If there’s a homeland for boulders in Europe, many will say it is Fontainebleau. This historic forest, 67 km south of Paris, holds tens of hundreds of world-class boulders inside a comparatively small 250 sq km. radius.
This iconic sandstone venue has been a siren name for rock climbers for the reason that flip of the nineteenth century. Formerly a coaching floor for mountaineers, Fred Bernik carried out the Fontainebleau Circuit within the Nineteen Forties. This modified the sport, with a collection of coloured dots and arrows that led climbers to particular routes. Different colours correlate to various difficulties, so you might practice at your degree, heat up beneath your degree, or push your self. This was a time earlier than the extra formal guidebooks we have now now, so it turned a key solution to measure the place you have been at. To today, these circuits are nonetheless utilized by newcomers and elite climbers alike.
And so, after somewhat over a yr of climbing (predominantly indoors), I discovered myself at this revered bouldering venue looking down yellow dots on sandstone.
Yellow circuits are the best degree at Fontainebleau. For many climbers, this serves as a warm-up. You become familiar with the rocks once more, you possibly can gauge the circumstances (temperature, humidity, and so on.), and also you get these muscle mass firing earlier than pulling onto one thing altogether tougher.
However, as somebody who had solely climbed a handful of instances within the Peak District, Lake District, and North Wales, this was very a lot my degree.
Even as a newbie, I knew that Fontainebleau was legendary. The sheer scale of the totally different rock faces, often known as ‘crags’ in climbing, is not like something wherever else. Estimates state that there are wherever between 20,000 to 30,000+ bouldering issues on this forested space. For context, the house of climbing within the UK, the Peak District, solely has round 10,000 recorded climbs and is sort of six instances the scale of Fontainebleau.
Within the 250 sq. kilometer Fontainebleau climbing space, there are 4 key areas with smaller crags inside these. You have Bas Cuvier & Gorges d’Apremont, The Trois Pignons space, Franchard,and The Elephant.
You may simply spend per week simply climbing in one among these areas and nonetheless not get to all the pieces inside your grade boundaries. For my first time right here, we traveled as a bunch of seven, with a mixture of skilled climbers who’d been to Fontainebleau a number of instances earlier than, and some of us newcomers. Going with a blended potential group undoubtedly helped any lingerie nervousness and made me really feel a lot safer.
One of the issues that struck me most about Fontainebleau was the number of climbers at every crag. For each group of Millennial mates pulling laborious, you’d see a household with toddlers in tow, a few older climbers who’ve been coming for years, alongside world-class climbers like Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold, who hop from undertaking to undertaking. Some are tackling climbs that they have been making an attempt to high for years (known as initiatives), whereas others are simply having fun with transferring within the forest, finishing circuits in between sips of espresso and with elaborate picnic lunches.
Many climbers will say that climbing at Fontainebleau is tougher than wherever else. Because of the usual of people that come right here and create the routes, climbs can really feel tougher than at your native crag. Accept that entering into. It’s vital to enter Fontainebleau with minimal expectations, apart from to have a very good time.
For instance, a few of the climbers in our group had quite a lot of climbs they wished to finish within the week. It did not matter concerning the problem; that was their goal. Others had seen initiatives and fascinating climbs on-line or had heard from mates and wished to check their mettle. Some of us even ended up making up our personal climbs when a few of the established routes have been turning into more and more irritating.
As a newbie in Fontainebleau, I had subsequent to no expectations of myself. I’d heard the lore of how laborious it may be from different climbers and ready myself to get shut down by the routes. We went to our first crag, and the grades that I may do at dwelling appeared out of attain, fulfilling the doubts I had. Instead of getting down about it, although, we determined to concoct our personal traverse. Days later, we discovered the fabled yellow circuit, which gave us the ego enhance all of us wanted. For future journeys, discover the yellow circuit first to get reacclimated with the rock and the fashion of climbing. It’s additionally a lot better for common group morality.
Another factor that will come as a shock to any indoor boulderer heading to Fontainebleau is the thought of topping out. In most gyms, you get to the final maintain, match it with each fingers, and climb down. Outside, that is hardly ever the case. Instead, it’s worthwhile to recover from the ledge of the rock and rise up. From there, you possibly can stroll round to discover a nicer method down.
If you have not climbed outdoors earlier than, or you have not climbed outdoors quite a bit, high outs are one of many scariest issues to beat. While the highest outs at Fontainebleau aren’t notably horrible versus different crags, in case you’re not used to them, it might probably trigger panic.
On one explicit route, a good friend of ours flew up it, declaring that it was a reasonably straightforward one we must always all attempt. Another newbie good friend went subsequent. She smashed the route out however then started scrambling round to discover a first rate maintain to get excessive. Blindly reaching for a maintain is horrifying, particularly whenever you’re on the high of a three-meter boulder with only a crash mat and a few mates beneath. Cue the panic. Once she was lastly over and secure, I adopted her up the route. However, attending to the identical level of topping out, I, too, could not discover a good maintain or a method over. Climbing down did not appear viable. So, once more, the panic units in. Eventually, very like my good friend, I made it excessive. However, we ended up rechristening the route, “The Panic.”
As a newbie, outside climbing will be scary with the shortage of industrial quality mats that you just discover in indoor gyms. However, Fontainebleau arguably has a few of the nicest landings on the market. While some crags imply that you must place your crash mats strategically to cowl rocks, a lot of the landings in Fontainebleau are flat and sandy. This means you possibly can arrange your mats simply and often on a degree base. This undoubtedly provides you peace of thoughts in case you really feel like you are going to come off the wall, as a result of you recognize it is a comparatively first rate touchdown.
It’s value noting that individuals are encouraging right here. An older French gentleman came visiting to assist us on a route. Sadly, our highschool French did not appear to assist, and to today, we’re not sure precisely what he stated, but it surely was stated with countless enthusiasm.
There’s additionally a relaxed air to the place. With so many boulderers to attempt, you must take breaks. People are reclining on the crash mats with a baguette or chatting with mates. I’ve seen mates whip out a full picnic set with wine, freshly brewed espresso, and a collection of cheeses in between climbs (though climbing tipsy is just not condoned or suggested).
Despite the panic and the truth that I wasn’t going to be projecting like the professionals anytime quickly, I beloved my week in Fontainebleau. By the top, I accomplished a route that matched my highest grade again dwelling, giving me all of the motivation to return once more. Climbing 5 and a half out of six days would’ve been exceptional again dwelling, however right here it felt like a privilege. You need to get again on the rock and discover all of the totally different prospects, regardless of how unhealthy your pores and skin is or how a lot your muscle mass ache. I, for one, can’t wait to return with (barely) extra expertise.
Fontainebleau Essentials
Where to Stay: Stay in both Milly-le-Foret or Barbizon to be near a number of climbing areas. We opted for Barbizon for the village facilities and the proximity to Apremont.
Getting round: There are direct trains from the Gare de Lyon to Bois de Roi and Fontainebleau inside 45 minutes. However, it is simpler with a automobile. Carrying crash pads to the crag will be awkward on public transport, and all of the crags have sizeable automobile parks.
What you want: You’ll want to rent crash mats and a Fontainebleau guidebook, in case you do not already personal them. Many of the vacation leases and hostels across the forest have them obtainable to rent out, or you possibly can contact native outside outlets or climbing gyms. You’ll additionally want your personal climbing footwear and a few chalk. You can both have powder chalk or liquid chalk, relying in your choice.
Lead photograph credit score: Rebecca Crowe Climbing Photo: Richard Hou
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