Blavet, Roussivau climbs

Crag: Gorges du Blavet, Esterel, France
Routes: Le Deserteur (f5a:led), J'irai cracher sur vos tombes (f6a:sec), Vergecinclitorix (f5c:sec), Minez la police (f5c:led), L'automne a Pekin (f6a:sec), Cristal qui songe (f6a:sec), Comme un avion sans aile (f6a:sec), Le double je du tu (f5a:led), Je est un autre (f5a:sec)
Crag: Barre de Roussivau, Esterel, France
Routes: Zootomie (f5a:sec), Zourouche (f4a:sec), Martians go home (f4b:led)
Quite a big day, as the list of routes suggests. It was always the plan to head off to Blavet at some point and, although we were detained too long by the shorter routes, the visit gave some superb climbing. The edge of the gorge is gained quite easily down a scrambly path and the routes on the first big slab were impossible to resist. I led Le Deserteur (5a) as an hors d'oeuvre. Delightful climbing, gently sustained at low-end British VS: perfect rough rock, not a hint of polish, and some nice, elegant moves. J'irai cracher (6a) upped the grade and was a tremendous, varied 20m pitch. A delicate start on very small holds, followed by an easier section to a powerful semi-overhanging flake which is laybacked. The crux comes right at the top: a very long reach over a big bulge for a huge jug. Vic then led Vergecinclitorix, a soft-touch 5c up the slender pillar right of the deep chimney. Another appealing and excellent climb, with some very enjoyable moves. I followed with a lead of Minez la police (5c) at the far left of the crag. This was quite sustained for the first 10m, a splendid sequence of moves on small, positive holds to an easier section leading to a final steep wall. Another really good 20m pitch. Followed by seconding L'automne a Pekin - very tough start up a smooth wall on tiny holds gains more sustained 6a climbing on small crimps. Great stuff. After clearing up the routes on this face, we moved up to the Petit Canyon which was attractively shaded. Seconding Vic up to the final slab, and crux, of Cristal (6a+). This was far harder than it looked, but an excellent line - felt like UK E2. Up a leaning flake to steep sustained moves right to an awkward sloping groove. Followed up with Comme un avion, up an obvious thin groove left. After feeling good and climbing well earlier on, I started to feel the pace here and found this 6a tricky - began to feel clumsy and weak! Awkward bridging on small holds and lichenous rock gain the top with a superb view out to the spectacular main canyon. Finished with two undergraded slabby routes, delicate - but me feeling tired. We topped out on the second of these and walked back to the car, hoping to perk up with some food before heading to Roussivau. After a longish drive, we arrived at the forest lodge and began the steep walk in, the only time we were uncomfortably hot all trip, up the maquis to the crag. I've done a lot of the routes here, but wanted to at least visit the place again. Vic led Zootomie, the delightful VS up the positive crack on the edge of the slab. I did this several times in the early 90s, so it was nice to do it again (and Zourouche, the groove on the left). Finished with a lead of Martians go home (f4b), which was an ideal way to end. A nice little UK Severe, up jugs to a lovely traverse right above a small cave, then more jugs up a shallow groove to finish. This crag has a unique ambience - nightingales and cuckoo singing, honey buzzard overhead as we walked back to the car through wild honeysuckle and other interesting maquis flora. Nice to have a three minute trip back to the campsite and well deserved beer.