The Beautiful Forest - Fontainebleau

     Claire and I had spent the last ten days exploring the Chamonix, but unfortunately the weather was looking too good for the last few days of our trip. Like everyone in the Alps, eyes are kept firmly on the forecasts and plans hatched for excursions into the mountains or crags in the valley. Our plan was to escape the valley, but where to go? Countless locations typed into the forecast; Saas Fee, Grindelwald, the Provence region, Aliefroide, but the South of France and the rest of the Alps wasn't looking hopeful. Fontainebleau; overcast with breaks of sun and hitting around 19 degrees. Happy days, it would just be like climbing on the grit in the summer. We packed up camp and headed to the forest.

What a place! Looking in to the forest at Roche aux Sabots

The brilliant patterns in the Sandstone boulders

     It had been four years since I last been to Font, I always seem to have great trips there, it is such a chilled out place. I never really go with any expectations and only use a guidebook for maps to get to the crags. I just climb lines and problems I like the look of, and thats a lot of them. 

Eyeing up the final throw on a Red problem at Roche aux Sabots

     We had a great few days, it was like being a kid in a sweet shop as we were only there for three days before catching our ferry back to the UK, so I climbed as much as I could in those three days. Often heading out for morning and afternoon sessions to avoid the midday sunshine. We camped at La Musardiere and visited crags within the Trois Pignons area; Gorges aux Chats, 95.2, Cul de Chien, 91.1 and Roche aux Sabots. As I hadn't climbed much recently and this was a pretty spontaneous visit I just planned to climb a lot of problems, building up some mileage rather than trying really hard boulders. 

Topping out at 91.1

     It took a little bit of readjusting to get used to the polished footholds which was pretty frustrating to begin with, feet just slipping away with no warning from holds that seemed solid. I love the movement that is found on the boulders in Font, how subtle changes in body position can mean the difference between failure and success. Our brief visit reignited a spark for the area and I can't wait to plan another trip back and put some prior training and effort in beforehand.

Over crimping at 91.1

Topping out a thin slab