When To Go

‍While it is possible to climb all year round here, there are 2 main seasons.

• Spring (March to May): March or April is generally the best as there is higher chance of rain in May. It does get busy during the April holidays though.
• Autumn (August to October): September or October would be the best as August can still be slightly warm while winter in November might see snow.

On our last trip we went in the last week of September and saw fickle weather which limited our climbing days. The temperatures were around 10c - 15c during the day which made for pretty decent climbing.

The Climbing

‍The climbing here is legendary with enough problems for all climbing styles though it does lean towards tricky slopers, slabs, and mantles that require good friction. Besides boulder problems, Font is also famous for its circuits which are color coded sets of 20-50 boulder problems. The landings are generally flat and sandy.

There are more than 200 areas in this large forest with more than 30,000 routes for climbers of all levels. Climbing in font is hard though and you might find yourself thrown off the easier climbs. Our advice is to forget about the grading and just enjoy the process as well as the beautiful forest!

While most developed sectors have something for everyone, we recommend the following based on climbing ability.

Beginner

1. 91.1 - Smaller area opposite Cul De Chien with quite a number of nice climbs in the V2-3 range.
2. Cul De Chien - This big sandy area has a high concentration of easy climbs that are not high which is great for bringing those who are new to bouldering outdoors. It is a little bit of a walk in from the carpark though the ground is generally open and flat.
3. 95.2 - The center of the area has a good concentration of easy boulders and their close proximity makes for a nice atmosphere if you want to climb with other people.

Intermediate

1. Bas Cuvier - This is one of the first areas developed with many popular classics so it gets the most amount of traffic. It is also right next to the carpark. It is recommended to visit on the weekday if you can.
2. Franchard Isatis - This is a very big with a lot of popular climbs in the V5-7 range.
3. Franchard Hautes-Plaines - This smaller area is great if you want to spend a day away from the crowds.

Quick drying areas for rainy days

We found that 91.1 and Cul De Chien are the faster drying areas when there are light showers. 95.2 takes at least half a day to dry. Roche Aux Sabot is along the way to Cul de Chien but many of the rocks tend to remain damp after a shower because of the foliage.

Topo

Online

• 27crags - Many of the problems are listed here. Paying for the subscription also allows you to download the guide to view offline.
• Bleau.info - This is a bible for all the climbs in Font and you'll find the latest problems listed. It is only on the web which doesn't work well in the forest where internet connection can be patchy.

Guidebooks

1. Fontainebleau Fun Bloc by David Atchison-Jones (Jingo Wobbly Photo Guide) - This is one of the most popular guides with routes up to 8c. Despite the many complaints about it, we found it to be pretty good for what we needed. We saw it at Karma gym and S'cape though you can also pick one up from Aux Vieux Campeur in Paris.
2. Fontainebleau Top Secret by David Atchison-Jones (Jingo Wobbly Photo Guide) - This is an extension of Fun Bloc and has more areas such as Franchard Hautes-Plaines.

Transportation

Getting There

As Fontainebleau is just 1.5h away from Paris, this will be the closest city to fly to.

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Moving Around

‍The boulders are spread across 25km of forest so it is important to rent a car for getting between areas.

Accommodation

1. Airbnb - This is definitely the most popular option lately and you'll find many options here.
2. Gite - These are guesthouses that you can easily rent from gites-de-france. The payment can be done online but the deposit likely needs to be done in cash so be prepared.

We rented one which was on a farmhouse not far from Bas Cuvier. It was very peaceful and we could pick ripe fruit from the trees.

Gear

Crashpads

1. Karma - This is the climbing gym in Fontainebleau town. Crashpad rental is 9 EUR a day or 56 EUR for a week.‍
2. Climb Fontainebleau - 10 EUR a day or 60 EUR for a week.
3. Gites - Sometimes the gites also rent or provide them so you can check ahead with the hosts.

Shops

1. S'cape - Gear shop in Fontainebleau.
2. Decathlon - There is a big outlet at Villiers-en-bierre.
3. Aux Vieux Campeur - Their shop is in Paris and you can pick up well priced climbing shoes there as well.

Shoe resole

If you decide to stay in Fontainebleau for a month then you can also get your shoes resoled from Karma gym. They are the pickup point for the resoler and we have been told that it can take up to 3 weeks for it to be completed depending on the volume.

Food

Market

Fontainebleau Market runs three times a week on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday mornings. You can find fresh fruits, vegetables and meat along with cheeses, breads and some cooked food. There is convenient parking just below the market square.

Bread & Pastries

• ‍Patisserie Dardonville in Fontainebleau usually has a queue in the morning and all their breads are pretty good. Try their Mille-Feuille pastry.
• Les Petits Pains De Mathile is also in Fontainebleau and they are usually at the market which is the most convenient way to get their breads.
• L'A pâtisserie - To indulge in really good pastries in Fontainebleau, this place probably does it the best. I believe they have a Japanese pastry chef.
• Boulangerie aux délices de la forêt just before Bas Cuvier is also a pretty good option. They have a solid beef burger as well.
• Jeandre - If you're closer to Trois Pignon and are in Milly-la-floret, then this is a good place to go.

Cheese

The cheese in France is amazing and we often got good ones from the farmers market in Fontainebleau just opposite to the bread stall.

Restaurants

We did not get to try that many restaurants in Fontainebleau but one which I can recommend is pizza from Pizza Tradition. They only have takeaway though and you should order in advance because there is usually an hour waiting time to get it.

Rest day activities

1. Fontainebleau Chateau - This is one of the largest palaces for French monarchs and well worth a visit. You'll find plenty of other climbers there on a rainy day too.
2. Markets - Aside from the Fontainebleau Market on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, there is also a market in Milly-la-floret on Thursday afternoons from 1pm onwards.
3. Paris - Although not a long drive, the traffic near Paris city centre and within the city can sour this experience. We did not drive to Paris on any of our rest days.