Do you want to climb? How about taking the opportunity to discover rock climbing? In recent years, this sport has everything, besides combining physical exercise and outdoor activity, it allows you to exercise while clearing your head. A winning combination. But that’s not all. “Mountaineering” is also a collective and intergenerational activity. Each route has its own difficulty rating, so you can climb with your kids, friends, parents and even grandparents. Another advantage is that most of these natural sites are freely accessible. Therefore, it is a very affordable activity because it is free, apart from the cost of buying or renting equipment. In short, adventure is within everyone’s reach.
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The Forest of Fontainebleau, headquarters for mountaineers
- Diplodocus, Cul-de-chien or Rocher Canon
Fontainebleau Forest, Bleu for friends, is definitely rock climbing. For decades, the place has been coveted by climbers from all over the world. Here you can practice what is known in climbing jargon as ‘bouldering’, that is climbing rocks without a rope or carabiner. With over 27,000 rides, there’s something for every taste and every level. The color code tells you the difficulty of the climb: white for kids, yellow for beginners, orange for intermediates, blue and red for certified, black for experts. Then it’s up to you to choose from the many spots, some of which have fancy names like Diplodocus, Cul-de-chien or Rocher Canon. To get your bearings, you’d better check out Bleau.info, the bible of climbing in Fontainebleau.
How to get there? It takes about an hour to drive from Paris to the main points. But be careful, travel times can add up quickly depending on traffic. A piece of advice: avoid Sunday evenings that coincide with the weekend. By train From Gare de Lyon, many lines serve stations around Fontainebleau.
- The Rocher de la Dame Jouanne
From its height of fifteen meters, Dam Juan imposes itself and can boast of being the highest rock and one of the most famous of the Fontainebleau massif. Only the bravest can conquer this large block of sandstone. While you’re in the area, take the opportunity to discover a jewel of Gothic architecture in the Ile-de-France region, the ruined tower of the Church of Saint-Maturin, located in the heart of the village of Larchan and fifty meters away. high
How to get there? Allow 50 minutes by car and park at the Dame-Jouanne-Robert Paragot public car park. The blocks are located to the left of the path that starts at Jober Chalet level. If you choose public transport, you should take the Transilienne (line R) and then stop at Némours. From there, a bus connects the station to Larchant village in ten minutes. Pay attention to the more adventurous. cycling from Nemours to Larchant takes half an hour.
Les Andelys, the cliffs on the banks of the Seine
Does vertigo scare you? Afterwards, you’ll love climbing the chalk and flint cliffs formed by the Seine. Clustered around the Andelis Ring, they are a delight for intermediate and more experienced climbers. The Val Saint-Martin in particular offers beautiful, well-maintained routes thanks to Eure’s renovation work by the French Federation of Mountaineering and Mountaineering (FFME). This site, on the other hand, is not recommended for children because of its very steep exposure and the smallness of the path at the foot of the trails. As you pass through, take the opportunity to visit Richard Coeur-de-Lyon’s château, which offers a magnificent panorama of the Seine Valley and its parade of ships.
How to get there? Val Saint-Martin is located two kilometers west of the town of Les Andels. By car, allow approximately 1h30 on the A13 highway. A train line connects Gare Saint-Lazare with Gaylon in one hour. From there you have to take a bus which takes about twenty minutes to reach Les Andelys. Then count around 10 minutes by bike (30 minutes by foot) to reach your destination.
The water tower of Saint-Arnoul-en-Yvelin, atypical
Looking for a unique place to climb? Bet on the water tower of Saint Arnoult-en-Yvelines, the view from the top of the building (37 meters) is breathtaking. We practice classic uphill climbing, crossing routes with routes to simulate rock, ground-level block-type sequences and even short routes on slabs, ideal for beginners.
How to get there? Reach Saint Arnoul-en-Ivel by car via the A10 motorway (allow just over an hour).
Fowett’s journey, the highest “a rock» From Ile de France
On a bend in the forest lanes between Bures-sur-Yvet and Gômetz-le-Chatel, about 25 kilometers from Paris Sud, is the Fouvetner Pass, a disused railway bridge on the old Paris to Chartres railway line. With its twelve arches and eleven columns, this 34-meter-tall structure was renovated in 2004, turning it into an entertainment base. The site is ideal for rock climbing. There are hundreds of routes of different ratings: white (easy), blue (steady), red (hard) and black (expert).
How to get there? By car, take the A6B and allow about forty minutes to reach your destination. The site is also accessible by RER B.
Les Glachoirs, an exceptional natural site
The Glachoirs site, located in Saint-Vaast-lès-Mello (about 60 kilometers north of Paris), is a former private open-air limestone mine with free access. The place is now a paradise for hikers and mountaineers; the routes are drawn on old working surfaces with several levels of difficulty. A quiet, pleasant corner of nature that once again offers a beautiful panorama.
How to get there? Beyond Astérix Parc you can reach Saint-Vaast-lès-Mello via the A3 and then the A1 motorways (allow 1h30).
Sherwood Parc, kid-friendly climbing
For the little daredevils, a 17-meter-tall tree complete with climbing cabinets is available at Sherwood Parc amusement park in the heart of the Oise – Pays de France natural park. It’s a fun climb back down to the ground provided by an automatic descender and is therefore suitable for children who are not afraid of heights. Many other activities are offered there: tree climbing, zipline, inflatable games, maze, crossbow shooting… The Escalad’arbre activity is included in packages available at 23 euros for adults and 12 euros for children.
How to get there? Access is direct by car on the A15 or A1 or by train from Gare du Nord (40 minutes).
Source: Le Figaro
