La Forêt d'Acrobates

They say that you should do one thing each day which scares you, and if a morning spent at the Forêt d'Acrobates doesn’t meet the criteria, I don’t know what does! Located just outside the small southern French town of Montagnac, this forest-cum-holiday-park is full of fun things to do, and the perfect place to enjoy some outdoor activities, whether you’re eight or eighty. You can stay at ground level and try archery or hiking, but if you really want to get that adrenaline pumping, there’s no better thing to try here than tree-climbing.

My experience

When my stepmother first suggested an outing to this pine-filled paradise, I didn’t really think about the terrifying situation I would be getting myself into by accepting her invitation. Sure, tree-climbing had the potential to incite fear in a vertigo sufferer, but I had nothing to be afraid of. I was, after all, the girl who had spoken at least a dozen times on her blog about how much she loved seeing cities and landscapes from above. Well, turns out it’s quite a different story when you have no railings surrounding you, and when a badly judged step could leave you dangling from a wire twenty metres above the ground.

I was yet to realise this as I lifted my harness up round my waist. Looking at the people climbing between the trees above did make me feel slightly uneasy, but none of them seemed particularly anxious. Some of them were half my age, and I concluded that if they could do it with seemingly no issue, I certainly had it in me as well.

After a quick demonstration from one of the members of staff – followed by a short practice run – we began our ascent into the trees. I knew that everything was completely safe, and yet the second I reached the first platform, I felt my legs begin to tremble. I’d been expecting wooden bridges and rope walkways (both of which did, in my defence, feature), but I certainly hadn't prepared myself for thin metal tightropes! Seeing my younger brother and sister zooming ahead, I felt slightly ashamed of my cowardice, and willed myself to proceed.

I’m not sure if it was my legs that were shaking, or the wire, but either way, this first crossing was not the most graceful. Still, I made it to the next platform in one piece. I didn’t have long to congratulate myself, however, because all feelings of pride were swiftly overpowered by a rush of terror. My next task was to ride down a zip wire. I set up all the necessary clips, said an internal prayer, and went for it with full force.

Naturally (given my clumsiness and general ability to attract bad luck), I'd already got the wires all tangled up, so most of my journey was done backwards. However, with a bit of leg steering, and a great deal of concentration, I just about succeeded in grabbing hold of the rope on the other side. With a loud thud, I landed against some soft cushion pads, and with an even louder sigh, I expressed my enormous relief.

And so it continued: I'd come to a walkway, think I wasn't going to make it, and then – after some reassurance from my father and stepmother, who were watching from below – prove myself wrong. Some courses I really struggled with – the series of ropes pictured below was particularly difficult to cross – while others proved relatively easy. Some parts sent my heart rate through the roof – getting stuck in the middle of a twenty-metre-high zip wire was not the most pleasant experience of my life – while others made my descent from the apes seem slightly more plausible.

I can't say that it got any easier to complete each section of the course – indeed, they only increased in height and difficulty – but back down on ground level, I felt an enormous sense of achievement. I'd come, I'd seen, and I'd jolly well conquered. Would I like to go tree-climbing again? Absolutely. Will it take me a number of years (and a lot of forgetting) to pluck up the courage once more? Probably.

Overall review

Despite a few literal wobbles, I had a fantastic time at the Forêt d'Acrobates, and would highly recommend the place to anyone staying in the Languedoc region and looking to take part in some outdoor activities. My brother and I completed the ‘Panoramique’ (Panoramic) course – and my sister, the slightly more child-friendly ‘Découverte’ (Discovery) trail – but there were levels to suit all ages (not to mention all degrees of vertigo). Have a fantastic time if you do manage to visit at some point, and if you feel the fear kicking in at any point, do not, whatever you do, look down!