# accrobranche, accro-branche



## eleanor-j

Bonjour à tous,

I'm translating a piece about sport in France..what in the world is _accro-branche_?

From pictures, it seems to happen mostly in forests, and it seems to involve many different things, such as abseiling and going across ropes (a bit like tightrope-walking)..

Any ideas?

I'm also stuck on "rallye d'orientation". _Orientation rally_? Simply _orienteering_?

I'd be really grateful for any help !!

Merci d'avance

*Moderator note: *multiple threads merged to create this one


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## xveronicax

I believe it is just tree climbing (with the use of ropes..). Also, I'm not sure, but it seems that "accrobranche" is a brand name.

Check out these sites:

http://www.accrobranche.org/
http://www.undiscoveredalps.com/blog/2013/07/tree-climbing-in-the-alps/
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accrobranche


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## eleanor-j

Super ! Thanks a lot.

In the meantime I checked granddictionnaire.com, which also confirms that it is _tree climbing_. 

Thanks again!


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## Stéphane89

Well, it is very difficult to explain what acrobranche is, moreover in English.

It is a sport in which you climb on trees, and the trees are bounded by ropes, bridges in wood, sometimes you have to get through barrels hanging in mid-air. It is some kind of obstacle course. But it is not really a race. But you can make it become a race if you like. You are off course bouded to the ropes. You have two rope around your waist, and a crab at the end of each rope. You attach those crabs to the ropes of the trees. Then even if you fall, you don't kill yourself. You must always be bounded by at least one crab!

It is a very physical sport which demand to be quite tough and a lot of attention. When you watch it from below, it seems easy and funny but when YOU are on the trees, you realize that it is quite tiring. But it is really amazing and nice!


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## xveronicax

_"Then even if you fall, you don't kill yourself." -- _hehe..well, that's definitely a good thing!

Although, I'm wondering what the "crab" at the end of the rope is. Is that perhaps "clamp" ?


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## Pipester

xveronicax said:
			
		

> _"Then even if you fall, you don't kill yourself." -- _hehe..well, that's definitely a good thing!
> 
> Although, I'm wondering what the "crab" at the end of the rope is. Is that perhaps "clamp" ?


 
I believe this is what we (Americans) call a ropes course or a high ropes course. The verb would be "doing" a ropes course. The safety attachment is called a "belay" and the crab would be a "carabiner."


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## pdmx

Hello everybody

Can anybody suggest a way to translate _accrobranche(s) _into English ?

To give you an idea, it's a kind of outdoor game organised in the woods where you climb on a tree and then you go from one tree to another until the end of the course without setting foot on the ground.

It's all organised of course, you wear a harness and mix climbing, gliding on ropes, etc. Several difficulty grades are available, very popular among teenagers and also as team-spirit activity for business circles.

Thanks for your help


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## edwingill

I think it is simply 'tree climbing'


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## Geordie_Wilber

If this is what you mean, then I don't think there's a set phrase to translate it, but maybe the link will help you come up with something which matches your context...

I've been to the Go Ape in the Lake District and it's a right laugh but I usually describe it as being a day spent "mucking about in trees", which I don't think is too much use to you!  They describe it as a "high-wire forest adventure"...


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## pdmx

Unfortunately I can't access to your link right now (filter restrictions) but I suppose this is it ! 

I was thinking adding _adventure_ to the _tree climbing_ in order to make it sound more actual, less plain, and more.. adventurous !

Thanks anyway for your suggestions.


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## Geordie_Wilber

"A tree climbing adventure" might work, depending on where/how you use it...

I see from www.accrobranche.org that "accrobranche" is a registered trademark, so there might be a more "usable" French alternative which would translate more easily into English...

It also looks exactly the same as the "Go Ape" site I linked to before so I think we're talking about the same adventure...


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## edwingill

See here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_climbing


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## pdmx

Thank you for the link, edwingill.

It looks pretty similar but I guess the main difference is that _accrobranche_ is meant to be from tree to tree and in teams.

However as Geordie_Wilber pointed out, and as I discovered after posting the question ont he forum (sorry!), _accrobranche_ is now a registered trademark, and in their presentation they clearly state one should differentiate their activity from "_parcours acrobatique en forêt_".

I believe the neologism _accrobranche_ is so practical in French it spread out very quickly these last years and is now commonly used precisely for the latter (supposedly less 'ethical', less oriented towards nature conservation, more of the entertainment kind), which is the conscept I was looking for!

So I guess I'll stick to _tree climbing adventure_ which should serve my purpose fine for this time.

Thanks again for your contributions.


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## manchester

je n'ai aucune idée concernant la traduction de ce mot, quelqu'un pourrait-il m'aider? merci!


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## Grumumble

accro-branche would be something like "TreeTop Adventure Park"
[...]


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## groseille de verdrel

My contribution arrives a bit late for you, but it might still be of some help to other users: on the Parc Carisiolas website, I've just found the expression "tree-to-tree adventure course" to translate the French "parcours d'accrobranche". I like it better than "tree climbing", more accurate.
And yes, "accrobranche" is such a convenient word that everybody uses it to refer to this activity, no matter the company running the course.


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## Kelimutu

According to Wikipedia, it's an Aerial Adventure Park, or a Forest Aerial Adventure Park
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerial_Adventure_Park


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## orlando09

Go Ape is indeed an "accrobranche" activity. It has several UK sites and is inspired by what is done in France.


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## Kelimutu

it may be, but it is a trade name, as is Accrobranche!


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## orlando09

I'm not suggesting it as a translation, but agreeing that looking at their site for inspiration is a good bet.


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## Kelly B

Project Adventure is a US brand providing "tree courses," among other things. They've sold it to some local school districts.


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## orlando09

or tree-top assault course, perhaps, which is kind of what it is. You don't really "climb trees" as such. You go up and along rope ladders, swings, nets, bridges, zip wires  etc, (while attached to a safety harness).


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## Kelimutu

In wikipedia English version under the same heading (tree climbing), they give the following possible translations: 
Treetop adventure park
Ziplining
Aerial adventure park
Forst adventure park

They all seem to be slightly different things, so take your pick!


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## Youbee

I thought I would post this as it will give a reply a query I had. ..... I would translate _Accrobranche  _as _Highropes course_.
And mini Accro perhaps as a Low ropes course.
What does the forum think?


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## Michelvar

See here (Adventure park) and here (Ropes course): 


> While a ropes course (challenge course) is sometimes a challenging outdoor personal development and team-building activity, an Adventure Park or "Aerial" / "Treetop" / "European-Style" Adventure Park has clearly a more recreational purpose.



If this definition is right, then "accrobranche" is clearly closer to "Adventure Park" that to "Highropes course".


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## Kasei

I would also say *canopy tour*


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## orlando09

"Treetop adventure course" - something like that. I don't think there's a set phrase in English, like there is in France. It came from France originally.


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## alpslady

Hi there

I just noticed that the undiscovered Alps link is no longer good. I can't post a link as am new member but if you navigate to the Undiscovered Alps website and search for tree Climbing in the Alps blog - there is a blog describing the difference between high ropes adventure and tee climbing and accrobranche!


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## Michelvar

Welcome alpslady 

Thank you, I fixed the link accordingly.


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## alpslady

thank you!


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## guillaumedemanzac

Zip-line adventure course - There are lots in Texas and round Paris - British call them canopy adventure parks because the zip-lines allow you to travel round the course/parcours through the tree canopy - like monkeys - hence 'ape adventure park' or 'accroche-branches adventure trail.' - the trails are designed carefully to allow you to use the zip-line with gravity to go round a course from start to finish with no 'tree-climbing' - maybe just a rope ladder or a walkway or a few steps from one zip-line platform to the next.


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## Kelimutu

Accrobranche is much more than zip lines, there are different things to do (walkways etc)


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## Lly4n4

Yes, there can be special courses in an "accrobranc*h*e" park with only ziplines, but most of the time in one course you have 2 or 3 ziplines, and rope-bridges, net passages, instable planks or stirrups, ladders...

EDIT : oups! sorry for the missing H


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## guillaumedemanzac

Lly4n4 said:


> Yes, there can be special courses in an "accrobrance" park with only ziplines, but most of the time in one course you have 2 or 3 ziplines, and rope-bridges, net passages, instable planks or stirrups, ladders...



Yes agreed! but it is accrobranc*h*e = hanging from branches - accroche-branches.


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