[omri88900]

Hello,
Me and a friend considering climbing in Fontainebleau from the 25th of February to the 3th of march, which according to the weather shouldn't supposed to be that rainy. because we are without a car, we plan to stay in the area of elephant and walk to there most of the time. How much should we trust the weather websites 1-2 weeks in advance? how fast is the area of elephant gets dry enough for bouldering?

Thank you!

[dave k]

From my pretty extensive experience over 20 years including pretty regular Feb ones the weather almost always looks shit and then Font delivers. It helps that many sector dry off quick.

Having said that you might be unlucky.

If you have the flexibility to shift your trip dates then no harm in that.

I have never had a complete wash out trip, but I have had a few mixed ones, where there is a fair bit of waiting around, but sometimes those end up the best trips for doing my hardest problems due to having great skin and shorter sessions.

[Bradders]

Sure you'll be okay. Spring is a great time of year to go (goes for so many places that doesn't it?!). Near L'Elephant, Maunory and Dame Jouane are higher / more exposed and quicker to dry than other sectors in the area, in my experience.

[Johnny Brown]

Mont Simonet is nearby and dries quicker than Elephant too.

[i.munro]

Elephant is known for being very fragile when damp and you are therefore asked to avoid unless it's fully dry.

[Eddies]

Feb is the best month for Font. Cool mornings and evenings & mild afternoons. I've never had more than one rainy day in a week during Feb.
Going to Font without a car is less than ideal tho!

[tommytwotone]

I used to swear by the last week in Feb, in fact I'm sure on an ancient thread on there someone said there's a regular climactic pattern which improves the chances of favourable conditions at that time.

I've been that time of year about 3 or 4 times pre-kids, and it was always energy / skin that was limiting me and not weather.

Plus one on Elephant's drying time, and the general thing of only climbing if it's 100% bone dry. Been some high-profile hold breakages over the last couple of years from people climbing on wet sandstone.

[Johnny Brown]

Statistically Feb is the driest month in Ile de France, as it is in a lot of the UK. However the month to month variation is not huge.

[i.munro]

There's been no rain here for several days and today it's very sunny.
However when I was out on Saturday only a small percentage of problems were dry enough to climb.
I have no explanation for why the rock isn't drying (maybe early morning fog  ) but it doesn't currently seem to be.

[Bradders]

The thing Font often struggles with is a lack of wind, combined with humidity in relatively dense woodland which can cause condensation. Especially so when there's a temperature rise as there has been in the last few days.

[SamT]

Thought I'd tack this on here, rather than start a new thread, but mate is heading out in his camper next week and is aware that both all the campsites are shut around this time of year and that van camping is generally not allowed/frowned upon, so just looking for some beta of likely spots he can park up.

Thanks.

[Duncan campbell]

Free bivouac in Barron Marlotte is a good bet

[James Malloch]

Thought I'd tack this on here, rather than start a new thread, but mate is heading out in his camper next week and is aware that both all the campsites are shut around this time of year and that van camping is generally not allowed/frowned upon, so just looking for some beta of likely spots he can park up.

Thanks.

Not sure what’s allowed exactly, but Isatis and Bois Rond parking were the main van spots last year.

No one was getting moved on.

[SamT]

Cheers guys.. I'll let him know... I'm sure he'll be fine.

[dave k]

There's been no rain here for several days and today it's very sunny.
However when I was out on Saturday only a small percentage of problems were dry enough to climb.
I have no explanation for why the rock isn't drying (maybe early morning fog  ) but it doesn't currently seem to be.

If it's sunny then Cul de Chien has always been one of the fastest drying areas even when not windy.

Regularly arrive with Sabot wet and leave after a quality perfectly dry session at Cul de Chien and on returning to car park Sabot is still wet.

[iwasmexican]

Cheers guys.. I'll let him know... I'm sure he'll be fine.

from several weeks of van parking at more out of the way climbing car parks in the winter, never been moved on

[Kingy]

I spoke to some Font locals recently and they said that mid-winter used to be much better conditions wise (i.e. cold and often dry) but in recent years has tended to be more damp and humid, maybe due to climate change