Chateaudouble/Dramont climbing

Crag: Rebouillon, Chateaudouble, Provence
Routes: Rebouillon de Culture (f5:led), Prise d'Info (f5:sec), Fa, Si, la Grimper (f5:led), Mais t'es Haut (f5+:sec), Fort Braillard (f5:sec)
Crag: Cap Dramont, Esterel, Provence
Routes: L'Orange (f6a:led), Razzia sur la Schnouffe (f6a:sec), Feu Interdit (f6a:sec)
It looked like the start of our fourth consecutive May climbing trip to Provence would be thwarted by bad weather as we sat listening to thundery rain in the early morning. By 9ish, the sky was looking a little brighter so we headed off to Chateaudouble - the longer drive giving the crags time to dry, we hoped. We'd been very impressed by the large Marinouns crag in this valley last year, so decided to start off with the easy routes lower down the valley this year (mindful of a potentially huge day tomorrow). The gorge is now barred to traffic, with climbers parking near the barrier: the effect is to increase the tranquility and attractiveness of an already lovely setting. After a short walk-in, I kicked off with an ideal relaxed lead of a pleasant f5, which takes a steepish wall to a delicate finish. Vic then led a route up the obvious cracks/groove to the right, at a similar grade: trending left across the wall. Another slabby f5 lead for me culminated in a very nice orange slab: quite delicate and thought-provoking. Vic then led the main classic of this smaller crag: Mais t'es Haut, an excellent 28m pitch with takes a steep wall of grey limestone to a crux bulge. This gains a gap in a long overlap. A splendid pull through this on sharp holds gains a superb final groove. Perfect jugs and bridging make this comfortable until it really steepens just before the top: but huge holds sustain the standard. Great pitch, followed up by the variant start of Fort Braillard to its left which gives slabby climbing on flat holds. The weather was beginning to threaten, so we had a quick lunch (the now traditional pissaladiere) before heading up to the bigger and more isolated crag of Gros Roucas. It began to rain as we walked in, prospects not looking good, but worse was to come as we failed to read the guidebook and ploughed blindly into the maquis. Cue a hellish half hour of muddy flailing, ripped clothes, cuts and bruises as we tried to locate the crag in thick vegetation. We finally lost touch with each other, just as the rain got worse and a tremendous thunderstorm erupted. I eventually retraced my steps and the heavens really opened: torrential rain, the path flowing with water. We jumped into the car, soaking wet, and drove towards the coast. Within 5k, at Draguignan, it was dry! So we drove round to Cap Dramont for a couple more routes before dinner. As usual, once we were off the limestone and on to the rhyolite of Esterel, we could immediately lead a grade harder, so I kicked off with L'Orange, a short route on the lower, pathside 'tier' of Dramont. This goes gently up to a short, steep and intense crux sequence. Good sharp holds, and quite powerful at the top, as are the two similar routes to the left (Razzia) and right (Feu Interdit).