Our return to Font!

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Day 1

Having driven to Dover the previous night we woke after sleeping in the car to face a leisurely 4 mile drive to the port of Dover. Our crossing was with Seafrance. It was the first time we had crossed the channel with Seafrance and we found the experience most agreeable. Having crossed with P&O before and being subject to the coaches full of booze cruisers Seafrance was like a breath of fresh air.

The drive down to Font was very straight forward with no complications. We arrived at the campsite after food shopping at 4.30pm. We set up camp and decided to relax and have dinner coupled with an early night.

Day 2

The day started with an hour of faffing. Once in gear we headed out to Milly-la-Forêt to get our fresh baguettes for lunch. As Verity and I had not done much climbing over the past couple of months we both decided it was best that our first day of bouldering would be a nice easy introduction so we could get our bodies and heads into it.

The area we chose was 91.1. This is one of the great circuits, giving a complete mixture of climbing from small slabs to radical highballs. There are several colour circuits within the area; we chose the orange circuit which gave us a grade range of 2a – 5b.

The day started very well, I managed to on-sight the first 13 problems. Verity eased herself in more gradually due to her twisted ankle which had only just healed. The best climb I achieved was a 5a. It had a very tricky start, no prominent footholds and fairly crimpy hand holds. The middle section was better for the feet but the top out was in true Font style being slap happy; nevertheless it was bagged.

As the day wore on my on-sighting decreased whilst Verity’s was increasing. Verity managed to on-sight 5 problems in a row. Then came number 20. This was a 4 metre high boulder with a slightly overhanging bulge at the top. The grade was only 3b and I made my way easily up to the bulge and part of the way over it only to discover that there was absolutely nothing there to hold. I began slapping the sandstone in sheer desperation to find something to hold but by this time my pinch grip that was keeping me up there was slowly but surely giving way. I took a quick glance and could see my fingers slowly moving towards the edge of the piece of sandstone I was pinching (sh*t!) I was now really looking for something to grab when suddenly pop I was off, falling with my back parallel to the floor. Luckily Verity was there and she managed to spot me onto the boulder mat. Thud, I was down to earth. My first Font pop off, yay. Oh by the way I recommend the Alpkit Phud boulder mat (£60) as it provided a most agreeable landing (phew).

The orange circuit comprised of 47 problems and we managed to bag 24 of them, not bad for the first day. By the end both Verity’s and my feet were screaming to be set free from the confines of our climbing shoes. On the walk out we suddenly both felt exhausted but with a feeling of contentment we made our way back to the campsite for tea.

Day 3

The usual faff had been disbanded for well drilled efficiency; maybe subconsciously listening to the Germans around us had something to do with it. We were up, showered and had breakfast within the hour. There was some strange Germanic voice in my head telling me to put my towel over the shower door the night before to save even more time but I shook my head and started whistling The Great Escape and felt British once more.

We both decided to continue the orange theme but in a different location. The area was 95.2 – this was only a 3 minute drive from the campsite with an 8 minute walk in. No sooner had we arrived disaster struck – rain. We sat in the car hoping it was just a passing shower and it was. So off we went eager for a day’s bouldering.

Having found the circuit the problems were looking very enticing. The start was found with little to no difficulty but no sooner had we found it disaster struck once more - rain. This time it was heavy which left us with no option but to head back to the car and then to the campsite.

After two hours the rain had stopped and breaks in the cloud appeared so we decided to go back as the guide book stated that 95.2 was quick drying. When we arrived there was a warm southerly breeze blowing over the boulders and they were drying extremely fast but still felt slimy. We both bagged the first problem fairly easily but the next two were slopes and the sandstone was just too slimy, a no-go unfortunately.

The third problem was a fantastic 4a traverse then up and over an overhang. I cruised the traverse but pulling up over the overhang the sandstone was wet, the holds there would have been good in the dry. I just couldn’t purchase them enough to completely get over the overhang and pop I was off once again. Verity had a valiant attempt but also failed at the same point.

The next problem was a 4a which I managed to on-sight and Verity bagged it on her second try. The next couple of problems went down easy. Problem 7 was another traverse with an overhang at the end to pull up and over. Having navigated the traverse I went for the over hang, so good so far. I spotted a lovely pocket for my right hand and went for it. Argh, full of water and it ran down my arm like a river but with a quick one two with my feet I was over. Verity followed suit, another on-sight for us both.

We continued to bag a few more problems but by now the time was 7.30pm and time to head back. Not a bad day in the end despite the weather.

Day 4

Having gone to bed experiencing strong winds (no, not due to the spicy pasta sauce we had for dinner) we woke to heavy rain on the tent which put a real dampener on the day (excuse the pun) As it was Easter Sunday our little jaunt into Milly-la-Forêt for the baguettes was off so I walked up to get bread from the bread van which turned up at 8.30am. 3 euros lighter I walked away with a scraggy excuse for a baguette and two pain du chocolate’s. With the rain still falling we both decided to have a long lie-in. When 2 o’clock came it had stopped raining and bouldering was on big time. Having both been cramped up in a tent for well over 12 hours our muscles were screaming to be flexed.

Due to the heavy rain during the night and morning a quick drying area had to be sought once more. The guide book stated that 95.2 can be heavily populated after such conditions though it did say that a further 5 minutes walk would get you to Gros Sablons – Nord-Ouest. The guide book said that this area would give sublime peace and tranquillity and it also offered quick drying sandstone so off we went. The guide book did not let us down; we turned up to find we were the only ones there. The grade of the problems ranged from 2a to 5a so a nice mix was on offer.

Having loads of pent up energy the first few problems were bagged in quick succession. With the adrenaline flowing we raced on through the problems. We still had this place to ourselves, fantastic.

Problem 14 was a pig; it was a direct route up on an arête. There was no real foot holds and the hand holds were a big stretch but with a slip and a slide along with some good old Font slapping it was bagged followed by an adrenaline fuelled punch into the air for good measure. Show me the next one!

Problem 16 was fun; it was a nice balancey sloper which had a magical feel to it. This type of problem is Verity’s forte and true to form she cruised up with a grace and elegance only she possesses. For me I hate the balance problems and I tentatively climbed it wobbling like a freshly made jelly.

The next real problem was number 20 which only I attempted. It looked okay, slightly overhanging with a nice hold to pull up on but no foot holds, just smooth sandstone. I grabbed the hold, pulled myself up and started flapping my legs around just like a fish out of water. My hands started to slip so I flap some more. Pop down to earth I fall. So I try again, and again, and again. I asked Verity what grade is this problem, 4a she replied. Right, I said, it’s going down! I had a look around and see a hand hold that I hadn’t noticed before, it’s just out of reach but maybe, just maybe if I can pull myself up enough I can get it and then bring my left foot up to a hold that I swear has been laughing at me all this time. So I get the holds, pull myself up, lock off the left arm and go for it. Yes got it, now what I thought. Ahh that foot hold, it felt so nice shoving my foot in to that hold, almost like I was stuffing its mouth to stop it from laughing. Choke on that I thought. With a heave and a puff I managed to pull myself over the overhang and complete the problem, it was bagged. But man my arms were pumped!

By this time it was nearing 7.30pm and with a massive 11 minute walk out to the car we decided to bug out and go back so we could eat dinner in the light. For a day that rained until 2pm it turned out to be fantastic, having achieved 19 and 20 problems respectively Verity and I walked out with a big feeling of satisfaction coupled with exhaustion. What an addictive mix, bring on Monday.

Day 5

Having woken from a fantastic restful sleep we powered up our bodies with creeks and groans just like an under oiled engineering machine. After the creeks and pops had finally stopped the thought that it was our final full day sunk in. Though our minds were woeful our bodies were jumping for joy. The weather looked good and we both thought that t-shirts might be on the cards for the afternoon.

We decided to keep the orange circuit theme going despite feeling like we could have joined in with the orange revolution in Ukraine we’d seen so much orange! The orange circuits were giving us both some on-sights and some problems we had to use our cerebral intelligence to overcome and them some problems which just popped us off time and time again. The circuit chosen was Le Marathon, this is a mammoth circuit by any standards, with 73 set problems. So we jumped in the car for 3 minutes and started the arduous 15 minute walk in through pine forest and sandy soil. If only the walk in’s in Wales were this easy! Having found the start of the circuit with ease we set up the first problem. But in Paula Radcliff style we both needed a toilet stop but unlike her we were nowhere near half way round. The first three problems were unattainable – one due to lack of skill and the following two because they hadn’t dried from the day before. Taking a look at the guide book suggested to us that the rest of the day would follow suit so we decided to go back to where we left off the previous night (Gros Sablons Nord-Ouest). I found the traverse that I was attempting and bagged it though my arms were so pumped that my hands were shaking uncontrollably.

We both just started to get into the swing of things when the old enemy of climbers appeared once more – rain. We bustled like worker bees and gathered our stuff and sat under an overhang. It was only a short shower but heavy enough to make the sandstone sopping wet. We stayed there for about an hour to let the sandstone dry. There was a problem that was whispering in our left ear (come try me, come try me) so we did but it was a little teaser, still too wet to do anything.

As we were not too far from the area 95.2 we thought we would give it a go to try and salvage the day. On arrival we noticed straight away that the sandstone was dry and very climbable so we were both glad that we moved locations. We found the problem that we had stopped at on day 3. The first couple of problems went down with some thought being involved. Problem 21 was a slight issue; it was an overhang with little to no hand holds over the top. Not being the best overhang climber at the moment it became a very ungraceful climb with a lot of grunts and groans with that old favourite Font slapping, a swing of the leg and there you go in the bag but I was puffing like a dog on a hot day.

The next four problems were really enjoyable and by this time the sun had come out and it felt so nice and warm on our backs. Problem 26 had both of us thinking, it was a 3c with a mantelshelf finish. I made it to the mantelshelf with relative ease but the top out was more brawn than brain I’m afraid. Verity went next, again up to the mantelshelf then walked her feet up a few more inches than mine then it was up and over with a ‘what was all the fuss about’ look on her face (good effort I thought).

By now the time was slipping away, our last full day was drawing to an end. We finished off with two more nice problems and packed our bags and said thank you to 95.2 for a magical Fontainebleau day.

Day 6

Well as the saying goes all good things must come to an end. The last day had arrived and the drive home loomed. We put away the tent and packed the car in double quick time. We decided not to go to the normal destination on your last day which is Bas Cuvier. Instead we decided to go back to the area that we started the week at, 91.1 and start from where we had finished. This gave us the opportunity to get a maximum amount of bouldering in before we had to drive home.

We both had a good morning’s bouldering. Verity and I both managed to get some nice problems bagged. I managed to on-sight a 4a which was very crimpy all the way through. We had time to revisit the problems that we were unable to achieve on the first day, some were bagged highlighting an improvement but some remained allusive. Oh well maybe next year hey. Before we knew it it was time to say au revoir to Fontainebleau for another year. Once again it gave us a fantastic week of bouldering in a wonderful atmosphere within a picturesque setting. As we both made the journey home we know that we will be coming back next year to experience yet more of the highly addictive Fontainebleau magique.