Avignon Climbers?

I'll be working in a lab in Avignon for two months starting around Halloween (long time out, I know). I'd love to get out to Ceuse or the Verdon on weekends but I won't have a car or anything. Is there a French forum where I could find some partners? Do the French take kindly to wanker americans who barely know any phrases besides "I want a beer" and broken pick up lines?

I don't know how easy it would be on a French climbers forum to find a partner. I haven't found a good resource like that yet. I've been living in Lyon, for about 5 months and know a little bit about the scene. You will be close to some great places, Ceuse and Verdon are famous but there is ton of other great crags in the area. I don't think you'll have a problem finding someone to catch a ride with, especially if there is a gym in town. Just don't be afraid to talk to people, even though your French is limited. Send me a message before you arrive and we could potentially meet up. Although, I don't have a car either but we'll figure something out. Good luck and practice your French!

Bumping this in the off chance someone sees this.

There used to be a thriving intl scene at Buoux based out of the campsite in Apt. This wa a looong time ago tho. You could easily find a partner back then.

You can try camp to camp to find climbing partners. camptocamp.org/. My french friends use it to find climbing partners, make a stab at writing in French when you post on the forum, and a lot of French do speak English. Another option is the couch surfing website, I've found climbing partners in Marseille from there and it worked out fine!

Yeah, I've been here for the last two weeks and expanded my french vocabulary to "Bonjour, parlez vous anglais?" Sometimes I say bonjour and immediately am responded to in english!

Thanks for the camptocamp link, I'll try and make a posting on there. How likely am I to find climbers if I just show up at crags and introduce myself? That's my plan for next weekend if I haven't found someone to get out with. Any online guidebooks to the crags around Avignon? Any good bouldering circuits or solos close to town?

I've never tried just introducing myself. Based on no actual experience, I'd say you'd have better luck if you hear people speaking English? (Usually means they are an international group whose common language is English, so maybe understand more what it's like to try to find climbing partners in a foreign country and will be more open to new people). And maybe if you are in a sport/single pitch area. I don't know much about climbing around Avignon, sorry! (just been in the calanques and a climb in St. Victoire, a climb in the Verdon).

Good luck! Hopefully someone chimes in with better info than me.