Climbing in France
Luckily for me, while abroad I have been able to continue with my (slightly-obsessive) hobby of rock-climbing while abroad. At Vanderbilt, I participate in both Wilderness Skills and the Outdoor Recreation Program, which allow me easy-access to all things outdoors…but here, it has been a bit more difficult.
About once a week, I take a local bus to a suburb of Aix called Les Milles where I faire du bloc (boulder) at an indoor gym. It is nice because it is nearby and lets me get some practice and some exercise. But, even more exciting is that I have been able to meet some people through the website CouchSurfing.org and get to climb with them outdoors! In Provence, I met a guy named Alex who used to climb with his brother who now lives in Paris. We have gone to the Calanques, the seaside cliffs between Marseille and Cassis to do some sport climbing on gorgeous white limestone seaside cliffs.
During my spring break, I met some people from Fontainebleau (a city just outside of Paris) that houses the Chateau de Fontainebleau, a magnificent castle that housed French royalty for 800 years, as well as one of the world’s most famous boulder fields — and I got to boulder and hike there with some friends! It was absolutely fantastic =)
These experiences, on top of all the hiking I have done at the mountain Sainte-Victoire has kept my passion for outdoor activities well supplied during my stay in France. It is important (and not too difficult) to find a way to continue your hobbies abroad. I definitely suggest searching for things like university or city clubs (or find people like I did using CouchSurfing!) that pertain to your interests if you ever study abroad. It is a great way to meet people and continue your interests!