Thanks to the Full English and coffee and croissants!

I have to say that most of the time I find Riviera Radio very irritating. However, I do like listening to Rob Harrison on the "Full English Breakfast" broadcast between 7.00 and 8.00 in the morning. After that the music goes down hill and the condescending adverts switch me right off, so I listen to my phone or iPod in preference. However, this Monday I tuned in on my way to school and heard an advert for Air France who were promoting cheap flights to, wait for it, Shanghai.

Now, one of Elaine's brothers lives in Shanghai and we have been intending on going to see him and his beautiful wife, Jenny, at some time during our year off work. Thanks to Air France we have got a great deal. We go in November, tickets booked and paid for. And we're going to go climbing to Yangshou as well. How good is that? Better than superb, I reckon! So, I guess I should say "thank you" to Riviera Radio. I just wish they'd play less of that modern crap "music" and get rid of that annoying American who does the stupid quotes, like "Is that a banger in your pocket, or are you pleased to see me". FFS Also, they should seriously consider what effect the flexigarden.eu adverts have on normal, sensible people. Word up, please.

Changing the subject:

Le Club du Mardi (The Tuesday Club) continues climbing at the Gorges du Blavet. It's the best option down here still, because the limestone crags with tufas are still pretty wet. It means that some of the Nice climbers are getting stuff done outdoors instead of pulling on plastic, which is fine by me.

This club includes legend Axel Franco, mega new route equipper Olivier Germain, super strong Fabien Paupert, Fred "Champagne" Oddo, mega strong pop-star-look-alike Alex Meije and me (baldy old Mike). The crack is as good as it ever was on the catwalk at Malham but there are no wet holds to contend with.

We always stop at the cafe before climbing and I'm always amazed at what my mates eat and how much coffee they drink. Until yesterday, I haven't drunk coffee before climbing for decades as it always made me way too wobbly on the rock. There were no such problems yesterday after a "grande creme" and a "pain aux raisins". Oh dear, this could become a habit!

Fabien tucking into a croissant coated in cheese

Olivier, Alex, Fabien and Axel going for it! Will they manage to get off the ground?

Scamp asking for some coffee and a roll up!

Things went very well yesterday, we all did some great climbing. However, each one of us left (apart from Fred and Alex who were marked absent this week) with unfinished business. Hopefully to be finished some time soon. Maybe this weekend. If not, next Tuesday.

Yes, yes, yes!

Not long after moving down here, we bumped into Pete and Lynn Cumming. They had done the same as us. Originally from the Bristol area, they had moved to the Cote d'Azur several years before us and were enjoying the lifestyle, which included lots of sun, wine and of course great climbing.

I knew Pete, but only by name, because he had taken a very long groundfall whilst trying to make an on-sight ascent of a climb I was involved in putting up in Pembroke. He was also very well known for hard ascents at Malham and had put in a lot of effort trying to do Mark Leach's Cry Freedom. I think we actually first met each other at la Grotte du Peillon (Pete was climbing with Philippe Gatta). Then we bumped into each other at the Gorges du Blavet. 

I remember very clearly Pete telling me that he'd tried Poupoune, which is a frightening looking 7c+ at Blavet. He said it was really very hard for the grade and very run out. Understandably, I have avoided this climb for the fourteen years since that conversation took place and Pete and Lynn have long since moved back to Bristol! That is, until last week, when I saw an ace photo of Alex Zuttre's posted on Facebook, showing another expat Brit living down here called Felix Coxwell. When I saw that photo I just had to go and find out how scary that climb was. All of a sudden I wanted it badly! How strange is that?

The toil and trouble started (not very promisingly) when I went there with Axel, Olivier, Fred and Sophie last Tuesday. The moves were hard, reachy, technical, on small holds and, yes, very run out in places. It seemed really hard, especially near the top when you'd be really tired. I was falling off again on Saturday, when I went with Marie-Jo and Julien. I actually thought at that point that I couldn't do it, due to a lack of reach on the crux at the top, that is if I was even able to link it together all the way up to there. 

However, yesterday Fred Oddo and I both managed to link together all the tenuous moves to clip the chain on our second runs! Fred typically cruised it in fine French style, whereas I had to fight really hard in the bull dog spirit all the way (just ask Sheila Stark, she'll agree). Still, we were both very happy chappies leaving the crag, despite spending 3 days on a 7c+. To cap it all Liverpool beat Man U at Old Trafford finishing off a truly ace day.

What's next? There's a very nice looking 8a just to the left.....

However, it was quite a sad day, too. It was the first time I've gone out climbing without taking Scamp. She was absolutely knackered after Saturday and could hardly walk (she is now eleven and a half years old and she's slowing down). However, she's had two rest days and she's looking good for tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

Sweety Pie, 6a+ warm up.

Setting the draws on Saturday on Poupoune

That great photo of Alex Zuttre's again, thanks mate!

Scamp watches whilst I struggle (thanks to Marie-Jo Centofanti / Voyages a la Verticale for the photos)

All good on the beautiful Cote d'Azur

Weather on the Cote d'Azur is back to normal, in other words dry, sunny and the colours and light are amazing right now. Consequently, the crags are drying out (slowly for the crags with tufas) and the cave dwellers from Art-Bloc and Val de Grimpe have been getting outdoors to play. Yippee, all is good fun and everybody is smiling!

Mesa Verde in the Gorges du Loup and the Gorges du Blavet crags are proving very popular, as they are very quick drying.

Elaine and Scamp at Mesa Verde

Hardin and Kirsty getting ready to warm up in the sun at Mesa Verde

Manu about to warm up on Pas de Bras, Pas de Chocolat belayed by Diane

Axel warms up in trainers! (photo by Elaine)

Marie-Jo wearing great colours on her 7b+ project (photo by Elaine)

Julien wears normal blokes colours on the same 7b+ (photo by Elaine)

Baldy on Projet PHP, 7b+ at Mesa Verde (photo by Hardin Pardede)

A day at Blavet with friends:

Olivier Germain warming up on La Coupe est Pleine, 6b+ (so hard to get good photos at Blavet)

Fred Oddo warming up on a classic 6c

Olivier belaying Fred

Fred starting up Poupoune, 7c+

Sophie sending her first 7a, Los Olvidados, bravo et chapeau!

Fred higher on Poupoune

Local legend Axel Franco sending an 8b, bravo gar!

A much better shot of Felix Coxwell on Poupoune, taken by Alex Zuttre

Finally, I was well chuffed to do Gaia (2nd go) at Montgrony, when we had a quick 4 day visit there during the February holiday. I'd always wanted to do this classic 7c+ after seeing an ace photo in Roc n Wall from 1998. Anant amb croses (7c) was also great fun, though I had to red point it as I blew the on-sight. However, Calabruix (8a/8a+) was too hard and needs another visit, probably during our year out.

The photo from Roc n Wall showing Laurent Triay climbing Gaia at Montgrony