This site collects opinions on which crags are suitable to visit if you have children with you. It comments on the length and the ease of the approach as well as the conditions found at the base of the crag i.e whether the ground is steep or flat, whether there is shelter from the sun and from loose stones.
It also suggests which aren't suitable for visiting with a child... so that you don't waste time hiking into a crag only to find it totally unsuitable.
A recommendation here is NOT to suggest that it is a good crag for children to climb on. Go down page to map of France

The initial list was based on crags visited with my son Jamie whilst he was between the ages of 6 months and 9 years. On most occasions, there were three adults; this set-up will have coloured my judgement. We did however follow certain house rules:

• At the crag, babies sit in car seat/carriers equipped with home-made heavy duty cover (enough to stop small stones and accidentally earth-bound krabs).
• Children wear hard hats whenever near crag.
• Teenagers who are awkward about the latter MUST sit out of the line of fire, and to the side, NOT just down slope.
• It was insisted that children sit (with GameBoy/book etc) below undercut section of crag for protection from long-fall stones, wherever possible. Or a long way out from the crag.
• Three adults is very good; gives a necessary rest between red-points.
• Lots of food and especially liquid plus entertainment is good; try stick-wigwams built against the crag foot. Also searching for ant lions.
• Only allow big swings from the lower-off if the rope hangs free and there's no rubbing over loose rock.
• Give snake warnings on rubbly ground (though to be fair to the snakes, most French ones rush off; only in the States did large numbers of them want to eat children).
• Fair bribes are essential (even though they don't work): get up early and promise afternoon in the plan d'eau (when it's too hot to climb in a French summer anyway).

Being alert to these suggestions probably exposes children to no more dangers than those experienced when given the independence to cross roads. (Following a similar logic, it is important to explain the dangers of the crag environment and so gain shared awareness). In the process, kids are exposed to the wide open spaces (good) and climbing parents stay sane (good), but the price is eternal vigilance, lots of energy spent anticipating dangers plus a degree of additional stress.
A major supplier of French guidebooks is www.soescalade.com but their website is currently under reconstruction; try sending them a fax (04 90 15 02 45) requesting a catalogue. French climbing topos do exist on the web but have a tendency to vanish. Otherwise, local climbing shops, the nearest Decathlon store and perhaps the nearest Bar du Sport might oblige.

Additional information kindly provided by Andy Say. If you have visited any French crags and feel you can offer advice on their suitability (or not) for family climbers, please e-mail this site.

• Jura, Alps and Pre-Alps
  
• Provence and The South
  
• The Pyrenees and The South West
  
• The West and The North of France
  
• Links to French sites

New information is welcome and will be added to the site

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