UKC

Hello everyone. From now on, parking overnight (between 22h-6h) is forbidden in all parks in the forest of Fontainebleau. 

Camping in the forest (including in the car parks) has always been forbidden but it is expected that there will be stricter controls (it can attract up to 1500€ fine).

Link to OhMyBloc talking about this topic is attached.

youtube.com/watch?v=5Z5a1swskYQ&

Sad but inevitable. Probably a good move in the long run.

Sad as it is, last year was absolutely ridiculous, it was inevitable that action would be taken.

Please spread this information as widely as possible. Thank you!

I attach further explanation on the subject by OhMyBloc.

https://www.ohmybloc.fr/nomorevansinbleau/

I think it is worth mentioning that there are three free "bivouac" sites in Font, at which overnight camping is allowed.

• La Faisanderie
• Hippodrome de la Solle
• Bourron-Marlotte

You are right. it is still possible to stay overnight in the authorised bivouac sites which you mentioned. There are also motor home aires in Milly and Barbizon (6 places each) - further details are in the link.

Does this mean they might start policing some of the other litter-generating economic activity that goes on in some of the car parks at night? Or are they only going to bother people who are actually asleep?

Certainly it isn't a good news for people engaged in shady business in the parking either. What I know is that representatives of local communities in and around Milly (including climbers) are actively communicating with various authorities (the ONF, town halls, the prefectures, gendarmerie etc) .  So many people decided to camp in the car parks (it was particularly bad at Isatis) during easter 2022 and 2023 and the state afterwards was so disgusting, local communities decided to take action. 

Yeah, I just thought it might be an opportunity to do something about the other nasty stuff too. Stepping over all those Rhyl jellyfish on the walk to Cuvier is grim.

I suppose half of climbing Europe would have descended onto the campsites during the Olympics ( I was considering it myself), so probably prophylactic.

Seems a good move. Aside from the "litter" it's a pain to turn up at a crag in the morning and it's impossible to park because the majority of it is already taken up by massive vans using it as a campsite.

Appreciate that it's nice for those in the vans but not for everyone else, and likewise it's fine when it's the odd van here or there but not at the scale of recent years. 

I totally agree. One of my neighbours who is a keen walker went out with her friends to walk 25 bosses but could not find any parking space even though it was fairly early in the day, she had to turn around and come home. That was the last easter weekend. It has become out of control recent years.

I hope so too and this new restriction deter them.

Yeah, last Easter was a great opportunity to visit quiet areas I'd never been to, we were staying at Musardiere and couldn't find parking at any of the major areas at all.

What surprised me was how ridiculously obvious it all was, I have had to fill gaps where the campsites weren't available in the past by sleeping in the van for a couple of night, but it was always out of the way, inconspicuous, and leaving nothing behind, when we saw massive campers with their awnings out all the way to the road and toilet paper all over the place in all major areas last year we knew we probably wouldn't be allowed to do that again in future, at least nowhere near the forest.

Apparently, barbecue was lit at Isatis car park last easter, someone I know had to intervene and ask them to put it out. People are concerned about use of fire in and around the forest.  

Wow, that post was surprisingly unpopular. I had no idea they got so much business from UKCers....

Especially as we have evolved from something sensible in size and akin to a large car, to mahusive wagons you virtually need a lorry license to drive.