Finding this destination has been a great surprise to me and everybody who joined me on this climbing trip to l’Eure in Normandie. It was a cold and very wet winter in the Netherlands and I was looking forward to a climbing trip during the Dutch May vacation. I was thinking about where to go this time, but couldn’t think of anything yet. Then I decided to search the internet for climbing destinations with lots of easy climbs, since I usually don’t climb anything harder than the French 5th grade. I found a post by somebody who made a list of a few places and one of them was in Normandie.
And now you probably think that this is the end of the story, but it’s not. I looked the place up on theCrag and noticed it is a quite small place. I’m clicking around on the map and notice a series of crags a bit more to the north in Normandie. To my surprise I see more than 500 routes with the accent on 4c to 6a difficulty. A paradise for somebody like me.
Of course it was a bit tensive until we arrived and did our first climb. We had no idea what it would really be like. But everybody was very happy as we did our first climbs. The views are amazing, the rock is great, and the difficulty is perfect. With the horrible wet weather that we’ve experienced in the north west of Europe this spring, these south facing crags are dry super fast. We’ve been able to climb more than expected with the weather forecast that we had.
Traveling to Les Andelys
The great thing about the north of Normandie is that it’s a fairly short drive from the Netherlands. Amsterdam to Les Andelys is only about 6 hours of driving. We had to take a few toll roads in France, but the cost wasn’t too bad. We paid 16 euros one way. It’s nice to have a car there so you can visit the various crags there.
It is possible to take the train from Paris to Aubevoye, a town nearby Les Andelys. On top of that, the biggest crag, Val Saint Martin, is by foot 30 minutes away from Les Andelys. I couldn’t find any public transport from the train station to Les Andelys, but I think something like a taxi should do the trick.
Where to stay
There are various places that you could stay at if you want to visit this area. The area is quite touristy, so there are enough options available. Just be mindful of what side of the river you have your accommodation. The crags are all situated along the north side of the river, and there aren’t too many bridges to cross.
Since we were with a big group we ended up staying in a big apartment in a hamlet called Vézillon, very close to Les Andelys. If I would go again, I probably would find a place in or near Les Andelys again, since it’s so close to the biggest crag. The closest campground would be les trois rois. I’ve walked past it but it’s hard to see what it really is like besides that it’s quite big.
Topo Guides
As far as I know the topo guide can only be bought locally. In the website list below you’ll find a link to all places where you could buy it. We bought ours from the Tourist Office of Andelys, which is open even on holidays.
One crag, la seconde jeunesse, is missing in the guide, but is available online. Maybe in the next print it will be added. The crag la cariée seemed to be permanently closed when we were there.
Most of the guide is only written in French, except for the introductory chapters that are also translated in English. I find that the guide is very clearly set up. The routes are drawn on good pictures of the rocks. On top of that, many of the names of the routes are painted on the rock, which made it easy to find what to climb. Per crag the guide will provide information on what gear is necessary and how to get there.
Climbing
By far the best thing about this area is the amount of climbs in succession of grade right next to each other. The very first day of climbing we went to Val Saint Martin, sector 8, and after a warm up on a 4, we climbed a 5a, 5b and 5c. All great lines and a great introduction to climbing in this area.
The rock is beautiful white (soft) limestone with a lot of flintstone in it. Some in layers, in other places big clumps. Most of the rock is close to vertical slab. In some places the limestone is so soft that it has worn out more, resulting in a small roof or bulge that you have to climb over. There are places where serious overhangs have formed because of the soft limestone. There you’ll find climbs in the 7th and 8th grade.
The holds were a very unique experience. The flintstone clumps are huge jugs that need some figuring out how to hold them best. When broken they can be very sharp. Sometimes the flintstone has fallen out, resulting in pockets. And the layered flintstone offers great edges. When the limestone is a bit harder you’ll find the regular limestone holds. Even though this area is supposed to be very popular for climbers from Paris, I haven’t seen one bit of polished rock. Flintstone holds are of course slippery, that’s the nature of that material.
Some (parts) of crags are what they call adventure areas (Terrain d’aventure). There you’ll find some old bolts, but mostly you need to use nuts and friends. The rock there is very unstable, so a lot of knowledge and experience is required.
Gear
If you’re planning to sport climb then a 60 or 70 meter rope is sufficient for most climbs. Also bring all the quickdraws that you have, since the bolting is very friendly. We’ve had climbs where we needed 14-16 draws. Great for beginners and people who are scared of falling. The top always consisted of a chain between two bolts with a big o-ring. Sometimes a route is divided up in two sections, mostly for rope drag or difficulty. In one instance I found two round bolts as the halfway point.
Most important item of personal gear will be the helmet. Since the limestone is so soft in some places, the risk of breaking something is quite high. On our very first day one of the climbers in my group pulled out a fist sized piece of rock that ended up hitting the belayer. If the belayer wouldn’t have worn a helmet we would have had serious issues.
If you’re planning to also try out some of the adventure areas you need to bring your trad gear. I have no idea what is needed and what works. I haven’t been to any of these areas.
Climbing partner
On weekdays we were often the only group climbing at the crag, on weekends and holidays it was more busy, but still nothing too crazy. So arriving and finding a partner there might not be the best idea. There is a facebook group for this area, so you could give that a try, but the posts I’ve seen on there are mostly about maintenance and the like. I’d say this is not the best place to travel solo to.
What else to do
This region along the Seine is beautiful. It’s not just in recent times that we have noticed this. In the past the world famous painter Monet spent some of his time in this area. Resulting in a selection of tours to view his garden in Giverny.
The area also offers some nice hiking possibilities and there is also the option to cycle along the river Seine.
In Les Andelys you can also visit Château Gaillard, dating back to the 12th century. It’s possible to enter the castle, but hiking up and walking around it is also already really impressive.
Websites
- Airbnb – https://www.airbnb.nl/rooms/29652600?source_impression_id=p3_1716121916_9Zj1wf53BolV33hG
- Campground – https://www.camping-troisrois.com/
- List of addresses where the topo is sold – https://escalade-normandie.com/les-topos/
- Tourist Office of Andelys – https://maps.app.goo.gl/WmziigH28RTb8irU8
- Topo la seconde jeunesse – https://ct27.escalade-normandie.com/index.php/topo-maj/
- Facebook group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/694484350631668/
- Château Gaillard – https://www.nouvelle-normandie-tourisme.com/a-vivre-nouvelle-normandie/chateau-gaillard-le-medieval/
Moves by Nature 