note: some of these are signposted private etc.
The crag is quite long and somewhat reminiscent of Tremadog. The rock is apparently 'puddingstone'. It's dark coloured and has pebbly bits in it.
The crag is well bolted with modern ring bolts. The rock will take additional trad gear if required.
There are climbs in all grades, F2a to F7a with a good number in the easier categories. We found the grading to be a bit stiff - some of the 5's we did would get 6a or 6a+ at other crags. Sililarly the 4/4+ would get 5 or 5+.
The crag faces south west and dries quickly after rain.
La Fosse Arthour.
Climbed
on La Grand Barre only although this extends into La Petit Barre. There are
three other crags inthe same group - Le Bord de Route, Le Petit Coin Tranquille
and Le Bloc De L'Institute. The grades range from 3 to 7 and there are many
in the easier grades, particularly on La Petit Barre. Grading was pretty well
as we'd experienced French grading to be here in the UK .Campsite at la Fosse
Arthour. Cafe/bar selling excellent topo - published 1991 so is probably a
bit out of date for harder routes.