Zofia Reych tackles a project in Fontainebleau, arguably the birthplace of bouldering.

France

FONTAINEBLEAU

RECOMMENDED BY Fabien Brones

For some, the word “Fontainebleau” summons images of an elaborate palace (like the eponymous Chateau de Fontainebleau, which boasts 1,500 rooms and 130 acres of grounds) and hotels with aspirational ambitions. For any boulderer worth her chalk, however, Fontainebleau means only one thing—a veritable oasis of rock.

“Fontainebleau has the highest number of boulders you can find in a concentrated place anywhere,” Fabien Brones began. “There are more than thirty thousand boulders that have been described. The quality of the rock is great. The abundance of boulders motivates you to climb as many as you can.”

The Fontainebleau region encompasses a densely forested area that begins just forty miles south of Paris. Much of the forest here—over one hundred square miles—is protected as public forests belonging to the French state or local authorities. Here, among the oak, Scots pine, beech trees, and sandy substrate rest the sandstone edifices that first attracted climbers in the 1870s—a seemingly infinite array of slopers, crimps, roofs, high-balls, rounded mantles, slabs, compression problems . . . and just about anything else you can imagine.”

Writing for Outdoor Research, Nik Berry noted that climbing at Fontainebleau—nicknamed “Font” by English speakers and “Bleau” by locals—began in 1874, with the arrival of the Club Alpin Français, whose members were preparing for an assault on Chamonix. Spiked shoes were used at first to scale the rocks here, then espadrilles, which provided better friction. Perhaps the most important climbing development at Fontainebleau came in the 1930s when a Parisian named Pierre Allain began bouldering there for the area’s own rewards, not merely as practice for other longer ascents. It was Allain who created the high-top boot with composite rubber soles that would come to be known as P.A.s and would help the next generation of climbers tackle increasingly complex boulder problems. And it was Allain and his compatriots—who came to call themselves the Bleausards—who realized the importance of repetition to master the moves required to scale boulders sans ropes. (They also brought along rugs or straw to soften their inevitable falls, though Allain once said that thanks to the “sandy landings” around Fontainebleau’s boulders, “falls are of no consequence.”)

“Bouldering at Fontainebleau has evolved a good deal in the last few decades,” Fabien continued. “First, it was the adoption of crash pads, which were invented in the United States. It was a revolution. It gave climbers the chance to access new boulders that had potentially bad falls with much more safety. We also have many more foreign climbers visiting, and this has created a risk for the boulders, which are fragile. We have to pay more attention collectively, and make sure we all clean our climbing shoes and avoid climbing wet rocks. But the increase in visitors to the Bleau has also had a positive effect. People have started visiting new sectors, and this has extended our playground. Today, there are so many options, you can always find new problems, quiet places, and sectors or boulders more adapted to cold or warm days!”

One of the greatest problems that awaits an emerging Bleausard is where to start. Fortunately, there are around three hundred circuits of different problems suited for various ability levels. Each is marked with arrows, numbers, and dots . . . and there are even more unmarked problems. “Many high-level people come to try some iconic boulders, like the Big Island [8C or V15], which is one of the hardest problems, a five-star climb,” Fabien added. “But others coming for 7a’s have targets too. Here, you define the rules and compete with yourself at a convenient dimension. You can usually meet up with other people and climb together. You can learn from others.” Is not speaking French a problem? No. “Since so many people are coming from somewhere outside of France,” Fabien said, “English is the most commonly heard language.”

Fontainebleau holds many magic moments for the visiting climber—a freshly baked breakfast croissant at a local boulangerie, the sweet scent of a primal forest as the sun climbs the sky, and the camaraderie of climbers who’ve assembled from points far and near to enjoy one of bouldering’s meccas. But one of Fontainebleau’s greatest satisfactions comes from within. “There are magic moments that happen when you are able to send a new problem you have been attempting for a while or even years,” Fabien mused. “In those instances, you can feel the real ‘flow sensation,’ in which you are totally concentrated on your action, body sensations, and all the small details that make a difference—friction, exact position of the fingers or feet, body tension, and strength. You are really out of time and space during these moments, and feel a super-rewarding sensation to have done your best and overcome something that was impossible before.”

FABIEN BRONES became a Bleausard in the early 1980s, with Bleau his home terrain, as he lived close to Paris. He quit bouldering for a time when he moved to Brazil (after achieving an 8a at Bleau). But since returning to France, Fabien has married his professional interests in sustainability and his love for bouldering at Fontainebleau with a new guesthouse, Bloasis. The house is a fruit of his passion for ecodesign: a modern house built with wood and other natural materials like straw, hemp, and clay and designed to be highly efficient and comfortable, and close to nature within a large garden with oak trees. Fabien’s bouldering adventures have taken him to exotic sites in Brazil, and also Rocklands, South Africa, and Albarracin, Spain . . . but there is nothing like Bleau.

If You Go

▶ Getting There: The closest airport is in Orly, roughly forty minutes from Fontainebleau. Charles de Gaulle is seventy-five minutes away. Both are served by many major carriers.

▶ Best Time to Visit: Spring and fall provide the most consistent bouldering conditions.

▶ Level of Difficulty: With some thirty thousand problems, there’s truly something for everyone.

▶ Guides: There are several climbing shops around Fontainebleau, including Decathalon (www.decathlon.fr) and S’cape (www.scape-shop.com). Fontainebleau Fun Bloc (David Atchison-Jones) provides a good primer.

▶ Accommodations: There are several campsites around Fontainbleau, including La Musardière (+33 164989191) and Malesherbes (www.camping-iledeboulancourt.com). A new option for visitors is Bloasis, located at Oncy-sur-École, a five-minute drive to Les Trois Pignons and over one hundred climbing sectors.