Caching In France

[+IntotheWoods]

I thought I would start this topic as a way for geocachers living in and visiting France to meet and ask questions.

 

I'm an American geocacher living in Paris now, where most geocaches are virtual and new caches are few and far between. For whatever reason, geocaching simply hasn't caught on yet here. Paris does get many visiting geocachers, however. If you are one of these and would like to place a cache, I would be happy to care for it during my time here (after I find it, of course). I've placed two since I've been here, #1 and #2 of a Paris Ring series of caches encircling Paris. No finders for either as of yet, however, and I guess I'm just going to have to get over my thing about urban caches and plant a few in Paris proper.

 

OK, that's my story. Others?

 

A bientot,

IntotheWoods

[+TAT]

Good to see a familiar name so far away! I don't know if remember me, but we have found each others caches.

 

I will be in France next month, in Perriers Sur Andelle. I probably won't get a chance to get off on a hike, but if I do it might be fun to link up. I'll email the details.

 

It's funny how things work. I was looking for “my kind of cache”, and saw one with a view of Paris. Guess who the FTF (and only finder) was! Then, when I looked at the profile, it looks like you've moved to France. So, I got curious and looked to see what’s been on your mind lately, and found this post. It really is a small world.

 

Can't wait to find a spelling mistake, there's always time for that!

[+bldebabe]

I'll be vacationing in Paris from Friday, March 5th until Sunday, March 7, 2004 and am hoping to get some geocaching in. Below is a list of possible caches I'd like to get to. If you haven't done some of these and are interested in doing them with a geo buddy, email me and we can make arrangements as the time gets closer.

 

Bldebabe

 

View from the top of the Eiffel tower

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=14927

 

Paris Urban Invasion

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...1e-9879d44735d9

 

Méridien zéro

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=18715

 

Part II - Requiem Pour un Con

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=5376

 

9 to 5 in Paris

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=46807

 

Room with a View

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=99615

 

lettre de cachet

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=58504

 

Part I - Je t'Aime, Moi Non Plus

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=5375

 

Paris Views for Free

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=26689

 

Who is She? (Paris)

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=26130

 

High on the hill

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=66538

 

Paris Cash Cache

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=12342

[+IntotheWoods]

I've done all the caches you've listed except for the Eiffel Tower one (which is now a virtual despite the owner's failing to change it). I hope to have planted some new micros in Paris by the time you come in case you get tired of all those virtuals! Also my Paris Ring caches, while outside of Paris, are all reachable by RER train.

 

Cheers,

IntotheWoods

[+bldebabe]

Great!... I'll check for your "soon-to-be-planted" caches as it gets closer to my vacation departure.

 

Could you recommend a few "must see" caches?

 

Thanks,

Bldebabe

[victorjwood]

We are going to be in Central Paris from 30/3 to 6/4 and we are looking for a cache big enough to hold a hand sized TB.

 

Do you know any that are reasonably central?

Searching for Cache in a specific area is a pain on Geoching.com without a city search facility

[Les Gaulois (romary)]

Hello,

 

The list of cache in Paris (I took the last hiden cache "chopin" as a reference) :

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.asp...167&lon=2.39275

 

The visit of the Père Lachaise cimetery where Chopin is hidden is a very interesting place.

 

Cheers and have a good visit in Paris

 

Les Gaulois

[victorjwood]

Thanks for the tip. Is the microcache at Chopin big enoughfor a hand sized TB?

[+IntotheWoods]

I don't think Chopin is that big...but I'm going to go find it tomorrow and then I'll know for sure. My Jardin des Mysteres cache should be able to hold your TB!

 

--IntotheWoods

[+sTeamTraen]

For whatever reason, geocaching simply hasn't caught on yet here.

 

For one possible reason why Geocaching isn't popular, see www.cistes.net.

 

As far as I can tell, the guy behind that site has taken the Geocaching principle and made a non-GPS version of the game. That's cool in terms of making it accessible to those who don't want to shell out for a GPS, but I don't like the way you have to register to get the directions to the caches.

 

Nick (based near Strasbourg)

[Les Gaulois (romary)]

That's why it is good to have geocacher from other countries placing and huting caches in France.

So, thanks to people like Intothewood to place caches.

 

But paris is not all France there are lots of possibilities all over France and very nice places to visit when geocaching.

 

Not vey far from Paris I recommand the caches in the Forêt de Fontainebleau. very nices caches and not so far from Paris with boxes big enough for travel bug.

 

Close to the Dryads cave

 

Facing the Druids' Balcony

 

le long boyau (I think for this one you can go train from the station of Fontainebleau : my be somebody can confirm)

 

Au bout de la vallée close

 

les Gaulois

Edited March 29, 2004 by romary

[victorjwood]

Well we went cacheing in Paris. Chopin appears to be gone, the next one we wanted marked as a standard cache was a virtual cache but the last one in the Paris Cash Cache we found just as we were going to give up.

 

We found a coule of TB, but we couldnt place the one we wanted as it was too big for the cache.

 

And then we saw the Queen.

Edited April 16, 2004 by victorjwood

[victorjwood]

But paris is not all France there are lots of possibilities all over France and very nice places to visit when geocaching.

 

True, but when you fly to Paris, and have no transport, then Paris is it. We will be between Tours and Le Mans in June, we go there often, so I will see about placing one there if possible, in my wife home town.

[MillyNeT]

Everyone wins Le Parc du Moustier

 

It was the first french CITO operation with childs

 

So after cleaning the park, chlidrens look at the cistes de Milly-la-Forêt number : 1870 and 1687

 

You can visit the forum about the spot

 

Enjoy geocisting

[mrh - terre haute]

We will be in France for the TDF. While there we would like to do some geocaching and will search for ones in Paris for sure. The other areas we will visit are Borg d'Oisans and Besancon. Could you recommend some caches in those areas. Thanks.

[+sTeamTraen]

Most of the caches within 120km of Besançon are in Switzerland.

 

I placed two last weekend in the wider area (north and west of Besançon), about 120km away: "Not Exactly Purgatory" and "Château de Lafauche". Apart from them, if you go caching in Burgundy, "Troll's Bridge" is a really pretty one to visit (it will take you about 10 seconds to find it when you get there).

 

Not too far from Besançon is "Le Bonheur est dans le Pré", but I had a DNF there last week and with it being a micro, and eight months since last found, I'm not 100% convinced that it's intact (but then, I always feel like that after a DNF).

[Les Gaulois (romary)]

I did not the opportunity to geoccache near Besancon but you have some caches (not a lot I'm afraid).

 

Saut du Doub http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=97228 . I do not how is the cache but the place is nice and not very far from Besançon.

 

The list of caches based on the "saut du Doub (mainly in Switzeland) : http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.asp...85&lon=6.714083

 

Les gaulois

[+2GeoGrannies]

Coming to France in July-a week in Provance and a week in Paris--any good caches mentioned would be appreciated. I hope to drop off a TB from California

[+brad.32]

I'll be in Paris in mid-July and may have some time to cache and would be interested in hooking up for that, especially since je ne parle pas bien francais.

 

That last part seems to be the stupidest phrase in this phrase book because if I say ANYTHING else in French the listener will have figured that out.

[+2GeoGrannies]

I hear ya! I am doing an audio Italian course. It cracks me up that the first thing they teach you to say is I "I unserstand/speak Italian(a little)" Then the person I speak to will think I know more than that and start telling me all kinds of stuff....but that is all I know! Good Day, how much, thank you and good bye....I hope I don't get lost and need to ask directions

 

Anyway....I am trying to search this site and find some caches near the places we are staying. If you see any good ones....please post them here. Paris, Luberon Hills, Chaminox, Avignon...

[Les Gaulois (romary)]

Anyway....I am trying to search this site and find some caches near the places we are staying. If you see any good ones.... Avignon...

From Avignon, you can go to "le pont du gard" : http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...f1-c2a3c40c3346

 

Le Pont du Gard was build by the Roman 2000 years ago (about)

 

List of caches based on le Pont du Gard : http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.asp...9439&lon=4.5371

 

Les gaulois

 

[+sTeamTraen]

I hear ya! I am doing an audio Italian course. It cracks me up that the first thing they teach you to say is I "I unserstand/speak Italian(a little)" Then the person I speak to will think I know more than that and start telling me all kinds of stuff....but that is all I know! Good Day, how much, thank you and good bye....I hope I don't get lost and need to ask directions

Im my experience, there's a big difference between (many) French and (many) Italians in this regard.

 

French people, and especially so the closer you get to Paris, tend to be rather dismissive of people who attempt to speak their language poorly. This seems to be doubly so for Americans - of whom I'm not one, BTW - and it's always been like that, regardless of foreign policy differences.

 

On the other hand, most Italians are so knocked out by the fact that you're even trying to speak their language, that you will often get a tremendous response. If they knock you over with their rapid-fire reply, try raising your hands in a "slow down" gesture and saying (in a "whoa" voice), "lentamente, lentamente". But you will already be their friend for life.

 

YMMV, of course...

[MillyNeT]

...

 

Not vey far from Paris I recommand the caches in the Forêt de Fontainebleau. very nices caches and not so far from Paris with boxes big enough for travel bug.

...

 

les Gaulois

Thanks romary

 

And now, with a new bus, you can visit the others geocache near Fontainebleau :

 

La grotte déserte dans le massif des 3 Pignons

 

Chateau with a view

 

Les grès pétrifiés

 

Le Trésor du Moustier de Péronne

 

Enjoy Treasure Forest

[Les Gaulois (romary)]

Coming to France in July-a week in Provance and a week in Paris--any good caches mentioned would be appreciated. I hope to drop off a TB from California

Afet Millynet recommandation and advice for an area I particular like near Paris find bellow a recommandation for the South of France

 

I visited 2 caches near Nimes aand Avignon last week end : I particular recommand the 1st one (the 2nd one is not bad also)

Garigue n°1 la Chapelle : http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...e5-f8737f38dfcd

 

Grigue n°2 l'église : http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...2a-346060a74e6e

 

Bon voyage

 

Les gaulois

[+2GeoGrannies]

Only two days to go until we leave for Europe. I have downloaded a dozen caches in the Paris area to look for. I have accumulated about 5 TBs to drop off. They are all good sized bugs, so I hope I can find a cache big enough for some of them.