[Duz]

I am looking to dip into the encyclopaedic bouldering knowledge evident on this forum and would be extremely grateful for any info. My fourth trip to Font this year and I am looking to work problems this time rather than do circuits. I have ticked only one Font 6b during this circuiting, but on a good day can climb 7a on grit.

What I am looking for are good (not necessarily famous/notorious, not soft touches or sandbags, more on an aesthetically pleasing theme) problems at each grade 6a, 6b, 6c and 7a under the headings "Slab", "Arete", "Roof" and "Other", where "Other" covers general tricksome funkiness. Not arsed about area, though quiet is always good. Highballs ok.

All info gratefully accepted, even a single suggestion (e.g "I know a great 6c arete/7a slab/6b roof etc") so I can anally compile a table of likely suspects.

Thanks in punterish anticipation.

[neil h]

serious, get the off piste guide, and what ever area you are at go do all the problems with hearts next to them, these are all the really clasic problems.

The problem you have with a question like you asked is that there are so many quality problems to go at.

If you come stay at my place i am more than happy to show you some very good problems.

[lagerstarfish]

The off piste guide even has a list at the back of the best routes from 6a up. The guys who put it together really do have an  encyclopedic knowledge of the area.

As far as personal recommendations....
Egoiste at Appremont is one of my favourites (6c+)

[Richie Crouch]

I agree with what Neil said but here are some personal ones I recommend from last year 6a-7a:

6a
La Balafre - Apremont (highball)
Moondance - Cuisiniere (wall)

6b
Ju Jitsu - Apremont (roof)
Tranche de l'art - Cuisiniere (arete)

6c
La Coquille - Isatis (overhanging wall)
Big Jim - Petit Bois (highball wall)

7a
Retour Aux Sources - 95.2 (prow)
Flippeur - Roche Aux Sabots (prow)

[abarro81]

Only been to font once (got back a week ago), but from very limited experience:
I thought travaux forces (6b) at gorge aux chats was wicked.
Holy moley (cuvier) was prob my favourite 7a of the trip, there's a whole bunch of cool stuff in that main 'arena' bit though. Duroxmanie and the direct were wicked too and have well cool finishing slopers..

[SA Chris]

I have got the Jingo Wobbly Guide (although I'm not sure why) and can borrow the the old Purple one. Is the Off Piste Guide worth getting as well, for a below 7 punter? What is the Bleau des Gres 6 one like? Neih h, will be in touch with you once we have firm numbers.

[Stef]

Hi, I'm a local Font climber. The Off Piste guide is what you need. It will then get very obvious to you that you don't need any particular tip to find many many excellent 6a, b, ... It more depends to me according to the whether you get once here. And there are billions everywhere.  i run a Gite + b&b at a walking distance from the elephant and 3.5 miles from the 3 pignons.
Have a look at www.bonadresse.com/ile-de-france/la-chapelle-la-reine.htm you can expect various discount in the b&b according to how many rooms and nights you'd stay in. You are welcome to ask for more ! Also, I rent crash-pads. Cheers, Stef.

[SA Chris]

Thanks.

Do you have anythnig to stop water from running out of the sink? Or bath?

[Duz]

All good stuff folks. I take the points suggesting it would be harder to find naff problems than peachy lines at all these grades due to the abundance of quality in the forest.

I may well get a hold of the Off Piste guide, which I think starts at 6a, to add to the jingo wobbly and purple guides.

Though if anyone could point at some delicious slab action?


 

[neil h]

take the jingo guide and burn it, its not worth the paper its writen on, Get the 6a guide, which has all 5 and 6 in it, slab wise, stear clear until you learn how to climb in the forest. I climb around 7c and the hardest slab I have done in 6b, there nails.

One of the best 6b's in the forest has to be the red arete to the right of rubi at gorge o chat.

And most problems on the red circuit at isatis.

Or if you are looking easy high ball, go and problem 11 on the yellow circuit at buthiers, superb, 30 foot of jug pulling, very exposed. 1a max.

[lagerstarfish]

Or if you are looking easy high ball, go and problem 11 on the yellow circuit at buthiers, superb, 30 foot of jug pulling, very exposed. 1a max.

Reminds me of...
Dalle a Poly (4+) is a very satisfying highball (MASSIVE holds) with flat landing at Elephant.

There's a problem there called Voie Michaud which is a lovely 1 move 6c (flat, sandy landing)

Look at me doing it

[BenF]

A hard quest this... 

Off the top of my head and after concurring with previous suggestions, like Travaux Forces, Egoiste and Moondance:

La Superb 6b, Cuisiniere - jump, or better still rock it out
The 6c just left of Superjoker at Isatis - an utterly brilliant problem!
Ramapathetique (sp?) 6c at Rocher de la Reine - total Fontness
Le Cube 6a, Rocher Fin - sharp arete
Calins de Kim 7a, Rocher Cannon - classic arete/mantel and a gift at 7a (but that's not the point)
Graviton 6c or 7a, Roche aux Sabots - both the left and right versions are worth doing and a bit classic
Guichot Business, 7a - Rocher Guichot - big roof for a low(ish) grade

Given the chance to flick through some guides I'm sure we can come up with thousands more.  Neil's suggestion of getting the blue off piste guide and looking at the list of "heart" problems at the back is a good way to start.  A quality guide and perfect if you're looking for the best of everything really.

[Scouse D]

Calins de Kim is shit.

Fight!fight!

[SA Chris]

I really enjoyed Le Bossu 6b at Rocher Canon. Nicely sequency, balancy and technical.

http://bleau.info/canon/3291.html

Loads of others, but this is one of the few I figured out the name of.

[Jim]

red 25 at sabots aka l'angle jon luke or something. The hardest problem I have never done. desparete hoho
gets 6b or something

[neil h]

red 25 at sabots aka l'angle jon luke or something. The hardest problem I have never done. desparete hoho
gets 6b or something

too right, I still cant do it, 

[Duz]

stear clear until you learn how to climb in the forest. I climb around 7c and the hardest slab I have done in 6b, there nails.

I've done the Teflon slab at Diplodocus. The sweetest flimsiest of things in suboptimal conditions. This is the kind off buzz, I think, only a slab can give. I couldn't imagine climbing on less, and it only gets 5+ I think!

Again, cheers for all the info, my autistic bent is already mapping a summary.

[Duz]

Pish at slabs. Pish at the reply/quote thing.

[BenF]

Calins de Kim is shit.

Fight!fight!

I'm a lover, not a fighter. 

It's not shit Dave, but it's probably not a classic really.  I just struggled to get my brain to work yesterday and couldn't think of much else at Canon but wanted to include summat from there.  Then again it's still better than most problems anywhere other than Font. 

[Jaspersharpe]

red 25 at sabots aka l'angle jon luke or something. The hardest problem I have never done. desparete hoho
gets 6b or something

Speaking of desperate 6b problems at Sabots..........

http://bleau.info/sabots/5742.html

.....this is excellent. But rather tricky.

[neil h]

red 25 at sabots aka l'angle jon luke or something. The hardest problem I have never done. desparete hoho
gets 6b or something

Speaking of desperate 6b problems at Sabots..........

http://bleau.info/sabots/5742.html

.....this is excellent. But rather tricky.

Bloody right, tricky, took me ages to work this out, for a 6b it is one of the hardest, ive dine easier 7b's in the forest. In the end I ended up just going straight to the top of the mono right, probably a diferent problem altogether.......


Never mind thats font for you



One of the best 7a'a i done this year is a new one called zen

[Jaspersharpe]

Bloody right, tricky, took me ages to work this out, for a 6b it is one of the hardest, ive dine easier 7b's in the forest. In the end I ended up just going straight to the top of the mono right, probably a diferent problem altogether.......


Never mind thats font for you

Indeed. Took me about five goes and I ended up doing a massive barn doory slap for the pocket on the arete which didn't feel like 6b at all. A local who had the whole place wired pissed it shortly afterwards using the static crossover (for the same pocket) sequence as in those photos but that looked fucking desperate too.

[BenF]

One of the best 7a'a i done this year is a new one called zen

Yup, concur there, Zen is a great little problem and nicely off the beaten track at Sabots.

And as for that tricky 6b arete; it's damn hard and I agree, I've also done much easier 7b's!

[neil h]

looks like one to stear clear of then hey?, dont want to sandbag his first trip

[BenF]

Yeah, trying that arete would give a rather wrong impression of red circuits.