Fontainebleau rock climbing

The region around Fontainebleau in France is particularly famous for its concentrated bouldering areas. French alpine climbers practiced bouldering there since the 19th century. It remains today a prime climbing location. It is the biggest and most developed bouldering area in the world.

The Fontainebleau climbing areas are located in a forested area south of Paris. They are colloquially known as "Font" to English speakers, and as Bleau in France. They are located mostly within the Forêt Domaniale (National Forest) de Fontainebleau, near the town of Fontainebleau, des Trois Pignons (near Milly-la-Forêt) and de la Commanderie (near Larchant).

Some of the major areas are:

Although at a farther distance, the climbing areas of Beauvais (Nainville-les-Roches, north of Milly), Nemours, Buthiers-Malesherbes (west of Larchant) and Chamarande are similar and are considered part of Bleau.

The Fontainebleau grading system originated here.

At the end of the 1800s, Aldolphe Joanne, the president of the Club Alpin Français, invited foreign visitors to visit the sites of Franchard and Apremont. In 1900, the Club Alpin Français organised a meet to ascend "the Gorges d'Apremont range" and then go to Larchant, whose huge rocks constitute the "usual practicing area of the Paris Section of CAF."

Several Bleau boulders or routes are named after famous climbers of the beginning of the 20th century: Prestat, Wehrlin, Maunoury, Gaché, Labour, Paillon, Souverain, and the famous Pierre Allain, the inventor of the smooth-sole climbing shoe (named P.A. from his initials). Before World War II, most of the areas that are popular today were already well known to Parisian climbers, except for Les Trois Pignons, which was not easily accessible by public transport.

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Wikipedia