Marie, a climbing friend of mine, invited me to go climbing in Wachtfels for the first time in two months. The Wachtfels is a small climbing area located in Obersteinbach at the northern end of the Bas-Rhin department in northeastern France. With a maximum height of 40 meters, it is a good-looking climbing area. There are four main areas with about 83 climbing routes. However, most people climb at Secteur Central, where there is a big wall. The area around Wachtfels was much greener and warmer than the last time I was here, with occasional sunshine 😊 L'antilopette (7b) is a balancing route except for the takeoff. It is mentally tough but not too difficult physically. The first attempt was a messy climb ☹️ But on the second attempt, to my partner's surprise, I was able to correct and climb. It was a good experience 😆 ✅ L'antilopette (7b) RP

It is Easter (Pâques) season again in 2022, and after two light snowfalls in April, the weather has finally turned spring-like. The weather is finally starting to feel like spring, although it has been hot for the past few days with high temperatures exceeding 68°F (20°C). In France 🇫🇷, Easter was in lockdown for two consecutive years, 2020 & 2021, but 2022 is the first Easter in three years with almost no restrictions. This may be the reason why the Old Town of Strasbourg was crowded with many tourists. Easter is often associated with the eating of chocolate in the shape of eggs or rabbits, but in Alsace, the custom is to eat "Agneau Pascal", which is shaped like a sheep. I glanced at a popular patisserie and saw an unfamiliar shape (on the left️) 🧐 The one on the right is a typical "Agneau Pascal" that I️ always see, but what is that Iguana-like thing on the left️ that is entirely sprinkled with powdered sugar ? 🙄 Many popular patisseries in Strasbourg, for example, sell Easter egg chocolates and rabbit-shaped chocolates only for Easter. These are cute 🐰 ✍🏻 Easter 2022 at Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg

With the onset of winter time in Strasbourg, Alsace, northeastern France, dim and cold season has begun. I feel that there are fewer hours of sunlight than usual. It's that time of year when people miss each other, but in Strasbourg, the Christmas Market (Le Marché de Noël de Strasbourg 2021) has begun. The Strasbourg Christmas Market started in 1750 and is the oldest Christmas market in France. In 2020, due to the new coronavirus (COVID19), the Strasbourg Christmas market was held as "La Magie de Noël à Strasbourg 2020", without chalets and with only Christmas lights. This year, 2021, however, marks the return of the full specification Christmas market (Le marché de Noël de Strasbourg 2021) after a two-year absence 🤗 I wonder if this year 2021 is the 451st Christmas Market? 🤔 Last year, 2020, was supposed to be the 451st. Every year, on the Friday night when the Christmas market begins, a grand Christmas light lighting ceremony is held at Place Kléber with invited guests. In 2019, Anaïs Delva, who sings the theme song for the French version of the movie: Anna and the Snow Queen, came to strasbourg. In 2021, the concert was apparently held with tenor singer Amaury Vassili. 🎄 Le Grand Sapin de Strasbourg 2021🎄 The Christmas tree at Place Kléber is the most representative Christmas tree in Strasbourg. The Christmas tree is a huge Christmas tree, about 30 meters high, weighing about 9 tons, with a trunk diameter of up to 120 cm 🎄 Christmas trees in Strasbourg are decorated with garlands made of glass. This is a remnant of the tradition of decorating Christmas trees with red apples in the 16th century. After a drought in eastern France made it impossible to harvest fruit, glassmakers began making garlands instead of actual apples in 1858. Today, these garlands are not only red, but also change into various colors, delighting visitors to Strasbourg during the Christmas season. In 2021, the Christmas tree will be decorated with 150 garlands. Christkindelsmärik de Place Broglie Place Broglie is the place where the Christmas market has been held since 1871, when Strasbourg became a German territory. The number of chalets is kept to a minimum, so it does not have the touristy, crowded atmosphere of previous years, but it is still a nice place to visit. There are so many ornaments to decorate your Christmas tree that you never get tired of looking at. It's hard to choose the right one. Vin chaud (a must for cold Christmas markets 😁), “choucroute”, “bredele”, “berawecka” and “gingerbread”, all essential for an Alsatian Christmas. It was a little bit dusty with the stores that are always there. ✍🏻 Chez Mathilde (place Broglie, à côté de l’Opéra) The store sells vin chaud, but its main focus is on spices for making vin chaud. If you choose spices after drinking vin chaud, you may be able to make your own vin chaud at home. The illumination of Rue Mercière in front of the Strasbourg Cathedral has changed a bit from last year 2020. Can you see the difference? 😁 The lighting up of the entire Strasbourg Cathedral is spectacular, but Strasbourg Cathedral is especially worth seeing after the rose window is lit up The Rose window by German architect Erwin von Steinbach is likely to be illuminated after 18:00. During the Christmas season, the Strasbourg Cathedral is a great place to see tapestries and crèches in the shape of the Holy Family at the time of Christ's birth. Church in the old town of Strasbourg Église Saint-Thomas 11 rue Martin Luther, 67000 STRASBOURG The church is famous for its organ, which Mozart called "the finest organ he ever played in his life." Église Saint-Pierre-le-Vieux 8 rue du 22 Novembre, 67000 STRASBOURG Temple Neuf Place du Temple Neuf, 67000 Strasbourg Barrage Vauban Strasbourg Cathedral is a fantastic sight to see after dark. Petite France The combination of tranquility and colombage (wooden frame houses) creates an old-fashioned Christmas atmosphere, different from that of Strasbourg Cathedral and Place Kléber. Naegel and Christian 2021 🎅🏻🤶🏻🎄, two of Strasbourg's most popular patisseries NAEGEL 9, rue des Orfèvres 67000 STRASBOURG Negel is a popular pastry shop, but every year they elaborate on their Christmas decorations, and 2021 looks lovely. Christian 12, rue de l’Outre, 67000 STRASBOURG I think Christian in 2021 is less psychedelic than in previous years. But it is gorgeous. Galeries Lafayette I feel like the illumination is more chic than usual. I don't get the usual psychedelic feel 🙄 I think the red/red-purple colors are more restrained. The classic French Christmas cake is the "bûche de Noël" Both NAEGEL and Christian were almost exclusively serving "bûche de Noël" on Christmas Eve (December 24). The place was packed with customers who had made reservations from early in the morning. If you don't have a reservation, you may have to be prepared to wait in line for quite a while in the cold to purchase a "bûche de Noël". If you can still buy it, you might be lucky! Popular bakery in Strasbourg (boulangerie) 2021 🎅🏻🤶🏻🎄 L'atelier 116 116 Grand'Rue, 67000 Strasbourg The bakery was established in 2016 and is very popular. In addition to the terrace seating, there are tables and chairs inside the bakery, which can be used as a cafeteria, which is very convenient. There is a wide selection of sandwiches until lunch time and many cakes in the afternoon. Au Pain de mon Grand-Père 58, rue de la Krutenau This bakery is said to be the best in Strasbourg. The main store is located a little outside of the old town, but there is always a line of people waiting in line. According to my friend, the bread at the main store is better than the one in front of the Cathedral. Personally, I think their brioche is very good. Les mains dans la farine 16 rue du 22 Novembre 67000 Strasbourg Since 2019.12, les mains dans la farine café has been attached. I thought the taste of the baguettes had changed with the new store, what do you think? Square Louise-Weiss Is this a new project 2021? There will be concerts and shows at Square Louise-Weiss on the way from "la Petite France" to "Barrage Vauban". By the way, I don't see any Baccarat chandeliers in the usual alley (Rue des Hallebardes), but I wonder if they are displayed somewhere? Christmas Market 2021 in Strasbourg, France Friday, November 26 - Sunday, December 26 Friday, November 26: 2:00pm - 9:00pm Saturday, November 27 - Sunday, December 26 Sunday through Thursday: 11:00am - 8:00pm Friday: 11:00am - 9:00pm - 8:00pm Saturday: 11:00am - 10:00pm - 8:00pm ⚠️ changed until 8:00pm including weekends starting Friday, December 3 (2021.12.3) ✍🏻 After 2 years, the Christmas Market "Le Marché de Noël de Strasbourg 2021" in Strasbourg, France

Saint-Nicholas, the patron saint of children and the model for Santa Claus, is celebrated every year on December 6. On Saint-Nicholas Day, the Alsace region has a tradition of eating man-shaped Manala. During this time of the year, you can find Manala at any patissier or boulangerie in Strasbourg, in the northeast of France. The original Manala is a brioche dough bread filled with milk, but it comes in many versions, from simple to chocolate chip, cinnamon flavored, fried bread, and more 😋 It always seems strange to me why every year at this time, on Saint Nicholas Day, the patron saint of children, people eat Manala, a food in the shape of a human being ..... 🤔

Falaises De Presles is a commune located in Isère, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. It is located in the south-east of France (south of Lyon and Grenoble), at the border between the Massif du Vercors and Pont-en-Royans. As part of the climbing sites, Falaises De Presles is the site around the "Massif du Vercors". The Vercors climbing area includes Le Gerbier, Les Deux Sœurs, Archiane, Glandasse, Roche Courbe, and Le Mont Aiguille, etc, in addition to Presles. Falaises De Presles are like a Multi-Pitch climbing site that you can easily access from Lyon or Grenoble. The cliff is a parade of gray, white and ochre, which undulates 6 km long. The panorama is breathtaking 😍 The atmosphere is a bit local to the Verdon Valley (Gorges du Verdon) in the southeast of France 🙄 Rock Climbing Guidebook ✅ Escalade à Presles (2020) We bought this climbing guidebook at the sporting goods store (Altiplano) next to Intermarché in the village of Les Geymonds, the day before we went climbing (25 €). This climbing guidebook is easier to read than the one which we used in the Gorges du Verdon (Verdon Valley) in southeastern France 😁 Climbing Equipment (depending on the area) ・double rope 60m ・minimum 14 quickdraws ・protections (cam, nut, friends ... etc) The Falaises De Presles consists of 15 sectors and seems to have about 340 multi-pitch climbing routes of about max 300m (2020). The climbing routes are so-called sport routes (relatively well bolted routes) that can be climbed with 60m of double rope and about 14 quickdraws 🙄 For trad climbing routes, the topo briefly comments on the need for protections (cams, frens, nuts, etc). The rock quality is the same limestone as Verdon Gorge (Gorges du Verdon), but I think it is not as stable as Verdon Gorge (Gorges du Verdon). As mentioned in some comments, after the cold winter season, the traits of rocks change due to humidity and other factors, causing rockfall. I was actually climbing, and the fold I grabbed came off, causing rockfall and almost falling 😨 I think it's better to have a helmet. As mentioned in one of the comments, every year after the cold winter season, the shape of the rock changes due to humidity and other factors. This can cause rocks to fall. When I was actually climbing, the fold I grabbed fell off, then I almost fell off 😨 I think it's better to have a helmet. Access to Climbing Area You can find the parking information in the Climbing Topo. The Buis area I climbed this time and the Chrysanthèmes area next to it can be reached by walking about 30 to 60 minutes from the parking lot. This is the first time I've come to Presles in 2021. It was Sunny, sometimes Cloudy 🌤 Autumn was a beautiful season 🍂🍁 Beautiful Multi-Pitch Climbing Route. I had a great time 😁 Presles - Buis ✅ La mémoire des absents Cotations:TD 6c>6a+ P1 Dénivelé des difficultés 220 m 👱🏻‍♂️ L1:6b 🐢 L2:6b 👱🏻‍♂️ L3:6a 🐢 L4:6c 👱🏻‍♂️ L5:6b 🐢 L6:6a+ 👱🏻‍♂️ L7:6a 🐢 L8:6b 👱🏻‍♂️ L9:5c Climbing began at 11:00am and ended at 4:30pm The technical difficulty, Crux is L4: 6c, but I personally think that the beauty of the route is L5: 6b. The content of the route was nice, the altitude was good, and it was wonderful. Accommodation ⛺️ camping site ・Camping Gouffre de la Croix ・Camping Chez la mère Michon ・Camping municipal Les Millières 🏠 EdelBleue 90 chemin des Fauries 38680 FrancePresles 28€/person (November, 2021) 👉🏻 Climbing in Presles (Falaises De Presles), you'll see this amazing landscape 😄

Pontamafrey is a small town in Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, in the southeastern part of France. It is located south of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc and east of Grenoble. The Col du Galibier, famous for the Tour de France stage over the Alps, can be reached in about an hour's drive from Pontamafrey. Climbing area in Pontamafrey It is a small climbing area, but there are about 10 multi-pitch climbing routes about 200m. There seems to be more than 100 single-pitch routes as well. There is a parking lot right in front of the climbing area, and it takes less than 5 minutes to get to the climbing area. This proximity to the approach was very attractive. We climbed only a few routes, so I don't know the details, but the quality of the routes we climbed was high. The crag was well maintained and the bolt to bolt distance was close. I would say that Pontamafrey is an area for beginner to intermediate climbers. If I had to guess, I would say it's like the South Face of Joyama in Izu, Shizuoka, Japan 🇯🇵 My personal displeasure is that there are more than 100 routes in a small area and the routes are very close to each other I felt there might be some local restricted rules 🙄 that was my only complaint. Climbing in Pontamafrey 2021. This is my first time in Pontamafrey. It is good 🌤 Nice atmosphere and nice view, nice route 😍 But it was a little cold...... Pontamafrey Droite ✅ Les Lépreux Cotations : TD- 6a+ > 5c P1 Dénivelé des difficultés : 180 m Type de rocher : Gneiss 👱🏻‍♂️ L1:5c, 🐢 L2:5b, 👱🏻‍♂️ L3:4c, 🐢 L4:6a+, 👱🏻‍♂️ L5:6a, 👱🏻‍♂️ L6:5b, 🐢 L7:5c, 👱🏻‍♂️ L8:5b 👈🏻 from Camptocamp website The location is great and the route is well protected by bolts, so even beginners (6a/6a+) will enjoy this route. I think it needs about 11 quickdraws. It depends on the season you climb, but on the day we climbed (2021.11), the bottom started at about 14:00 and by 15:00 the whole route was in the shade, the temperature dropped a lot and the wind was blowing, so it was cold. If you climb in this season, you should top out around 14:00. Sector : Jazz Méditerranée Jazz Méditerranée (5b, 30m) FL warming-up. Lily (6a+/6b, 25m) lead-TO One TAKE because I couldn't find the move in that spot. I couldn't see the Big Jug that was a little higher up. If you don't know it, it's very difficult. Sector : La perle de Maurienne Conte de fouet (7a, 26m) m.lead-TO The left side, corner, seems to be limited. It is a route to climb by grabbing small holds in a crimp. I feel like I've climbed this type of route for the first time in a while. Micro-Brasserie "La Gwape" 🍺 After climbing, we had a review meeting at Micro-Brasserie "La Gwape" run by the daughter and her husband of my climbing partner 🍺 A very good time spent at "La Gwape". The beers are excellent. My favorite IPA & Triple 😊 ✍🏻 From Pontamafrey "Les Lépreux", you can see this view 😄

The Verdon Valley (Gorges du Verdon) is located in the Verdon Natural Park which is the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is one of the most beautiful gorges in Europe. The Verdon River, which flows through the Verdon Valley (canyon), is about 6-100 m wide, and the tops of the canyons on both sides are about 200 m to 1500 m wide. Limestone cliffs with a height of 600 to 700 m are cut vertically on both banks on the Verdon side. The cliffs are so narrow and steep. If you look down from the top, you might be sucked in The Verdon Valley 🙄? The contrast between the white limestone cliffs and the deep green (emerald green) Verdon River is very beautiful. That’s why the area is crowded with tourists during the summer vacation season. In addition to climbing, the Verdon Valley (canyon) offers many activities such as trekking, rafting, canoeing, and canyoning. Climbing sites in Gorges du Verdon The climbing area can be roughly divided into (L'Escalès, Eycharme....) and (La rive gauche). My personal impression is that climbing in the Verdon valley (Gorges du Verdon) is more like (La rive gauche), but I am not sure 🙄. Climbing Equipment ・double rope 60m ・minimum 16 quickdraws ・protections (cam, nut, friends ... etc) Depends on the route you want to climb.... If you have a double rope 60m and at least 16 quickdraws, you may be able to climb most routes 🙄 At least, I had no problem on the routes when I climbed. When you climb classic routes like “La Demande”, you will probably need cams, nuts, etc. Some routes are also marked in the topo with cams (Friends, Camelot...) and nuts. Some routes require them to be climbed. Looking at the topo, there are some routes that require 22 quickdraws. It seems to be a route that extends up to 50m 😅 This is 2 pitches I usually climb. The Climbing Season The best season in general is autumn. According to the old man at the camp site, September through October is recommended. Summer is too hot, but since it is the vacation season, many climbers seem to climb on the north wall or in the shade. Access to the Climbing Area If you are staying near La Palud-sur-Verdon, it is conveniently located near the climbing area (L'Escalès, Eycharme ....). If you are staying near Lake Saint-Croix (Lac de Sainte-Croix), it might be better to estimate at least 1 hour to the climbing area (L'Escalès, Eycharme). Please note that some roads are one-way streets. There may be traffic jams during the vacation season. Depending on the climbing area, climbing in the Gorges du Verdon is done by rappel from the parking lot to the desired route. The topo will indicate the rappel point and how many meters to descend in one rappel Rock Climbing Guidebooks There are two main types of local climbing topo. ✅ Verdon 2017 - 52 ans et 520 voies d'escalade au Verdon L'Escalès, Eycharme.... ✅ Grimper à Aiguines - Verdon rive gauche La rive gauche These Climbing Guidebooks are available at a small climbing equipment shop, as well as at a bookstore and olive oil shop, in La Pallue. Climbing in Gorges du Verdon 2021. This is my first time in Gorges du Verdon. It is good 🌤 Nice atmosphere and nice view, nice route 😍 ✅ Moyen Eycharme - Monier : Des Trous de première classe Cotations:TD 6b>6a+ II P1 Dénivelé des difficultés 100 m 👱🏻‍♀️ L1:6a 🐢 L2:6b 👱🏻‍♀️ L3:6a 🐢 L4:6b Very nice. But a bit short. L2 : 6b is more difficult than L4 : 6b. In my experience, L2 : 6b and L4 : 6a+? ✅ Escalès - Dérobée / Castapiagne La Dérobée (variante) + Le rasoir (variante) Cotations:TD 6c?>5c+ Dénivelé des difficultés 180 m 👱🏻‍♀️ L1:5c 🐢 L2:6c? 👱🏻‍♀️ L3:5c 🐢 L4:5c+ 👱🏻‍♀️L5:5c+ L4 is very long and very beautiful way. L5 is also very nice. ✅ Escalès - Carelle Aval Les Deux Doigts Dans Le Nez Cotations:TD 6a+>6a+ P1 Dénivelé des difficultés 150 m 🐢 L1:6a+ 👱🏻‍♀️ L2:6a+ 🐢 L3:6a+ 👱🏻‍♀️ L4:6a+ 🐢 L5:6a+ The (6a+) is mandatory. Well 5 pitches are homogeneous at this level. All pitches are splendid, varied and demanding. L2 crosses and makes a right/left hook, managing the draw well. The dihedral on the last pitch is beautiful. Well equipped. ❌ Escalès - Terrasse médiane La Demande Cotations TD 6a>6a P2 Dénivelé des difficultés 320 m 🐢L1:6a 👱🏻‍♀️ L2:5c ⛔️ (L3:5c, L4:5c+, L5:6a, L6:5c+, L7:5c, L8:6a, L9:5b, L10:5c+, L11:6a, L12:5c) We gave up climbing at L2 : 5c 😢 We didn't have protections (cam, nut, friends ... etc) 😆 Accommodation : ⛺️ camping site ・Camping Bourbon ・Camping municipal - le Grand Canyon ・Camping Boulogne Bourbon Campground and Municipal Campground - Grand Canyon are easily accessible. However, when I checked the website, October was already closed. That is why we used "Camping Boulogne". ⛺️ Camping Boulogne The Camping Boulogne's owner, which we used, was chatty and was a very nice person. Please note that cards cannot be used for payment. Cash required. My question is the number of toilets and showers. There were separate toilets and showers for men and women, one for each. We had no problems when we stayed at October, but I wonder what about the high season 🙄? 🏨 L'Auberge de jeunesse de la Palud sur Verdon 25 chemin de Boulogne Route de la Maline 04120 LA PALUD-SUR-VERDON My friends stayed here. ✍🏻 D'escalade dans les Gorges du Verdon 2021

Finale Ligure, in northwestern Italy, is a small town on the Ligurian Sea (Mediterranean Sea). It is located south of Torino, east of Genova, and east of Nice, France. The coast around Finale Ligure is beautiful, with palm trees lining the main coastal road and fashionable stores. On the other hand, the old town of Finale Ligure has a historic atmosphere with ancient buildings and medieval walls. Access to Finale Ligure It takes about 45 minutes drive west from Genova-Sestri airport. The convenient road and rail connections make it easily accessible for comparison from other parts of Italy. Climbing Area There are more than 200 climbing spots and more than 4,000 routes throughout the mountains north of Finale Ligure. Finale Regret is mainly short pitch climbing which is bolted sport climbing routes. Grades seem to be (6a~7a) in many climbing areas. There is also a multi-pitch climbing route of about 120m. On the other hand, Bric Pianarella crag, one of the best multi-pitch climbing at Finale Regret, is which offers more than 250m. Climbing Equipment ・single rope 80m ・minimum 14 quickdraws you could probably climb most routes 🙄 At least, it was not a problem on the routes we climbed. The end points often had quick link (maillon rapide). Climbing Season Generally, the best seasons are spring and autumn. Summer is too hot and winter is too cold. Although if you choose the right place, climbing is possible all year round. I went to Finale Ligure for the first time in mid-summer (2021.8). But due to the unusual weather conditions, even the maximum temperature was only about 27℃🌡. So we chose a shady area and had a good time climbing. Access to Climbing Area The roads near the climbing area are narrow and parking is tight. It was summer vacation season when we went to Finale Ligure to climb, but at times we had trouble parking close to the climbing area. I wonder how it would be during the best climbing season 🙄 Rock Climbing Guidebook There are two types of climbing topos near Finale Ligure. ✅ FINALE 51 : ROCK CLIMING A FINALE LIGURE ✅ FINALE climbing "FINALE 51" is easier to read, when you are looking for routes. "FINALE climbing" is easy to understand in terms of approach time, size of the parking lot, and direction of the wall. It also has a lot of comments about the climbing routes. However, "FINALE" might not include relatively new routes ?? About Grades Topo "FINALE 51" was very close to the grade I felt. Topo "FINALE climbing" is sweet. When I thought my personal experience grade might be (6a+), it was listed as (6b/6b+). The climbing areas I climbed at Finale Ligure (2021) ✅ MONTE CUCCO ➡️ Fenia o Anfiteatro ✅ ROCCE CARPANEA ➡️ Grotta dell'Edera ✅ ROCCE DI PERTI ➡️ Settore centrale ✅ ROCCE DI PERTI ➡️ Versante Nord ✅ BRIC SCIMARCO ➡️ Settore Superiore (Principal) This was my first time in Finale Ligure. It was good weather 🌤 nice climbing route 😍 ✅ MONTE CUCCO ➡️ Fenia o Anfiteatro It was mostly a vertical wall, and there was no limestone cornet as far as I could see. But it was a nice climbing area with high white wall. ✅ ROCCE CARPANEA ➡️ Grotta dell'Edera Grotta dell'Edera is a cave-like area. It is a small climbing area similar to SIKATI CAVE in Kalymnos, Greece. Like SIKATI CAVE, it seems to be a standard climbing area on a hot and sunny summer day. It was an enjoyable climbing area, with cornetes and roofs typical of limestone. The only problem might be the toilets 🚾 🙄 ✅ ROCCE DI PERTI ➡️ Settore centrale It's basically like a vertical wall 🙄 Still, there are some bumpy holes and small hangovers in the middle of the route. Personally, Moka (L1: 6c+) in Settore centrale was one of the best climbs of this climbing tour 2021. It's a big scale climb, but the move up the right slope along the crack in the first half and the move into the terrace on the left side in the middle part were numbing 😆 ✅ ROCCE DI PERTI ➡️ Versante Nord VIA ATTRAVERSO IL FICO (120m : L1: 6a/6a+, 30m. L2: 6a+/6b+, 35m. L3: 6b, 30m. L4: 5c, 25m.) This route is about 120m, which is short for multi-pitch climbing. However, I think every pitch (L1, L2, L3) is about (6a / 6b) grade. The last pitch (L4) is (5c). But it's still technical and fun. As a multi-pitch climb in this grade (6a/6b), this route is highly recommended. If you want to climb this grade, it is quite enjoyable. ✅ BRIC SCIMARCO ➡️ Settore Superiore (Principal) Basically it feels like a vertical wall 🙄 Some of the routes have nice corneys which is typical of limestone climbing areas. The topo also lists it as one of the nicer climbing walls in the climbing area near Finale Ligure. The only regrettable thing about the climbing tour in 2021 is that I couldn't climb CICLONE (7a +, 25m) 🙄 It's a little regrettable that I made a mistake in the route and didn't try again. Oh well, but everything can't go right. So looking back overall, this climbing tour in 2021 was a fun memory. 🏠 Accommodation We stayed in an apartment in Noli, a little east of Finale Ligure. The owner had just renovated the room and we were the first guests. The interior was clean and the owner was also a nice person. What made this place seem Italian was that they had an open-flame espresso maker moka (makineta in Japanese terms). The problem is the parking lot 🅿️ There is no fixed place, so we searched for a paid / free parking lot. Parking lots around Noli are often crowded and sometimes parked far away from our accommodation! Stroll around the old town of Noli 🚶🏼‍♂️ The alleys are narrow and the complex intersections are European and nice. Gerato in Noli 🍨 ・Pappus Gelateria Artigianale ・MOMO IL GELATO Both gelato stores were delicious, but I prefer Pappus Gelateria Artigianale because it feels more sticky 😋 Birra Moretti 🇮🇹 Italian beer 🍺 Moretti Brewery was founded in 1859 in northeastern Italy by the Moretti family. Since 1996, it has been part of the Heineken Group. This beer has a refreshing taste like Japanese beer. It has a more robust beer flavor than Kronenburg 1664, which is often drunk in France. You can drink it with a gulp in the hot Italian summer. It's also a great beer to drink with pizza after climbing 🙄 Focaccia in Noli 🍕 Maybe it was my first time to try focaccia 😋 The focaccia was delicious. It was not as heavy as pizza. But I don't recommend the baguette. I think French bakeries are definitely better. ✍🏻 Coastline from Finale Ligure to Noli 🚗💨 I did not swim when I went up there in 2021, but there are many beaches along the coastline from Finale Ligure to Noli, and they were crowded with people 🏖

In Strasbourg, France, the annual summer projection mapping event started on Saturday, July 3, 2021, at the Strasbourg Cathedral (la place du château). In a word, projection mapping in 2021 feels like a quiet stream of vivid images. However, the images are not flowing in a bland manner, and it gives a pleasant feeling. Illuminations de la Cathédrale 2021 is different from previous years In previous years, Illuminations had a 15-minute video, and after the projection mapping was over, there was a 15-minute break for the audience to change. In 2021, there was no such break, and the same images were shown repeatedly. I believe this change is part of the countermeasure against the transmission of the new coronavirus (COVID-19), a measure to prevent people from becoming dense. During the video, especially right after the projection mapping started, I felt it was difficult to get into the video because people were walking towards the exit. But, well, I think it's an unavoidable measure. les illuminations de la Cathédrale de Strasbourg 2021 « Une Prairie Iumineuse » Duration: Saturday, July 3 - Sunday, August 29, 2021 Weekdays (Monday to Thursday) : 22h15 - 23h30 Weekend (Friday to Sunday) : 22h15 - 0h30 😷 Masks must be worn at the venue La Cascade de la Presqu'île Malraux At Presqu'île Malraux, the waterfall is illuminated. After seeing the projection mapping of the Strasbourg Cathedral, this waterfall is a little less impressive. During the daylight hours, it is possible to get close to the waterfall by raft. Maybe it would be nice to cool off when the temperature is a little more summer-like 🥵 ✍🏻 Illuminations de la Cathédrale de Strasbourg 2021

The Jura Mountains are located on the western side of Switzerland, bordering France. The term "Jurassic" in a geologic period is derived from the Jura Mountains. The highest peak in the Jura Mountains is about 1,720 meters, not much higher than the Vosges Mountains (1,424 meters) in the Alsace of northeastern France. Driving around the Jura Mountains, it looks somewhat like the Vosges Mountains. The main difference is the color of the rock. The Jura Mountains have white limestone rock, while the Vosges Mountains are characterized by reddish-brown sandstone. There are plenty of limestone climbing sites in the Jura Mountains, from Baume les Dames in the north to Cerdon in the south. These climbing sites offer fun for beginner and expert climbers. In 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, I had the opportunity to climb around the Jura Mountains with my climbing friends. Here is a memorandum from that time. This weblog is a summary of climbing in the Jura mountains on the French side. Here, we will take a broad view of the Jura mountains. In the case of the Doubs department, it is written as "Massif du Jura, Le Doubs", and in the case of the Jura department, it is written as "Massif du Jura, Le Jura" 😉 In case you are wondering, the Jura department in France is the southwest side of the Doubs department. So, if you tell your French friends that you went climbing in Jura, they will point out that you went to "Doubs". So, even if you've climbed in the Jura Mountains, you can't say you've climbed in the Jura 🙄 or maybe you've only climbed in the Doubs 🙄 Rock Climbing Guidebooks It seems that there are about 42 climbing areas in “les sites d'escalade” du Doubs. There are many local climbing topos. 👉🏻 la liste des sites d'escalade du Doubs Escalade au Pays de la Loue The main climbing area is near Maisières-Notre-Dame. "La Barmaud" and "La Brême" areas are also included in this topo. Hautepierre 👉🏻 La Brême Le Porche de la Sarrazine Mur du GAG Refranche 👉🏻 Roche Barmaud Roche des Vannes (L'Arc de Cercle) Baume-les-Dames Baume les Dames (Escalade dans la moyenne vallée du Doubs) ⚠️ This topo is available at the Tourist Information Office in Baume-les-Dames (April 2019). The area near Baume-les-Dames is beautiful and similar in scenery to Rurey ⚠️ Compare the cover of Baume les Dames topo and Rurey topo 😁 I have been going to Baume-les-Dames for three years in a row (2019, 2020, 2021). This is the most frequented climbing area outside of the Vosges Mountains! The unfortunate thing about the area near Baume-les-Dames is clearly divided into two parts, Quint is an advanced area and Sous-Buen is a beginner area. Personally, I can recommend Quint as a climbing area with beautiful walls. 👉🏻 Quint 179 pitches. Grade: 5 - 7. Exposition S/S/W. Beaumerousse Joland La fente de Babre Lonot Rocher de Laissey 👉🏻 Sous Buen 158 routes. Grade : 3 - 7. There are many routes of grades between 3 and 6a. Exposition S – S/S/E - E. TOPO ESCALADE RUREY : SUR LES TRACES DES COUREURS DE MURAILLES 2014 - RUREY Escalade dans la vallée de la Louen Many of the routes are more difficult than my personal grade. The area is beautifully landscape and can be recommended. ESCALADE dons le Doubs 2022 FFME Gilles Blanchon New guidebook for the climbing sector of the Doubs, launched in 2022. This topo lists 43 climbing sites and more than 3000 routes in the Doubs, which includes the regions of Escalade au Pays de la Loue, Rurey and Baume-les-Dames. You no longer need to carry 3 topos 😁 Sud du Jura - Guide des sites d'escalade This is a topo of a climbing area on the south side of the Jura Mountains (Massif du Jura, Jura ). The photo on the cover looks good, but I'm a little disappointed that the route explanation is somewhat cheap. Bonlieu 👉🏻 Crenans La Cernaise La Goulette Le Truffet Les Auvernes Les Dalles du Marais Les Trois Commères Mancy Mont-Robert Orno Saint Romain Climbing Equipment ・ rope 80m ・16 quickdraws Depends on the route you want to climb.... If you have a rope 80m and at least 16 quickdraws, you may be able to climb most routes 🙄 At least, I had no problem on the routes when I climbed. Climbing Season The climbing season in the Jura (Massif du Jura) seems to be outside of summer (July-August). Of course, you can climb in summer if you choose the right area, but I guess it is more common to climb in the Jura mountains when you can't climb in the Swiss Alps or Chamonix. Basically, the rocks of Jura (Massif du Jura) are limestone. Access to Climbing Area The areas we went to climb are relatively close to the parking lot and the climbing area, although La Barmaud is a bit of a lost 😅 The climbing areas I climbed in Doubs & Jura 👉🏻 Baume-les-Dames 1️⃣ Quint (#5) 2️⃣ Sous-Buen (#6) 👉🏻 Maisières-Notre-Dame 1️⃣ Rurey (#33) 2️⃣ La Barmaud (#36) 3️⃣ La Brême (#37) 👉🏻 Sud du Jura 1️⃣ Crenans (#) refers to the site number 👉🏻 Des Sites D'escalade du Doubs ▶️ Les Sites Naturels d'Escalade Quint Quint has 9 areas along the river, with 179 (5a ~ 9) routes, south face and is an intermediate / advanced area. The topo recommends carrying a 70m rope and 18 quickdraws. My personal feeling is that most routes can be climbed with 14 quickdraws. Most of the routes are above (6c) grade, but I can recommend this area. Sous-Buen Sous-Buen has 13 areas along the river, with 158 routes, southeast face and is a beginner / intermediate area. The topo recommends carrying a 70m rope and (maxi) 18 quickdraws. Except for "Le pilier des pirates" area, most of the routes can be climbed with 10 quickdraws. The walls are a bit dirty in some areas, but it is flat from the parking lot to the crag, so families with small children should be able to easily access all areas. Rurey Ruey has 7 areas along the river, south face. We climbed "Orange Sector", where the wall height was 22-30 meters and it was either a slightly hanging wall or a vertical wall. The long route requires 14 quickdraws. I went to climb at Rurey several times (August 2018, September 2018, April 2019). South face was a bit reckless in the hot summer (August 2018). It hurts to feel the limestone stinging my fingers. The grade feels a little more spicy than Topo. Even if that were true 😆, the views are beautiful and I can recommend the area. La Barmaud ▶️ Idylle & Karaya Sector La Barmaud, Sector Idylle & Kasaya, is southeast face and is a beginner / intermediate area. We went climbing in the hot summer season, but the lower part was shady and comfortable. Some routes climb about 35m, so a 70m+ rope is a must. If you want to climb long routes, this area is recommended. La Brême ▶️ Les Chèvres La Brême, "Les Chèvres" sector has two faces, east and south. The wall is high and requires a 70m rope. This area is recommended as a beginner area. Sud du Jura ➡️ Crenans (Hauteur, 25m) Crenans is a small climbing area with about 48 routes and a maximum height of about 25m. The wall is west face. When we went to climb (mid-April), the main area was still in the shade even after 1:30pm. The routes we climbed were all fun and unique. The area around Lake Vouglans (Lac de Vouglans) near the Crenans area has many beautiful views, so you can enjoy sightseeing other than climbing. Personally, I prefer to climb the longer route, so considering that it takes 4 hours by car from Strasbourg to this area, I don't feel the need to come all the way up here 🙄 However, if I were within an hour's drive, I would definitely come here 😆 🏠 Accommodation : Baume-les-Dames (March, 2019) La Maison Imparfaite (5 Chemin du Tunnel, 25110 Fourbanne) Here is like a gite-type room for rent. There are two bedrooms, each with two single beds and three single beds. The kitchen is fully equipped with a microwave, pots, pans, and dishes, so you will not feel inconvenienced. Beer, wine, etc. in the fridge were available for a fee. The eggs were laid by the chickens in the owner's garden? It was free of charge. Personally, I had no complaints, but the fact that there is a railroad track next to the house and the occasional train may be a bit jarring for those who want to experience the French country life. The owner's wife was friendly, cheerful, and easy to talk to. By the way, the owner and his wife can speak German, French, and English, so it is no problem even if you do not speak French. It seems that if you book directly from the website, you can stay at a lower price than through a big agency. Baume-les-Dames (February, 2021) 3 Rue Principale Reservation through Airbnb. We spoke with the owner and his wife in French. They are nice people and the room was spacious (double bed, two single beds, and a sofa bed), but there is a main road in front of the house and there was a lot of traffic, so it was a bit noisy. I don't think there was wifi. Personally, I would recommend La Maison Imparfaite. Restaurant : La Finette, Taverne d'Arbois 🧀🍷🍺 22 Avenue Pasteur, 39600 Arbois Whenever we go climbing around Jura (Massif du Jura 🇫🇷), we always have dinner here on the last day. Dinner menu one day ....... soupe à l'oignon gratinée au côté fruité fondue au comté crème brûlée vin.. Abbaye De Baume Les Messieurs BLONDE The beer made at Saint-Pierre Abbey in the Jura province? It was recommended by the restaurant, so I tried it. It is a BLONDE beer, but it seemed to have a strong flavor.

The weather was fine, so I walked along the "Route des Vins d'Alsace", which I had wanted to visit at least once 🚶🏼‍♀️🚶🏼‍♂️ Where is the wine route in Alsace? It is a road that connects wine-growing regions on the eastern slopes of the Vosges Mountains in northeastern France. It stretches about 170 km from Marlenheim, west of Strasbourg, in the north to Thann, west of Mulhouse, in the south. More than 100 villages and 900 wineries are scattered along the road. This time, I walked from Ribeauvillé, one of the most popular villages on the Alsace Wine Route, to Riquewihr via Hunawihr, a 4.8 km walk that took about an hour 🚶🏼‍♀️🚶🏼‍♂️ The path was flatter and easier to walk than I had expected. On the other hand, hikers who want to walk hard may find it insufficient. However, it was not bad to take a leisurely walk along the Route des Vins d'Alsace while looking at the quiet vineyards and Schwarzwald in the distance. How to get to Ribeauvillé or Riquewihr by public transport (bus 🚌 train 🚃): 1️⃣ Bus 106 from Colmar 🚌 Line 106 A and B: Colmar - Riquewihr - Ribeauvillé 2️⃣ Bus 109 from Colmar 🚌 Line 109 A and B: Colmar - Ribeauvillé - Saint-Hippolyte 3️⃣ Train (Ter Bus) from Sélestat TER line: Sélestat - Ribeauvillé The well-known way is to take a bus from Colmar. If you ask at the tourist information office next to Strasbourg Cathedral, they will give you information on buses via Colmar. If you ask them " Can we go to Ribeauvillé from Sélestat?", they will check the internet and tell you that there is a train (bus 🚌) from Sélestat too❗️ So I took the bus (train) from Sélestat to Ribeauvillé and walk to Riquewihr from Ribeauvillé. ✅ Strasbourg 🚃 Sélestat 🚌 Ribeauvillé 🚶🏼‍♀️🚶🏼‍♂️ Riquewihr Buses from Sélestat to Ribeauvillé are operated by the train company Ter (SNCF). Therefore, although you will take the bus, you can find the timetable on the website of the train company Ter (SNCF). It depends on the season, but during this season, there were about 8 buses/day. When you arrive at the bus stop, it is advisable to check the bus schedule for your return trip. I think there were about five of villages? Passing through typical Alsatian pretty villages, we arrived at Ribeauvillé from Sélestat. I asked at the tourist information office how to get to Riquewihr on foot and was told to go from "Rue des Boulangers" to "Rue du Vignoble". They said it would take about an hour to get to Riquewihr. But this "Rue des Boulangers" was hard to find 😆 I got a little lost, but still managed to find the directions to "Rue des Boulangers", which was a relief. From here, cross a small river, walk toward the mountains, and take a left at the roundabout to reach "Rue du Vignoble". Once on "Rue du Vignoble", you should not get lost until you reach Riquewihr. If you do get lost, it is probably because you are going around Hunawihr. Rue du Vignoble Street is paved and easy to walk on, although you need to be careful as bicycles and cars also pass by. You can walk on it with normal sneakers. Hunawihr, a village halfway between Ribeauvillé and Riquewihr, is now in sight. This village often appears on posters introducing Alsace. It took me about 40 minutes to reach Hunawihr from the "Rue des Boulangers". I had been to Hunawihr once 5 years ago (2015.9). At that time, we planned to walk from Hunawihr to Ribeauvillé, but we had to change our plan suddenly due to a sudden downpour of rain ⛈ and ended up spending a relaxing time at a restaurant in Hunawihr. This time it is a revenge for that time 😆 Shortly after passing Hunawihr, I started to climb a bit, but once the climb was over, the village of Riquewihr came into view. This is my second visit to Riquewihr. It's already been 7 years (2013.8) 😭 I haven't been to Riquewihr since I came here with my friends who moved to Germany from the US. That time (2013.8), we had dinner at a restaurant in Riquewihr, relaxed, and decided to take a bus back to Colmar, but the bus did not come 😧 We had no choice but to return to Colmar by cab 😆 Riquewihr, the "Pearl of the Vineyard," was again crowded with more tourists than Ribeauvillé. I would personally recommend Riquewihr over Ribeauvillé as well. Riquewihr is a small village, but it is compact and the whole village is very cute. The view of the village from the nearby vineyards is also very nice. Plus the big difference is whether the main road is for walking only or not. I wonder if Ribeauvillé has something to do with parking? It is difficult to walk on the main road because cars are allowed on the main road as well in Ribeauvillé. Rather, it is difficult to take pictures 😆 I looked at my watch and it was still past 15:00. The bus from Riquewihr to Colmar did not leave until 17:00, so I wondered what to do. It was halfway through the day to eat, and I was not in the mood for a winery tour, so I decided to take the plunge and walk back to Ribeauvillé. In hindsight, this was a good thing. The short detour allowed me to get to a spot with a great view of Riquewihr. This is the end of the walk from Ribeauvillé to Riquewihr, a wine route in the Alsace region of France that I had wanted to walk at least once. It was an easy one-way walk that took about one hour and was quite enjoyable, with views of the vineyards at the foot of the Vosges Mountains and the Schwarzwald in the distance. How to get to Ribeauvillé or Riquewihr by public transport (bus 🚌 train 🚃): 1️⃣ Bus 106 from Colmar 🚌 Line 106 A and B: Colmar - Riquewihr - Ribeauvillé 2️⃣ Bus 109 from Colmar 🚌 Line 109 A and B: Colmar - Ribeauvillé - Saint-Hippolyte 3️⃣ Train (Ter Bus) from Sélestat TER line: Sélestat - Ribeauvillé ⚠️ Depending on the season and day of the week, there are also buses going to Sélestat - Ribeauvillé - Riquewihr. Other buses that may be useful 🚌 👉🏻 the Kut’zig open-top bus 🔄 The Kut’zig open-top bus：July, August, September From Friday to Sunday and Public Holidays (2020) Hop on and off as often as you like for just 15€ per person. The bus comes through each town and village along the route every 1h30. This bus runs during the Christmas season and is very convenient (2021.12) Public Restrooms 🚾 The toilets used are ✅ Bus stop in Ribeauvillé ✅ Riquewihr village Both were free and clean. ✍🏻 Video of an hour-long walk of 4.8 km from Ribeauvillé to Riquewihr, via Hunawihr, one of the most popular villages on the French Alsace Wine Route.

The Haute Durance Valley extends from Montgenèvre to Châteauroux-les-Alpes. Going down the course of the Durance from its source, you will pass through the town of Briançon. Briançon is a small town in the Hautes-Alpes department. Located at 1,326 meters above sea level, it is the highest commune in France 🇫🇷 It is famous as a fortified town built in the 17th century to defend against the Austrian invasion, and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Sites as one of the Fortifications of Vauban. For climbers, Briançon is famous for hosting the World Cup of lead climbing 🏆 Surrounded by 2000m mountains, Briançon offers endless rock climbing areas, including short-pitch, multi-pitch climbing and also bouldering 😍 Climbing Area How many climbing routes are there? I'd guess that the number of routes within an hour's drive of Briancon is in the range of a couple of thousand. There are countless multi-pitch routes as well as single pitches here, which the majority are well bolted. The Climbing Season It feels like a summer climbing area because of its high elevation, but if you choose the area strictly, you can climb all year round. The area is supposedly averages 300+ days of sunshine per year. Climbing Equipment ・single rope 80m ・minimum 14 quickdraws Depends on the route you want to climb.... You could probably climb most routes 🙄 but depends on the route you want to climb.... At least, it was not a problem on the routes we climbed. Rock Climbing Guidebook Briançon CLIMBS This topo is a revised edition (2019.6). It is in French and English and is an easy to read topo, not only to understand the route itself, but also the time of approach, the height of the walls, the direction of the walls, etc. The topo can be purchased at the sports store in the shopping mall in the city of Briançon. Access to Climbing Area You can find the parking information in the Climbing Topo. The climbing area we went to climb seemed close, with a relatively easy walk from the parking lot to the climbing area. Well, we chose a climbing area that was easy to access 😅 The climbing areas I climbed in the Durance Valley (2020) This was my first time in Briançon. It was good 🌤 Nice atmosphere and nice view, nice route 😍 ✅ BRIANÇON Rocher de L'OMBRE Rocher Gafouille Rocher Baron ✅ VALLOUISE Tournoux AILEFROIDE ✅ L'ARGENTIÈRE Le Rif D'oriol ✅ BRIANÇON : Rocher Gafouille Close to the parking lot, the wall is northwest, so at least in the morning there is shade and it is not too hot even in summer. The sector we climbed had a few (6b~7b) routes, but I think there were many easier routes on the faces further from the parking lot. ✅ BRIANÇON : Rocher Baron If you can park in the parking lot at the topo, it is only a minute walk to the climbing area. The day we went there, it was crowded with many children. One elementary school kid was chatting with his friends, saying "It's been a long time since I climbed top rope" 😅 Okay. I climb by lead climbing 😂 ✅ BRIANÇON : Rocher de L'OMBRE It started raining soon after we started climbing in this area 🌧 so we had to leave early 🚗💨 I don't know the whole area, but it is close to Briançon city center and might be convenient 🙄 ✅ VALLOUISE Tournoux There are six sectors. Some of which are difficult to get to and from. I think a party of climbers of similar climbing level would enjoy it without any problems. The wall has not only a climbing area but also a via ferrata route. On the day we went climbing, we saw several people climbing this wall in Via Ferrata. It is surrounded by the French Alps and the scenery is spectacular. I personally recommend this area. ✅ VALLOUISE AILEFROIDE Cascades Blues (D+, Max 6a, 250m, L8) This is the area where we did our first multi-pitch climbing in Briançon. The routes were well maintained and highly recommended. Compared to the multi-pitch routes I climbed in Switzerland, it is obviously mentally easier to climb as there are obviously more bolts put in 😁 ✅ L'ARGENTIÈRE : Le Rif D'oriol Located in a small canyon, this area is cool even in summer. It is close to the parking lot and is an area for beginners to enjoy. It was crowded with families, when we climbed. There are many long routes, but I think the grade is sweet. I didn't try many routes, but I felt that even if the grade was around (7a~7b+), the hardest part was one move of the first half . Briançon TOURISME Briançon is a fortified city, and although the streets are steep. They are lined with old houses on both sides, giving it a very European look. Interestingly, the city's main street, rue Grande, runs along a steep hillside with a Gargouille waterway running through the middle of the street. As it was hot, children were playing in the water and shopkeepers were cleaning their stores by drawing water from this canal. Some people accidentally fell into this waterway 😆 Recommended Restaurants in Briançon Le Gavroche I recommend this restaurant for its atmosphere and staff. Reservations are essential. We had to wait for almost an hour even though we went at the reserved time 😂 ✍🏻 First multi-pitch climb near Briançon, France Cascades Blues (D+, Max 6a 250m L8)