Fontainbleau Euro-Tripping

Paris from Sacre-Cour. Sacre Bleu!

I've just returned from a classy two week trip to Font in a very round about way via Amsterdam, Paris and then onto Barcelona! Some brilliant places I highly recommend visiting.

I set off to Amsterdam to see Graham and Emily before they set off for South Africa and saw the local sites on offer and the beach 7km from Harleem. The first day I was there the weather allowed this though it then threw it down until I left for Font! Absolutely soaked! Amsterdam itself has lots to see and do and the engineering of the canal work is impressive. After 2 full days I left for a day and night in Paris where I blasted through the subway system to see all the sites. This is pretty do-able, especially if you're on a budget and don't go in anywhere which costs (and usually has a queue). Plus, unless you intend to spend money, don't find the best climbing shop I have ever been in just down from the Uni in Paris. I came out with these bad boys:

Pythons

I then met Brian and Andy at Beauvais where we picked up the Qashqai, pumped up the French rap and headed to the forest. We quite literally did as the first night we had no gite accommodation so spent the night in the car after a cheeky tipple at the one bar in Nemours which was open!

Font itself was great, everyone climbed well given the hot weather with many 6's getting done. I tried to work a 7a, but at 29C I got nowhere! Also turns out 7c slabs are really hard! Hardest thing I sent was a 6c at the Elephant.

Brian and Andy put in good performances, giving everything they had to the rock as it was their first trip down. I don't think Andy will forget that 3c in a hurry! (or ever be allowed to live it down).



At the same time we were down for the week, so too was Johnny from Dundee with his new Swansea mates, and so too was Billy with his Glasgow climbing club. It was good to catch up with everyone. On the trip itself we visited quite a few places: - Franchard Isatis, Bas Cuvier (not for the night action!), Elephant, Petit Bois, 95.2, 91.1, Cul De Chien and Roche aux Sabots. We also decided to make a movie coming to a screen near you soon. It's called 'some videos from Font' by a half hearted production. Pretty much says it all, though it is a first attempt with the climbs not being super inspiring.

Classic Font style! Stopping for a breather!

la sagrada familia

I then left the lads and caught the Paris - Barcelona sleeper and spent another 4 days down there. Hands down the best city I've ever visited in Europe. So much to see and do, I could have spent much longer down there. I didn't fully experience the nightlife for a lack of funds and not meeting anyone in the hostel going out until my last night, but from what I hear it's quality too.

Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya

Keep it Holy

Link to Video Here: http://vimeo.com/70060409