Lights, Camera, Action!

Merrick Shaefer just rolled through town while on a whirlwind world tour. Merrick was just climbing in Hampi India, then flew back to New York to visit his girlfriend and then I got the word that he would be blazing through Southern France on his way to Rome. I picked Merrick up at the airport at 11:30am local time Saturday. He had left New York on a night flight and managed to sleep on the plane so he was fully energized and he wouldn’t stop talking. A couple hours later we were wondering through the forest of Annot surronded by boulders. We climbed until dark and afterwards Merrick wanted some fancy french food. Still in climbing attire with chalk on our pants the first two restaurants refused us service. One restaurant told us they didn’t have enough food. More than likely we didn’t have the look of their standard cliental. The third and last restaurant in the small town of Annot greeted us warmly and Merrick enjoyed the quail with wine from the region while I had the fish of the day and a martini. The next day was back to work pulling pockets and slapping slopers. After a good session we jumped in the car to get Merrick to Nice to catch his train. We gave ourselves an extra hour but still managed to get to the train just ten minutes before it departed.

CLIMBING
- Merrick confirmed that everything I was saying about Annot wasn’t just spray.

PHOTOGRAPHY
- I always find it much easier to photograph old friends than new people.

TRAVEL
- Merrick is one of the best travelers I know and he seems to pull it off full time. I think he simply desires to be in new places all the time.

Arete of Marseille

Last week my half sister from the UK came to Southern France for a visit. We headed to the Sugiton Calanque near Marseille to climb one of the most classic climbs in the area: The Arete of Marseille. Rated 5c (5.9) this 5 pitch climb has a famous gap on the second pitch that is spanned by leaning out as far as you can and then falling forward catching the other-side. Very heroic indeed! The top offers one of the best views in Southern France with a 360 degree view of the coastline. Nia and I had a late start and topped out just as the sun dropped below the horizon. We couldn’t find the rap station so we ended up rapping off a small tree and walked back to the car by headlamp.

CLIMBING
- The best time of year to climb the Arete of Marseille it is fall and spring but winter can be fine with some warm clothing. The wind picked up while we were on route and I was constantly changing from a t-shirt to a windbreaker. The first pitch is a little polished.

PHOTOGRAPHY
- I lugged my digital SLR with a 16-35 and 70-200 up the route. I normally don’t like to climb with this much gear but it is usually worth the effort unless is slows you down too much.

TRAVEL
- The Arete of Marseille is just outside the city of Marseille on the eastside. It has an hour to hour and a half approach but be aware that it is closed in the summer because of fire bans.

Good Deed

So the other night I was walking down the street in the rain and I passed two surly looking middle aged french men that where obviously into the bottle. We exchanged glares and I continued walking. Just after I passed them, they shouted at me,”monsieur! monsieur!” and I turned around and started talking with them. It turned out that they had locked them selves out of their second story apartment. They then pointed out that had left a window open and to my surprise they asked me if I could climb up and let them in. I asked them why they didn’t do that themselves and they said that they had both tried but had fallen, one of which had fallen quite badly injuring his knee. He was limping so I believed him and I didn’t ask them why they would then ask a total stranger to do something so stupid that had just hurt them. I looked up and assessed while these guys actually rushed me! A first story window had shutters that opened out and above was a body length of smooth concrete to the 90 degree ledge of the window sill and open window. My first thought was: why would I risk hurting myself to help these guys, but then I thought what are the chances that these two individuals would first have the nerve to propose such a stunt to a stranger and second what were the chances that they would propose it to me (a person who spends most of his time practicing climbing). As we all know there are no coincidences in life so it had to be an omen and therefore I was obligated to try and help them. I grabbed the vertical prison bars in the first story window and high stepped on top of the moving shutter while the two men steadied it. Then hoping that the shutter would support my weight I stood up with no hands and extended barley latching the slick dirty window sill as my feet cut. Twenty five feet above the concrete sidewalk I mantled into the bed room of these strangers.

I pasted some images from a recent shoot in the medieval town of St. Maximin. I went there simply because I liked the name of the town!

TRAVEL
- The town of St.Maximin is located about an hour east of Aix-en-Provence. The Basilica (La Basilique) of the town of Saint Maximin is the largest gothic edifice in the South-East of France. It is 73 meters (240 feet) long by 37 meters (121 feet) wide by 29 meters (95 feet) high. Work began in 1295 and lasted for 300 years!

PHOTOGRAPHY
- Tripod vs no Tripod. In some instances (such as low light) a tripod is of course mandatory however some photographers still use a tripod in situations where there is enough light to shoot handheld. There is good reason for this: putting a camera on a tripod forces you to slow down and take a good look at your composition and this can help to produce better results. The down side to using a tripod when there is enough light to shoot handheld is off course it restricts camera placement and sometimes when you slow down you actually miss shots.

CLIMBING
- Always remember to wash your hands after buildering.

Cheap Travel and Some Snaps

Last night I was researching a surf trip to Portugal. With all of the competing cheap airlines in Europe you can find some pretty amazing deals. I found a ticket from Marseille, France to Porto, Portugal for about 5 euro after taxes! Does anyone out there have experience with cheap tickets like this? Thanks.

TRAVEL
- Cheap airlines I have found:
www.easyjet.com
www.bmibaby.com
www.ryanair.com

PHOTOGRAPHY
- I have attached some snaps. One thing I battle with is how much time to be on. When on assignment it is cut and dry but when shooting stock I need to set limits for how much time I hold the camera.

CLIMBING
- Looking into doing the Traverse of No Return! A long traverse along sea cliffs that you rap into and it is like climbing El Captain sideways.

Annot: The making of a world class climbing destination.

Each weekend climbers from Marseille make a two hour drive into the mountains to the little town of Annot. The total pool of local climbers/cleaners is about 30, but a weekend usually produces a group of 5-10 equipped with brushes, scrapers and other various boulder cleaning supplies. From Annot a windy dirt road takes you uphill for 7 km and you can stop at any point, walk in to the forest and find boulders!

Arriving late Saturday afternoon, the first day is spent climbing until dark at one of the established zones. Halfway up the hill is the campsite and after climbing, tents are set up quickly. Everyone gathers wood and within moments a small blaze is lit. Around the campfire are young and old faces and the conversation hops from one topic to the next without break. The wine flows just as seamlessly and the night doesn’t end until late.

Lead by Vincent, who climbed for France and now scurries up V10s to warm up, the second day starts off with cleaning. Individuals first scout for an objective and then set to work unearthing a new line. The cleaning started about six years ago at the bottom of the road and quickly worked its way upward as blocks of all shapes and sizes were discovered. A new line takes a couple hours to clean and afterwards everyone meets for a long lunch. With the sun starting it’s descent, crash pads get organized and climbing begins. Each new line is visited by the group and the visionary gets first crack at climbing it. Eventually everyone gets a turn, thus participating in the history-making development of Annot!

TRAVEL
- Annot is accessible via train from Nice. It would be possible to climb at this area without a car.

CLIMBING
- Annot impresses me more and more with each visit!

PHOTOGRAPHY
- The image of the house under the boulder was pointed out to me by a person that I was traveling with. I think that it is really valuable to try and stay open to the photo suggestions of the people around you.

Renault Clio

I figured our mode of transport was worth a post. Todd and I bought this 1993 Renault Clio after being in the country for a week. It was the second car we looked at and we paid 900 euro. However, about a month ago during a rainstorm a large piece of cement roofing fell from the top of a four story building that was being worked on and smashed the back hatch, just missing the rear window. The roofing company paid us 600 euro not to take it to the insurance company which brings our total car investment down to 300. This hotrod boasts a 1.2 L engine that gets close to 50 mpg! Sounds good until you factor in that the cost of gas here is currently hovering around 1.3 euro a liter (US = $6.00 USD per gallon) (Canada = $1.70 cdn per Liter). I am not going to lie — this car is fast. Last night I raced a smart car and lost but we had three people in the car.

Annot

I recently stumbled upon a large story in the world of climbing. With a quantity of rock equivalent to that of Fontainebleau, yet better friction, less crowds and a drier climate, Annot could soon be the go to bouldering destination in Europe. I was just given an assignment by a US magazine to produce a photo story on the area and I made my first trip to photograph the area this past weekend. I have attached a couple images. Currently there are over 1200 problems but it has a 10,000 plus potential and the next 25 years are sure to be the golden era of this climbing area.

TRAVEL
- Annot is in Southern France about two hours north of Aix-en-Provence. The camping is nestled in the forest on land owned by farmers. Cost for camping is 2.5 euro a night per person which includes hot showers. The farm also offers dinner that needs to be reserved a day in advance. Dinner is a feast and an experience not to be missed as you sit and eat with the family. Cost 15-20 euro per person.

CLIMBING
- Annot is a relatively unknown bouldering area with sandstone blocs of all sizes. Tons of established classics but also infinite potential for new lines. Season: Spring to early winter. Fall is best.

PHOTOGRAPHY
- Only a small percentage of my time is spent actually pressing the shutter. One of the hardest things is always gaining access or finding the right people to photograph. The people of Southern France are notorious for being closed. Combine that with the fact that I hardly speak the language and you can imagine that I was quite apprehensive about being able to get the job done. So far I have been really lucky as I hit it off with one of the key developers of the area. Vincent was on France’s climbing team for a number of years and set up the first “just” bouldering gym in France. My night in Annot was spent trying my best to follow the conversation of six french climbers (well into the wine) discussing anything and everything at a fast pace. This persisted into the wee hours of the morning and climbing didn’t begin until late the next day! I have two months to complete the assignment.

Chateauvert Update

I wanted to update the blog with images of Chateauvert and the city of Marseille referenced in a below post. Just over an hour from Aix, Chateauvert looks to be our go-to crag for the next little while. Yesterday Todd unsighted a 7a+ that has a really famous dyno. The route came highly recommended and before climbing we speculated where the dyno was hidden. From the ground it was impossible to tell the size of the holds, and the line of chalk gave us no clue to where one would be forced to make the leap. Todd started climbing and as I belayed I was waiting in anticipation for him to dyno. Todd climbed carefully with the inevitable jump weighing heavy on his mind. About two thirds of the way up the route he paused and I shouted up to him,”did you find the dyno?” He crouched down and shouted back,”yup”, before uncoiling and launching himself upward. In dramatic style he snatched the jug with one arm and reeled himself into the wall. One of T’s proudest onsights!

Some of the images below are from the Notre Dame de la Garde which is massive church planted on the highest natural point in Marseille.

CLIMBING:

TRAVEL
- The Notre Dame de la Garde is the symbol of Marseille that offers impressive views of the city. The impressive architecture, free parking and free entrance makes it a must do no matter what your faith.

PHOTOGRAPHY
- Just picked up a digital point-and-shoot and honestly I don’t know how I have gone this long with out. I bought a Panasonic DMC-LX1 which so far has exceeded all expectations. Snapshots from the crag and the images from the deep water bouldering were all taken on this camera. Look for more from this camera soon!

Aix-en-Provence

Pasted below are some excerpts from a travel article that Todd is working on to give a sense of the town we are living in.

Aix-en-Provence

by Todd Bradlee

One of the French sayings that pretty much sums up life in Southern France is: “Ce n’est pas grave.” Translation: “It’s no big deal; No worries.” I have heard it everywhere from the parking lot when someone opened their car door into mine, to the line up in the grocery store when my friend had to run to the nearest ATM because her credit card malfunctioned. With their 35 hour work week and low-stress attitude towards life, the French have a unique lifestyle.

Just north of Marseille and the Mediterranean Sea, nestled in the heart of Provence-Alpes-Cote D’Azur (more commonly known as Provence), lies the mini-metropolis of Aix-en-Provence. Aix(pronounced ‘x’), could be described as a smaller, more intimate version of Paris. The birthplace of Paul Cezanne(1839-1906), Aix was the muse for this gifted painter. Very influential to the likes of Picasso, Cezanne breathed in the energy from his surroundings. His favorite subject, Mt. Sainte-Victoire, located 10 km east of town, was immortalized in his work.

Aix is a posh neighbor of Marseille, and in the summer the main street mirrors a fashion show with its beautiful people dressed in the latest styles. There are more places to drop a dime than you can imagine- designer boutiques with all of the top names in fashion line the main streets. I found myself inspired by the clothing on display and before I knew it I was trying on a heavily tapered white dress shirt with a 70’s cut collar and an Italian name stitched to it. Whatever type of shopping interests you, the downtown area has something high end to offer.

Downtown Aix is surrounded by a circular one-way road that encloses a tightly woven labyrinth of narrow streets and beautiful old buildings. Amongst these beautiful buildings are the stately Hotel de Ville, the ornate Cathedral St-Saveur, the towering Eglise St-Jean de Malte, and the myriad fountains and beautiful cobblestone plazas. With its ease of navigating on foot, crossing from one side to the other of this “inner circle” is a short 20 minute walk.

Showing off the surrounding bounty of Provence are the markets that happen every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings, starting around 9am and closing down at 1pm. Load up on fresh produce from many of the surrounding farms- here you will find everything from a wide selection of cheese, bread, olives, cured meats and seafood, to fresh spices, herbs, and flowers. You can also browse the rows of adjacent merchants selling clothing, jewelry, and various bits and bobs. The two main markets are located next to the Palais de Justice(Place des Precheurs) and the Hotel de Ville(Place Richelme). These two markets are less than five minutes from each other, both in downtown, and if you don’t have a basket you can buy one for ten euros.

During my first week in Aix, I got stuck on a one-way road behind a parked car in the middle of the street. Too far down this street to reasonably back out, I weighed my options. Aix’s streets range from narrow to “Do you think we will make it?,” so passing was out of the question. Looking around in vain for the potential driver of this vehicle, I turned off my ignition and got out onto the street to get a better look. A few prospects walked by, only to shake their head when I asked if this was their car. When I honked my horn, a half-naked guy appeared in the second story window across the street. Obviously fresh out of the shower with soaking-wet hair, he smiled and said he would be down in a few minutes. Closer to ten minutes later he appeared on the street, all smiles and happily clean. After all, “Ce n’est pas grave.” If the high stress of living in your neck of the woods has got you down, come see what Aix-en-Provence has to offer.

Deep Water Bouldering near Marseille

I just rolled into my apartment after spending the day climbing on sea cliffs near Marseille. For the past few weeks, a climbing friend named Mathiaus has been talking about an impressive cave with large hands holds just above the water. Todd and I were super keen to check it out but for the last two weeks Mathiaus refused to show us saying that the waves were too big and it would be unsafe. I was skeptical of any waves existing in the tiny ocean of the Mediterranean and I insisted that he show us. Finally he gave in when the ocean forecast dropped calling for just “slight agitation”. I assumed that this meant we would be swimming in a lake and I was confident. However, as soon as we climbed down a rickety old ladder bolted to the rock that dropped us at sea level and Mathiaus pointed out our objective my confidence turned to terror! To get to the cave we would have to traverse a kilometer of loose decaying sandstone with embedded cobblestones all vertical to steep anywhere from 1 to 30 feet above the ocean. Furthermore, the “slight agitation” of the ocean was concentrated! The energy of the waves funneled into the tight inlets producing swell and backlash against the bottom of the cliffs. In many instances we had to jump into the water to swim around unclimbable sections, always wearing a backpack, and timing our jumps with the incoming waves. All very frightening but all very worth it once we arrived at the cave. The quality of rock reasonable and the setting not to be matched! Attached are some images.

CLIMBING
- Sea cave with Deep Water Bouldering. Long pumpy routes and the adventure of getting there makes it a must do. Highly recommended to visit only when the ocean is completely calm! For directions look in the guide book to the Calanques.

TRAVEL
- Marseille is the nearest major city with 800,000 people. The city is quite a challenge to negotiate even if traveling with a local. Very impressive church called “Notre Dame” that is the symbol of the city. Smaller towns in either direction along that coast.

PHOTOGRAPHY
- To get to the place that these images were taken I needed to swim with my camera in a dry sac that was inside a backpack.