When climbers – especially boulderers – hear the word “Bleau”, their ears prick up. Also known as “Font”, “The forest” and “La Forêt”, Fontainebleau is considered the largest bouldering area in the world. Located 50 kilometres south of Paris, it was born millions of years ago through sedimentation and erosion. Its status, however, has long been: immortal!

First-timers in Fontainebleau?

If you take the motorway from Paris in the direction of “Bleau” – as it is affectionately referred to by many – you will see nothing but fields, towns, and a rather monotonous landscape that is one thing above all: flat. Where on earth is the largest bouldering area in the world supposed to be hidden here? The experienced boulderer knows that most European bouldering areas are located in the mountains, or at least under a rock face whose components have become boulder blocks due to a landslide at some point. But here? In the middle of the agricultural steppe of central France?

The journey continues – until, after the village of Melun, an inconspicuous brown sign suddenly appears at the side of the road: Forêt domanial de Fontainebleau. You have left the motorway behind for a while and are driving on small, straight roads – almost like an American highway. Thus you enter a sparse oak and pine forest, the typical Bleau ambience, you might have expected from all the bouldering footage out there. But rocks? Not one in sight! A glance at the climbing guide reveals that you are actually already in the middle of the bouldering Mecca.

To counteract the general confusion, the indicator is set and a turn is made onto a quite rugged gravel road, which according to the topo should lead to the boulders. Still a few hundred metres to one of the typical sandy car parks in the middle of the forest and still no boulders in sight! Park, get out, check out the scenery. A small path leads into the forest, the excitement rises to unbearable levels. In The Lord of the Rings, the companions had to fight their way through the impassable and sheer endless forest of the elves to finally end up – completely blindsided – in a beautiful woodland kingdom. What a contrast! This is exactly what happens to most people when they follow the aforementioned small path into the forest and suddenly find themselves standing in a sea of sandstone blocks that were completely hidden just around the corner.

From the agricultural steppe via the motorway to the enchanted kingdom, this is the classic journey to Fontainebleau!

In the realm of sandstone

Millions of sandstone blocks are waiting to be conquered in the forest of Fontainebleau. Unfortunately, too many for one human lifetime. But more about that later, when it comes to bouldering. First of all, a question should be answered that I’m sure every visitor to Bleau has asked at some point: Where do all these wonderful boulders come from? A meteorite? No. God? Perhaps. One thing is certain: the primordial sea is to blame!

Countless millions of years ago (large numbers are simply typical of the Boulder area), the primaeval sea lay like a gloomy mist over most of Europe. This was also the case at the place that was later to be called “Fontainebleau”, which in primaeval times was located in the so-called “Paris Basin”, which was then a sea bay. Through alternate rising and falling of the sea level, the sand on the seabed was “cleaned”, i.e. almost all foreign matter (lime, etc.) was removed so that pure sandy soil could emerge. When the primordial sea retreated a long time later, an extremely thick layer of sand remained in the former sea bay, which was sometimes up to 60 metres thick and became a solidified layer of rock over time. Climatic influences as well as wind and water did the rest and wore away the loose layers of rock through erosion. The resulting cracks produced individual blocks through further erosion, which were further shaped until they became what they are today: Per cent climbable rock in every conceivable shape.

Bouldering in “Bleau” – the Parcours

One thing should be said in advance: there are no bad boulders in Fontainebleau, each one is unique and interesting in its own way. The climbing cliché in general, namely that there are no footholds and far too many slabs in Fontainebleau, is disproved on the very first day. There are also roofs here, real roofs! Of course, the flat to vertical boulders are more numerous, but the offer of steep stuff is enough for a human lifetime – or two…

Most bouldering guides distinguish between two different disciplines in Fontainebleau: on the one hand, the normal single boulder and, on the other hand, the “Parcours”, another peculiarity of the area: to train their stamina and vertical dexterity for alpine routes, French alpinists began climbing several boulders in a certain order one after the other in the forest of Fontainebleau from 1940 onwards. They thus created a new form of bouldering that is very popular today and has become Bleau’s flagship.

From the very beginning, new courses were developed and defined. To give repeat climbers an orientation as to how the respective course works, the blocks to be climbed were labelled with small numbers and arrows. Starting with number one, you follow an arrow at the exit of the boulder that leads to the next boulder only a few metres away. Many of the courses have over 40 problems and, when climbed in one go, can be very demanding in terms of strength. You will quickly notice that the marking numbers are painted in different colours. These stand for the overall difficulty of the course: yellow (FB 2 to 3), orange (FB 3 to 4), and blue (FB 4 to 5) are in the lower grades, while red already has difficulties up to 6c and white or black even contain individual problems up to 7c or 8a.

In addition, various other colours define different difficulty ranges from area to area. In the literature, however, all courses are presented very clearly, so that with a little practice you will be able to find your way around, and have your own little adventure.

Slopers in all variations – anything but boring

Attempting to give a general description of the boulder problems would probably do injustice to each boulder problem, as the boulder problems in the magical forest of Fontainebleau are actually united by only one fact: their versatility: that each boulder is something very special and can rarely be pigeonholed (crimps, pockets, power, slab). And that’s a good thing. However, if you want to reduce most of Bleau’s problems to a common denominator, “technically demanding” is probably the best common denominator.

Particularly typical of Fontainebleau are the famous and sometimes merciless slopers, i.e. fairly or extremely sloping holds. These holds can drive you to sheer despair. The pleasant-to-grasp “turtle shells” with their round humps and small cracks are also a real speciality. However, there are crimps on the sandstone boulders just as in other bouldering areas, so even finger strength specialists will find their moment to bear down. Not infrequently, the difficult slab bouldering is about stable fingernails … The steeper problems also offer many edges, razor crimps galore. Another special feature is the many pockets in the sandstone, ranging from one-finger holes to man-sized rock openings. The overhangs in particular offer varied pocket pulling.

A small detail on the side: The grip manufacturer “Bleaustone” has specialized in the grip and step formations of Fontainebleau and decorates almost every climbing gym with its artificial holds, some of which have even been copied one-to-one from well-known boulders and almost convey a rock-like feel.

A question of style – what you can learn at Fontainebleau

If you feel comfortable in the seventh or eighth bouldering grade, you will hardly be able to climb a blue course (mind you, FB 4a to 5a) in one go without falling. No area teaches you humility before technical moves and small steps as well as Bleau. But you learn with every boulder, whether easy or difficult. Fontainebleau is the school of aesthetic climbing, the ballet discipline among the many facets of bouldering. The movements and grip patterns want to be understood, even in the steeper problems.

Projects in Fontainebleau have to mature, too much strength and ambition often turn the tables and shut brute force down from the get-go. Especially when out of the blue an old man with a carpet tucked under his arm appears pulls your crashpad aside, and levitates up your “project” without batting an eyelid, only to disappear again as quickly as materialized. Sometimes perceived as arrogant, sometimes admired, these elderly gentlemen call themselves “Bleausards” and have been bouldering in Bleau since time began. No foot should is too small and no slab too high for them. They are the art of climbing personified.

So if you want to take off in Fontainebleau, there is one thing you should do: Practice Patience, and some more patience, and some patience. Start slowly, climb a few easy slabs, familiarise yourself with the style and aesthetics of the area, and don’t get frustrated if you find yourself working a 4a slab. No metre in Fontainebleau comes easy: on the one hand, you always have to put some time and brain into a problem. On the other hand, you always get something in return: a beautiful, special boulder and a little bit more climbing experience.

The magic forest

I think that if you couldn’t go bouldering in Fontainebleau, I would still go there again and again. The sparse forest with its pines and birches, the sandy deserts on the approach, the sandstone blocks with their incredible shapes – Bleau is a place full of secrets to be uncovered not only in thousands and thousands of boulder problems. It is not uncommon to encounter fossilized snakeheads, turtles, birds, dogs, or dwarfs. I’m no esotericist, but in the forest of Fontainebleau, especially in the morning and evening hours, you can feel certain magic that surrounds this place. If you don’t believe it, take two weeks off and go to Fontainebleau – and if you look and listen closely enough, you’ll understand what I mean.

Landing Zones – Uncomplicated and comfortable

Most of the time, the landing zone of the boulders is very good and a single crash pad is sufficient. The ground is rooted and blocked in places, but in most areas, it is covered with sand and therefore quite soft. This is particularly advantageous for the easier Parcours bouldering, as here you can sometimes even boulder without a crash pad or manage with a small pad. Thus, the area is also a great place to visit with kids – like a huge sandbox. And there are also countless boulder blocks for the little ones to clamber around on.
Moreover, you can walk from block to block with your climbing shoes in many areas because the ground is pleasantly sandy and doesn’t make any dirt. Very important: always wipe the sand off the soles, because otherwise you might damage the footholds or you will simply lack any friction (hence the carpet of Bleausards). If you count one crash pad per person, you can get by in Fontainebleau. If you want to try the hard test pieces, you should find out beforehand whether you might need more than one pad.

Climbing ethics in Fontainebleau – No Chalk!

Sandstone is a special rock form with large pores. Therefore, chalk (magnesia) can penetrate the pores much more easily and “stick” to them. As a result, the friction of the holds goes to zero and the boulder can suffer permanent damage. Therefore, one should never forget the age-old Bleau’s Law: Chalk should not be used in Fontainebleau!

If you are wondering how something like this can work in bouldering, let me assure you: it works! Especially the easier courses and slabs can usually be climbed without chalk. Of course, reaching into the chalk bag is an increasingly common sight in Fontainebleau, but it should still be used sparingly and the traces of magnesia brushed away again. Otherwise, the best bouldering area in the world would soon no longer be what it is!

But Bleau wouldn’t be Bleau if there wasn’t a very special solution to the chalk problem: a synthetic resin called “Pof”. The powdery white substance is laced into a permeable cloth, which then releases small amounts of the resin as soon as you tap on it, comparable to a chalk ball. The effect is very similar to that of chalk: however, pof dries out the palms or skin more quickly than magnesia. Nevertheless, this synthetic resin is a good alternative that is accepted and used by the Bleausards and the majority of Fontainebleau climbers.

The top bouldering spots in Fontainebleau

Fontainbleau is so big that it is worth taking a look at the individual bouldering areas and their characteristics. You’ll find the most important spots below:

1. Bas Cuvier

Probably the best-known area with advantages and disadvantages: directly on the main road towards Fontainebleau, therefore no access, but usually lots of people, especially on weekends and holidays when families spend the day here. Over 600 boulders and courses in all colours. Dries quickly after rain. Here you will find the first 6a boulder (“Marie Rose”) and the first 6c boulder (“Le Joker”) from Bleau.

2. Cuvier Rempart

Right next to Bas Cuvier with a slightly longer approach. Not for parcour lovers. Mostly difficult and overhanging boulders from 7a to 8c, which have cult status, including “Big Boss” (7c) and “Noir desir” (7c). With “C’etait Demain” (8a), Bleau veteran Jacky Godoffe was able to climb the first 8a boulder here.

3. Gorges d‘Apremont

A large popular area at Barbizon focused on problems in the Fb 5 to 7b range. Here are classics such as “Le piano” (6b) or “Science Friction” (6a), the epitome of a Bleau slab. Many courses and a beautiful location on an articulated slope in the forest with many retreats away from the crowds. The somewhat longer approach of 20 minutes, but a lot of boulders, too much to explore in just a single day for sure. The legendary chip shop from the cult bouldering film “The Real Thing” by Jerry Moffat and Kurt Albert is located at the car park of the area.

4. Franchard Isatis

Together with Bas Cuvier and Roche aux Sabots probably the most popular area. No access. Offers shade in summer. Here are perhaps the most beautiful courses of the whole area and well-known single boulder problems in the seventh grade such as “Superjoker” (7c+).

5. Franchard Cuisinière

The slightly longer approach of 20 minutes, but lots of beautiful bouldering in the medium-difficulty grades. The blue and red courses are among the best the forest has to offer. Extreme classics like the three-pull boulder “Karma” (8a+), the mercilessly smooth fingernail slab “Duel” (8a) and the world-famous jump “Hale Bopp” (7c+) can be marvelled at here. With “Beatle Juice” (7a+), a somewhat moderate classic, offering great overhanging pocket pulling.

6. Roche aux Sabots

Sunny area with lots of sand and beautiful ambience on a hilltop covered with some pine trees. The slightly longer approach of 20 minutes. Classics like the jump “L’ange naif” (7c) or the overhanging bow “Retour aux Sources” (7a+) should not be missed. Usually too hot in summer.

8. Cul de Chien

A scenically unique area with a somewhat longer approach of 20 to 25 minutes. This huge sandy area with bouldering blocks gives the feeling of being in the desert. One of the landmarks of Fontainebleau can be found in the middle of the large sandy area in front of the actual area: the “dog’s head” (le bilboquet), which actually looks like the head of a hairy quadruped. A challenging blue and red course await boulderers here. Classics like “Eclipse” (7c), “Arabesque” (7b+) or the famous roof “Le Toit du cul de Chien” (7a) make this area an absolute must! Weekends are usually busy, as the sandy desert attracts not only boulderers but also hikers and families.

Directions and orientation in Bleau

The journey will only be dealt with briefly here, as firstly it is not particularly difficult and secondly it varies greatly depending on where you stay overnight and where you start. Here are some driving times (with breaks) by car from German cities: from Munich 9 hours, from Berlin 12 hours, from Saarbrücken 4.5 hours (it can’t be shorter). In general, you should always bear in mind that French motorways are subject to tolls. The best way to calculate the additional travel costs is to use the ADAC route planner, which is very practical!

Finding the bouldering areas is much more difficult than getting there, as every street in Fontainebleau usually looks the same: A more or less straight line through the forest, from which often only a small gravel road leads to the area. Of course, the easiest way to find your way is with a sat nav, especially if you are provided with the parking coordinates in the topo. If you are travelling without a sat nav, it is best to orientate yourself by the distinctive roundabouts that interrupt the long straight stretches now and then. The usual Bleau principle also applies to the area search: practice makes perfect! Once you get the hang of it, you will be able to get your bearings – at least roughly – and find your way from the place where you are staying to the next bigger connecting road. Which brings us to the next topic: Where is the best place to spend the night in Bleau?

Overnight stay: camping and gites

In Fontainebleau, there are two options for overnight stays: Either the usual variant on one of the numerous and beautiful campsites or a holiday home (“Gîtes”). Most of the accommodation is not directly in the town of Fontainebleau, but in the surrounding area, where most of the bouldering areas are located.

Campingplätze

• “La Musardiere” near Milly la Forêt: highly recommended campsite, popular with boulderers, with comfortable tent pitches and bungalows at quite moderate prices. Large site with pool, new sanitary facilities, the owners speak English. Open all year round.
• “Les Prés” near Grez-sur-Loing: Nice, clean campsite, but a bit more “sterile” and structured than “Musardiere”. A simple classic.

Gites

• Around Fontainebleau, gites are a dime a dozen. Most of these accommodations can be compared to a holiday flat, sometimes you get a whole house to yourself. This type of accommodation, which is also very popular with boulderers, is surprisingly cheap if there are enough people and – especially in the off-season – only slightly more expensive than camping. For the high season, you should book well in advance. Most of the gites are very nice and the subjective decision about furnishings and price is up to each individual. General information can easily be found by googling or by visiting Gites de France.

Bouldering guide books: Recommendations for Fontainebleau

Here you are spoilt for choice! More than twelve bouldering guides describe the single boulder and Parcours of Bleau. There are separate single boulder topos as well as Parcours guides, but also combinations of both. Here is a selection with the most important characteristics:

• • Bleau À Bloc Bouldering in Fontainebleau (Versante Sud; 336 pages): Over 5000 boulder passages in the range 6a to 8c, described in detail and illustrated. The drawings and photo topos make it easy to find one’s way through the maze of blocks in Fontainebleau. Such comprehensive and knowledgeable work is only possible with the active support of locals. With Jacky Godoffe, certainly, THE area expert par excellence has dedicated himself to this task with competence and passion.
  • Fontainebleau Climbs. The finest bouldering and circuits (240 pages): Beautiful combined guidebook with over 100 maps, almost 100 courses and more than 3000 single bouldering routes, presented by several locals. In addition, there are stories about the origin of the area and other valuable information for newcomers.
  • Bleau en Bloc Boulder Guide (Panico; 648 pages): A real ham! And more than a selection guide. Countless courses are presented here, only a few were not listed here due to low attractiveness. Single boulders are also included, but mostly only as a list per area without the corresponding topo. So if you only want to climb single boulders, you should rather use one of the other topos. For newcomers to the area and Parcours fans, however, this guide is the right choice! Climbs and information about the area are described in great detail. One of the few Bleau guides in German.
  • Fontainebleau. Bouldering “Off-Piste” (288 pages): All single bouldering from 6a in the common areas can be seen here. Once again presented by Jacky Godoffe, who has had a decisive influence on bouldering in Bleau and worldwide.
  • 5 + 6 Bouldering Guide West/North (Bart van Raaij; 272 pages) & 5 + 6 Bouldering Guide Central/South (320 pages): These two topos unite almost all single boulders in the fifth and sixth grade. A real must for all pleasure boulderers! There is no place for Parcours here, but there are very clear area maps, which make finding the boulder extremely easy.
  • 7 + 8 bouldering guide Fontainebleau (Bart van Raaij; 287 pages): The increase of the “5+6” topos is the “7+8” bouldering guide with all single problems in the seventh and eighth bouldering grade. Something for the high-end fans! Here, too, the very good overview sketches and bouldering maps are a great help
  • “Essential Fontainebleau” (Stone Country Press; 112 pages): 350 selected boulders in all grades, a kind of best-of of Bleau. Very practical!
  • Fontainebleau Fun Bloc, Escalade-Bouldering (Jingo Wobbly Publishing; 320 pages): No more chaos! Super bouldering guide with practical photo topos of the most rewarding single bouldering in all grades with clear maps and valuable details about the bouldering.
  • Fontainebleau Top Secret – Font Bloc Volume 2 (Jingo Wobbly Publishing; 320 pages): presents the less overrun, more hidden and quieter boulders. Over 9000 single boulders, as well as 130 courses, are complemented by good maps and overview sketches.

The best season – spring, summer, autumn, and winter!

• If you are looking for pleasure, you can come to Fontainebleau at any time of year.
• If you want to project difficult bouldering, you need optimal conditions. The friction must be right, the conditions must be good. Generally, the time from September to May is the best for Bleau, if you want to keep small ledges and bad slopers. But even in summer, one or two 7c’s or 8a’s can fall! The continental climate in Fontainebleau allows for heavy bouldering in the early morning hours, as the temperatures are still pleasantly cool in the morning and mid-morning. A lunch break provides the perfect alternative to bouldering in the midday heat, but you can go again in the evening! In short: If you want good conditions, you have to be lucky, and that at any time of the year.
• Even in the colder months, the weather can throw a spanner in the works of friction, especially if the humidity lingers in the forest after prolonged rainfall. In summer, the moisture evaporates quite quickly, allowing bouldering to resume just a few minutes after the rain because most blocks dry very quickly.

A very big role for good conditions in Fontainebleau is played by the wind. Even if it has rained for a long time, you can often have the best conditions imaginable with the wind that follows. The friction then really comes on strong. I can still remember such an experience when we trudged to Cul de Chien in the evening after a long rainy day, hoping to find some dry bouldering. In fact, the wind had not only blown ALL the boulders completely dry after the two-hour rain break, but it had also ensured that we experienced the best conditions of our lives. Within five minutes, we climbed the mega-classic “Eclipse” (7c), after just a few tries. The day after, the boulder felt almost impossible when, for curiosity’s sake, we once again felt the urge to fondle the smooth holds that had felt like sandpaper the day before.

Rest days are the best days

If you come home in the evening after two or three days of bouldering, you will most likely feel your fingertips burning to a greater or lesser extent. Or a need for a day of rest caused by general whole-body exhaustion. How fortunate that the city of love, the world metropolis of France, is only 50 kilometres and an hour’s train ride away. Off to Paris! The best way is to drive the few kilometres to Melun and from there hope on the train with a combined ticket to Paris. The Eiffel Tower, Louvre and Notre Dame are already waiting for you.

If you don’t want to drive so far, there are plenty of leisure activities in the town of Fontainebleau itself. A visit to the gigantic castle with a boat trip on the man-made castle lake is one of the most relaxing things the town has to offer, along with the very beautiful town centre and its many shops. If you want to go swimming in summer, be warned. Bleau has neither suitable lakes nor rivers for swimming. The pool at the campsite or the cold shower will, unfortunately, have to suffice. And last but not least, the best option for an active day of rest: sightseeing. Just go for it, roam through new, still unknown bouldering areas and get inspired for the coming days.

Summary for Fontainebleau

Fontainebleau – an area of superlatives: the biggest bouldering mecca in the world. Too many boulders to count. No other bouldering area compares. After the first visit, you will be back for the second round for sure.

All information about bouldering in Fontainebleau at a glance:

• Rock: Sandstone in all conceivable formations; the subsoil is often sandy and offers good jumping terrain. Also excellent for family holidays.
• How to get there: Mostly from Germany on the A5 towards Paris, then depending on your choice of the area continue > more info.
• Accommodation: Campsites at Milly la Forêt or Grez-sur-Loing or one of the well-known gites (huts) > more info
• Equipment: normal bouldering equipment
• Food: supermarkets in the various villages
• Climbing guides: there is a whole range of climbing guides; the most important ones are presented here
• Best season: September to May, although bouldering can also be done in summer; however, heat does not improve the friction > more info

You’ll find everything you need for bouldering at Bergzeit: