[jono475]

So I'm based in Paris for a bit and somehow got this idea to take up bouldering at Fontainebleau. Only thing is I've never done climbing of any kind, not even indoors. Is it possible to pick it up at a reasonable pace by just going there and doing stuff on your own?

On the couple of times I've been so far, I looked for yellow routes on some rocks not too far from the train station (Rocher Canon and some other place I can't remember the name of). Some of these I managed on, others were just too damned hard or dangerous looking without a spotter. I also spent a lot of time just looking for the yellow markings and ended up wandering around the areas a lot, getting distracted from the task at hand.

Can anyone recommend:

a.) The best area in Font with lots of easy routes for complete beginners, preferably within 3 miles or so of a train station (already intending to check out Trois Pignons, but it will be a pain to get to so I'd like to have some other options).

b.) The best guidebook to tell you where the routes are/how to tackle them, again something with a heavy slant towards beginners.

[Baldy]

This is a glorious first post!

If you are entirely new to the whole sport, then I would recommend buying a cheap pair of climbing shoes (decathlon is a good bet)
As for a guide - http://www.jingowobbly.com/fom/fom-main.html is probably a bit outdated, but I doubt you will be missing anything too major at the low grades.
There should be a fair few hanging around in shops and online.
As another large source of information, you can go on http://bleau.info/circuits/] [url]http://bleau.info/circuits/ [/url]


Bouldering is quite a social activity, and it is probably not a bad idea (if you cant convince someone to go with you) to at least tell someone where you are going and what you are planning to try.
After all, nothing like a lonely sprained ankle in the middle of a forest to make you feel like a twit.

Finally, the issue of matting.
Im sure you will have seen people using them, but they do tend to be quite pricey (~£100-£200) so if you are conscious of your ankles then you would be best off trying borrow one if you can. Alternatively you can do as some of the 'bleausards' do, and just climb with a teatowel to brush the sand off before each attempt.

NSFW  :

chalk>pof 

Good luck!

[Muenchener]

I am trying to imagine a better way to start climbing, but I cant. The main problem you will have longer term is that everywhere else will seem crap by comparison, especially when you have to resort to going indoors.

[fried]

I started in exactly the same way, and I quickly realised that climbing alone in the forest without a mat was a bit risky, so I got hold of one sharpish.

You are a bit limited by train and Rocher canon is the best bet. You could always try Mont Ussy from Fontainebleau Avon or for something completely different Chamarande.

Any guide book is fine as you only need to find the beginning of the circuits. I started with the 'purple' guide which is now 'white'. I'd recommend getting an IGN map of the forest which will be invaluable when you are lost or try to cut from one area to another. All the 'parcelles' of forest are numbered, so you just need to find a tree with the corresponding niumber to work out where you are.

A lot of the 'easy' circuits are polished, this will only make you a better climber, chalk will not make the problems easier to climb.

I don't know where you are in Paris, but it's worth noting that a 'pass navigo' for the metro etc will give you free acces to all travel zones at the weekend.

I usually go out once a week (weather and other shit allowing) and I may be able to help you out. I have tried this before but I tend not to know my plans until the last moment, so it can be difficult.

PM if interested.

[i.munro]

Couple of other areas that are walkable & IIRC have yellow circuits.
Mont aigu - Avon station then bus to far end of town near INSEAD campus.
Petit bois - Nemours station (the yellows were v grubby last week though).
You will need a map.

Couple of other points that might help.

 I'd suggest getting a piece of door mat. Useful to keep feet clean & will take a bit of the sting out of a big jump if you don't have a pad. Also a rag/towel for slapping loose sand, leaves & a little of the chalk off holds.

Get the soles of your shoes as clean as you possibly can before climbing. Makes things much easier & you won't add much to the polish problem.

Always check for an easy way down before climbing. Very embarrassing to get stuck on the top of a boulder.

As mentioned above it's unlikely that chalk will make things easier but may make them harder & can still get you into a row at the quieter areas.

[jono475]

Yeah, the weekend Navigo thing is what I've been doing, it's handy that you can get all the way to Melun for basically free and then its only another 10 minutes or so to Bois de Rois/Avon. The only pain is the last few miles without a car! The last couple of times I took it as an excuse to do some trail running through the woods, but then I wasn't carrying a mat around. That's actually the main reason putting me off getting one, but I've realised its going to be pretty much essential to make any progress. Also, everyone seems to be using them..

[lagerstarfish]

another opportunity to post this

my mate had never climbed until coming to Font with me and a few others

I don't think I have ever laughed so much as when we watched the uncut video footage back at the gîte that night

[fatdoc]

Yellows at petiit bois were cleaning up in the main very well  by end of last weekend. Hard for a yellow circuit, but not high, loads of soft leaves and sand to fall off on.

[Ti_pin_man]

lager -  thats the best vid I've seen in an age... at first you think its a micky take then you realise, looking at the guys face, that its not, very good. 

[lagerstarfish]

it's all at Elephant - mostly on the boulders on top of the hill

I ought to have a look at the original footage and see whether it's worth making a normal speed version with the audio left on

[tommytwotone]

Yeah, the weekend Navigo thing is what I've been doing, it's handy that you can get all the way to Melun for basically free and then its only another 10 minutes or so to Bois de Rois/Avon. The only pain is the last few miles without a car! The last couple of times I took it as an excuse to do some trail running through the woods, but then I wasn't carrying a mat around. That's actually the main reason putting me off getting one, but I've realised its going to be pretty much essential to make any progress. Also, everyone seems to be using them..

Not sure if you can get a bike on the train in France? I assume so.

If so, (and from my experience last couple of weekends) I'd have thought that if you hit the popular spots you'd not struggle to find people out with pads happy to give you a spot / mat on stuff. Cuvier / Isatis Car Park End / Sabots would be the most obvious choice if it were me.

[grumpycrumpy]

lager -  thats the best vid I've seen in an age... at first you think its a micky take then you realise, looking at the guys face, that its not, very good.

On the top out moves of that final slab John was genuinely terrified ........

[magpie]

I used a similar technique on a lot of the problems I did in Font too. 

I am trying to imagine a better way to start climbing, but I cant.