Normandy crags

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 clp123 04 Aug 2019

Looking for information on sports climbing crags in the Normandy area, specifically where to purchase guide books.

 Barrington 04 Aug 2019
In reply to clp123:

Clecy is good, loads of routes from 3a to 7b+, guide book from the tourist information office in the village. Good camp site about 800m away, nice setting. A bit of a gem really.

 GrahamD 04 Aug 2019
In reply to Barrington:

Yes, Id agree. Remember going there for a long weekend when foot and mouth had shut the UK

 Carless 04 Aug 2019
In reply to clp123:

For something different look at Les Andelys fairly near Rouen. Hard chalk cliffs above the Seine. Take sunglasses. The rock is very white. May well be too hot now. Topo is Escalade dans 'Eure but hard to find

 Toerag 05 Aug 2019
In reply to clp123:

Not far west of Clecy is Mortain and Fosse Arthour. Topos for both are online. Mortain is bigger and steeper. Both are made of a funny rock that's best described as sandstone turned to glass and well worth a climb on.  Be aware that the bolting at Clecy isn't particularly fall-friendly in places, it has quite a British ambience in that respect.

 Trangia 05 Aug 2019
In reply to clp123:

Plus 1 for Clecy. Lovely rock and bolted. Some of the climbs are two pitches, and of good quality, with some great exposure. Lovely location overlooking the Orme. Can get VERY crowded with school groups, though.

Abseiling from the old railway viaduct over the Orme. There is also a via ferrata and a great zip wire over the Orme.

Choice of riverside restaurants, and canoes for hire.

As great walking through cider and calvados farms in the area. Also it's worth walking through the old disused railway tunnel (about a mile long - headtorches required) where Goering's train sheltered from Allied air attacks during the WW2 Battle of Normandy which is within walking distance of the camp site.

It's worth spending an extra day or two visiting the nearby WW2 Normandy Invasion beaches, and the numerous Allied War Cemeteries, the remains of the Mulberry Harbour, gun batteries and Pegasus Bridge, and the American War Cemetery at Omaha Beach.

 TobyA 05 Aug 2019
In reply to Trangia:

I went to Clecy a few years ago, it's an interesting place and I did the via ferrata with my, still then, enthusiastic and sweet little boy (he's now a slightly grumpy teenager who doesn't want to do anything I do besides, oddly, still via ferratas!) but I'd didn't think the climbing at Clecy was that special. I enjoy all climbing at any crag, but it wasn't the best I've been too by far. The model railway museum nearby is cool though! 


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