Visited with markr and the usual suspect Paulo999. Not wanting to be complacent but we're getting to be dab hands at this now, the map reading is good and Paulo is knowledgeable.
Met up at Waterloo as planned, travelled on to Gare de Nord and to the start point, made entry.
First stop was to assess a new exit, previously used by 28DL members, but reported as 'not for lard-arses', but it was a piece of cake. Then we made our way towards the Val de Grace sub-network, after failing to find it on our last trip. Finding and exploring Val de Grace was the sole purpose of this visit.
The first stop was a rest at 'Apero's Room'. Here we stopped after a bit of a route march, and chilled out taking some photos.
Markr in Apero's Room...
On the way...
A quick stop in the Cube room...
markr in the cube room...
and a bitch of a tight crawl, and onwards to Val de Grace...
We made the same fundamental mistake when looking for the entrance, stopped to re-assess and I split off for a recce, Paulo and markr were relieved to find that OT had found the access point. Looking at the map afterwards it was obvious.
We made our way in, in Paulos case upside down and back to front. But it didn't matter, OT was first, Paulo was gutted. haha. That will teach you for snoring. Met some cool French guys and a foxy chick, and moved on.
So anyway, we took some photos around Val de Grace, and then realised it was a lot smaller that we thought, so decided we may as well get a few hours sleep in. We hadn't planned on this, so Paulo didn't have any kit. I was testing some new stuff and was fully prepared with a Thermarest and and sleeping bag, so I gave paulo the bag, so we were both only half-freezing. After a couple of hours we got up, had some self-heating meals (beef with dumplings recommended), took some more pics, and explored the rest of the place...
Bang on schedule we left for the exit, the timings were exact and we left the catacombs in the most unusual way, not the usual hole or manhole.
Back to Gare du Nord, and home. TBH, we absolutely stunk. The guard was looking around in our carriage for the source of the stink.
Cheers guys, good trip.
Met up at Waterloo as planned, travelled on to Gare de Nord and to the start point, made entry.
First stop was to assess a new exit, previously used by 28DL members, but reported as 'not for lard-arses', but it was a piece of cake. Then we made our way towards the Val de Grace sub-network, after failing to find it on our last trip. Finding and exploring Val de Grace was the sole purpose of this visit.
The first stop was a rest at 'Apero's Room'. Here we stopped after a bit of a route march, and chilled out taking some photos.
Markr in Apero's Room...
On the way...
A quick stop in the Cube room...
markr in the cube room...
and a bitch of a tight crawl, and onwards to Val de Grace...
We made the same fundamental mistake when looking for the entrance, stopped to re-assess and I split off for a recce, Paulo and markr were relieved to find that OT had found the access point. Looking at the map afterwards it was obvious.
We made our way in, in Paulos case upside down and back to front. But it didn't matter, OT was first, Paulo was gutted. haha. That will teach you for snoring. Met some cool French guys and a foxy chick, and moved on.
So anyway, we took some photos around Val de Grace, and then realised it was a lot smaller that we thought, so decided we may as well get a few hours sleep in. We hadn't planned on this, so Paulo didn't have any kit. I was testing some new stuff and was fully prepared with a Thermarest and and sleeping bag, so I gave paulo the bag, so we were both only half-freezing. After a couple of hours we got up, had some self-heating meals (beef with dumplings recommended), took some more pics, and explored the rest of the place...
Bang on schedule we left for the exit, the timings were exact and we left the catacombs in the most unusual way, not the usual hole or manhole.
Back to Gare du Nord, and home. TBH, we absolutely stunk. The guard was looking around in our carriage for the source of the stink.
Cheers guys, good trip.
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