Fontainebleau for beginner climbers

Interesting climbing for all levels. I have not found such diverse problems at a single spot anywhere else.

Some say that you should not go to Fontainebleau if you are not a high level climber. I strongly disagree: also for beginners, it is one of the best climbing spots. I have not found such diverse problems at a single spot anywhere else.

The Fontainebleau forest is covered with sandstone boulders, where generations of Parisians practised for long climbs in the Alps. Afterwards, bouldering developed as an independent activity.

In Fontainebleau we can approach very diverse climbing problems relatively safely, at a low height. Before Fontainebleau I mostly climbed in Karst limestone, where the routes are not so diverse. The diversity in Fontainebleau forced me to climb more elegantly and to use raw force less. After a day in Fontainebleau, my whole body is tired evenly.

Where to?

There are lots of climbing spots in the forest. Individual routes are grouped in circuits of similar difficulty and marked with a certain colour (a circuit approximately mirrors a long route in the Alps). Beginners will mostly climb routes marked with yellow, orange and blue colour.

Because climbing is increasingly popular, some routes can be quite slippery. Therefore, we visit the traditional and famous spots only when we feel confident. Otherwise we try to find a spot deeper in the woods.

To familiarize yourself with Fontainebleau rock I would suggest Rocher des Potêts in Trois pignons forest near Milly-la-Forêt. It is a spot with yellow and orange routes, which are low enough that we can feel safe, but each poses an interesting puzzle. I was there many times and I was never bored.

I suggest that you buy a guidebook. A good resource is also the web page bleau.info.

Ethics

The sandstone is fragile: do not climb wet boulders and wipe the sand off your shoes before each climb. And please, do not litter the wonderful forest.

History

For a quick introduction to the Fontainebleau tradition I suggest a documentary by a climbing enthusiast.

Fontainebleau and me

In 2010 I was there for the first time. We camped for five days in
Grez sur Loing. The camping was almost empty in July. Across a small river, where you can bathe in, is a romantic french village. But climbing shocked me at first: everything seemed so hard! Even grade 4 was hard for me.

When I lived near Paris I developed a deep affection for Fontainebleau. I do not know a forest that seems so playful; and I do not need to climb to enjoy being there. We tried to visit it at least once weekly, if only it was warm and dry enough. After a year in Paris it is still my favorite place in France. I will keep returning.

— 2019/03/17