November 10, 2025 - One of Theo's best.

After yesterday's humidity, it seemed like a good choice to go to the 91.1 area today, which Olaf and I both agreed upon. My goal was to try "Philion (assis)", while Olaf's interest went to "Le Krill", which I had already done way back in 2016.
After I had done the standing start of "Philion" two months ago, it was only logical to try the sitstart. I had briefly tried the moves of the sitstart a few weeks earlier, in Theo's company, and I immediately agreed with his suggestion that it was of his nicest first ascents. The moves of the first part are beautiful and great to execute. It's almost unbelievable that this very nice and logical was never done before.
When I tried the sitstart two months ago, I had to stop quite quickly because of having lost so much skin on the standing start. I felt that it was possible with better skin though, and hopefully today would be the day.
The conditions were not great today, and after a few attempts, the nice left hand crimp started to feel a bit slippery and on one attempt I even completely dry fired out of it, being protected by Olaf spotting. As you have to hold that left hand crimp for quite a long time, doing several other moves in between, I wanted to figure out a way to do the problem quicker and tried the dyno from the low sidepull right hand instead of doing a couple of additional moves to be able to get into the standing start. The dyno felt possible that way, but did feel slightly harder and it was more difficult to aim for the right on the edge of the boulder. Luckily I'm not very bad in learning such kind of moves, and I managed to do the dyno that way not long after I first tried it as such.
A couple of attempts from the start later, I managed to keep it all together and finished "Philion (assis)". Truly one of Theo's best lines indeed.

Olaf was struggling a bit in "Le Krill", and while he took a short break, I managed to repeat it on my first attempt. Almost ten years after I did it for the first time. Could that have been a so-called 'retro-flash' ? Honestly I don't care, but I just wanted to use that word.
Olaf had to put a big fight in "Le Krill", and I watched in awe and suspense when he was about to top it out, paying special attention to his left that looked like it slip any moment for over half of the climb. He stuck it though and I shared his contentment when he came back down. Always nice to see such a big fight come to a good end.

To finish off the session, we briefly tried "La Porte de Grange" and the direct version respectively, but it didn't take long before the rain chased us away. Despite the rain, we had both achieved our personal goals for today and walked back the parking, relieved.

Fontainebleau - 91.1 - Philion (assis) 7B

November 09, 2025 - Denecourt n°10.

It's Autumn, and despite the still sometimes quite high temperature, the season is well represented by rain, humidity, and fog. Not good ingredients for good climbing days at all, but I try to get the short climbing windows where I see them.
Yesterday, I was going to meet Olaf, Jan and Tom for another session on "Bleau's Heart", but the rain came earlier than expected and we ended up walking around Petit Rempart instead, after which Jan and Tom decided to drive back home as the forecast didn't look good for the next day neither.

This morning there was very dense fog and everything looked wet outside. I still met with Olaf, but with the idea to do the blue walk around Rocher d'Avon, following the Sentier Denecourt n°10, from start to end. 
Even though it there was still a dense fog and the forest looking soaking wet, it wasn't raining, so I decided to take my climbing shoes, chalk bag and my thin Black Diamond Gapstopper pad that I could carry by hand. Out of experience with this kind of weather, I know that chances are low, but still existent to find a dry boulder here and there.
Already quite soon, we could see some dry boulders, in even quite good conditions, while others almost next to them were soaking wet. We couldn't see any pattern as to why that would be, but hey, at least we knew that there was some potential. As we were there to walk the whole blue path, I waited long , but as Olaf insisted, I decided to go for it on "Mekkera", near the end of the walk.
I had tried "Mekkera" the first time around 2013, but wasn't able to do it. It never became a real project, but over the years, I did try it again briefly maybe two times or so while being in the area for other reasons. I didn't have any expectations, but I thought it was worth another shot.

The dyno of "Mekkera" is not very far, but the position to push off from is very awkward and requires to move your body in a strange way in order to reach the top of the boulder. The hardest part though, is holding the big swing after catching the edge.
Somehow, this time, I could immediately feel that there was potential for doing it, and I got closer with each attempt. Then, suddenly, I managed to hang on while catching the swing and topped out. 
It was a nice little bonus to a wonderful walk through the forest with good friend Olaf and his dog Iva.

Fontainebleau - Rocher d'Avon Ouest - Mekkera 7A

November 02, 2025 - Making the best out of the weather.

Last weekend me and Jan got really close to doing "Bleau's Heart (direct)", and I even slipped off the very last move, at a point where I usually don't feel anymore.
Below, two of my best attempts of that day.

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After having spent six weeks in her house in the South of France, my mom decided to come for a short visit on her way back to Belgium and she arrived on Friday, intended to stay until Sunday after breakfast. It meant no climbing on Saturday, but rather going for a long walk, enjoying the beautiful autumn colors that the forest offers now. Climbing-wise, I didn't miss anything, because it rained until the afternoon, after which it stayed wet for the rest of the day. The long walk in the forest was marvelous, despite the rain.

This morning, after breakfast, Olaf and I agreed to meet later in the day at Rocher des Potets when the sky would clear up a bit. It definitely wasn't worth to go back to "Bleau's Heart" with the potentially very bad conditions. Our intention was rather to have a look at and maybe try a few of Theo's new problems.
By the time we arrived at the area, the wind was blowing hard and some boulders were climbable, way more than expected.  We started with trying "Le Sens Joue", which turns out to be very morpho. I was making quite good progress, but when some stupid movement hurt my back, I was forced to stop trying, so we headed to "La Jetéité". This one, I was able to flash, followed by Olaf doing it soon after.

Fontainebleau - Rocher des Potets - La Jetéité 7A

On our way back, we stopped another one from Theo, "Le Pilier de Soutien" in Jean des Vignes. Featuring a nice toehook and a weird dyno, I was able to finish it second go. Olaf was slightly out of his comfort zone, but right when he was making good progress, a rain shower made everything wet again, forcing us to end the session. Had a good and fun afternoon, though, with a good buddy!

Fontainebleau - Jean des Vignes - Le Pilier de Soutien 7A+

October 18-19, 2025 - We are all equal.

I didn't write anything yesterday, because after a great day with even greater company, I knew that another one like this was coming the day after, being today.
Yesterday, I met up with Olaf, Jan and Tom at Apremont Mare aux Biches. Olaf and I were there first, and while waiting for Jan and Tom, we played around a bit in "Onde Sensuelle". We both already did "Onde Sensuelle" three and five years ago respectively, but we were curious how the direct version, following the slopey arete, would feel. The scenery was perfect out there in the sun, which made it quite warm, causing the friction of the slopers to feel quite bad, but despite that, it was fun playing around on the boulder. 
After a whole week of climbing, Jan and Tom were taking a rest day, but joined us to keep us company. We had a great time. 
Olaf was having his 23rd consecutive of climbing, but quite easily flashed "Vive les Hommes (gauche)" on the backside of the boulder of "Vive les Femmes". I followed in his footsteps by flashing the problem as well.

Fontainebleau - Apremont Mare aux Biches - Vive les Hommes (gauche) 7A

Immediately after, we also did the direct version on our first attempt, while Jan, despite his rest day, put on his shoes and also climbed "Vive les Femmes (gauche)".

Fontainebleau - Apremont Mare aux Biches - Vive les Hommes 6C

Even though being an absolute classic, for some reason, I had never tried "Le Gong" and that day seemed like the perfect to try it.
To be completely honest, I underestimated the problem, and thought that the first part would have been easier. But still I was able to top out this beautiful classic after a handful of attempts.
It seemed to have triggered Jan's attention, because he also put on his climbing shoes again and despite needed a bit more time and attempt, he got away with the send too.

Fontainebleau - Apremont Mare aux Biches - Le Gong 7A+

The weather today was nothing like yesterday, but Olaf, Jan and I met up to climb in an isolated sector of Coquibus Grandes Vallées, quite some distance of the main area, assuring ourselves to spend the whole day alone again. Our first stop was at the boulder of "Culbuto", not far from the road. I had tried "Culbuto" one session in 2018, but even though I could quickly do the first part, couldn't do the quite hard mantle. Given the sketchy landing with a few boulders that one can fall on, I had never gone back for it until today.
Thanks to the extra crashpads and the confidence in some excellent spotters, it didn't make me long this time to finish it. An absolutely very nice boulder, and the mantle makes it quite hard for the grade.
Jand and Olaf were doing some good attempts, but a few little rain showers forced us all to take some breaks and even seek shelter under the boulder. Luckily it weren't big amounts of rain, so it dried quickly quite fast each time, after which the conditions of the slopers felt better each time. We were in the meantime joined by Anna (or Ana), a friend from Olaf and Jan and who I got to know a bit today.
After a longer rainshower, the boulder needed some more time to dry again and while waiting, we had a walk around and went to have a look at the boulders in the sector. By the time we got back at "Culbuto", it was dry and in the best conditions of the day, so I decided to climb it again, with much more control than before. Olaf and Jan were tired, but still put up a huge fight. Olaf almost made it, but had to let it go for today. 
Jan's last attempt was a huge fight, and I don't think I have ever seen him fighting so hard on a mantle ever before. Under loud encouragent of all of us and the sounds of a grunting Jan, he made his way to the top. It was a funny, but great moment.
Anna (or Ana) closed off the session doing "Divagation", the problem the rest of warmed up with, but she still put up an impressive fight.

Fontainebleau - Coquibus Grandes Vallées - Culbuto 7A

It was a great weekend, and the company of everyone present made ma completely forget the miserable work week that I had this week. We were all riding the same wave, all equal, no matter of who climbed what.

October 10, 2025 - Il Muzzoné.

I spent the weekend in Belgium with my sisters, and considering the log drive, I had decided to take the day off on Friday to be able to leave on time. I did have a little bit of time for climbing in the morning, and I was glad that Olaf and Jan agreed to join me to try the very exposed "Il Muzzoné" in Roche aux Sabots Sud, a line that attracted me a lot, but that I had never dared to try alone.
It's a slow drying boulder, but I had expected it to be dry after this longer period without rain. It was dry indeed, but the conditions were not the best that early in the day. Despite that, we tried anyway and discovered that the first part was much harder than we had imagined. I didn't have much time, so I didn't expect at all to be able to climb it given the little time I had.
Progress was faster than I had anticipated and when I had done all of the moves, I slightly started to believe in it. Not much, but there was at the point that I at least give it some real attempts. To my great delight, I was able to finish it a handful of attempts later. Just in time, even though feeling a bit bad about having to leave Olaf and Jan behind.

Fontainebleau - Roche aux Sabots Sud - Il Muzzoné 7B

October 05, 2025 - Causing confusion.

Very much against our habits on a weekend day, Olaf and I met on the parking of Cuvier. Of course it's an extremely bad idea to climb in Cuvier during the weekend for people who prefer to climb alone, but Cuvier Nord offers a great alternative for this occasion.
We found what we were looking for at the quite isolated boulder of "Asphyxie" and "Asphyxié", wondering why the openers had made given those names, as it tends to become quite confusing with all the different variations on this nice overhang. 
I had already done one of the easiest lines, "Asphyxie", way back in 2016, almost ten years ago already, but was attracted by some other lines recently, of which the main one being "Asphyxié (droite)".
While I was working out the moves of the last part of the boulder, Olaf made a quick ascent of "Asphyxié" on his second attempt. He almost did it on his first, but a stupid foot slip had prevented him from doing so.
Not long after, I had figured out the final part of "Asphyxié (droite)", and then sent the whole line on my second attempt from the start as well. It was already a good session.

Fontainebleau - Cuvier Nord - Asphyxié (droite) 7B

Surprisingly, Olaf had more trouble doing the easier "Asphyxie (direct)" than "Asphyxié", but that was mainly because of the slopers of the direct version being in quite bad conditions.
Myself, I had now set my mind on "Asphyxie" and was able to make quick work of it. Olaf came extremely close to sending that problem too, put up a very hard fight, but somehow kept smipping with his feet until his arms gave up and he had to let go.
It was a fun session, and we had a smile on our faces when we walked back to the parking, through the oh so crowded Cuvier area itself.

Fontainebleau - Cuvier Nord - Asphyxie 7A+

October 04, 2025 - Teamed FA.

The conditions were really bad last Saturday morning, but me and my youngest son, Noah, had met up with Olaf in Rocher des Potets. Not my favorite area, but at least I was sure that Noah would be able to climb as he pleased, and which he did.
Due to the bad conditions, I wasn't very motivated to climb myself, but did get away with "Impulsion Discrète", a nice new addition by Theo (Konstantakopoulos).
Sunday, I met up with Olaf, Jan (Gorrebeeck), and Tom in Rocher Saint Germain Est, but I had a hard time finding the right motivation for some reason. Nevertheless, I did repeat "Magic Three", eight years after the first time that I climbed it. Not a great climbing session, but a very nice day among friends.

Fontainebleau - Rocher des Potets - Impulsion Discrète 7A

A few weeks ago, when Lars, Simy and me met Theo in 91.1, we cleaned and tried a new isolated boulder hidden just outside the main area and found by Theo some time ago, but none of us were able to finish the problem that we had envisioned.
Theo being back in the forest this week, I met up with him, Alex, a friend of Theo, and Olaf, with the intention to go try and open the boulder we cleaned before.
It had rained a lot last night and this morning, but the sky cleared up in the afternoon, the sun came out and there was a lot of wind. Perfect ingredients for quick drying and good conditions. Pleasantly surprised, we found the boulder in pretty good conditions and with the wind coming from the West and blowing directly on it, it only got better, and quick.
The conditions got so good, that I only needed two attempts to finish the boulder, followed by Theo a while later. The teamed first ascent that we were looking for had worked out. A nice shared moment!
This is a pretty nice boulder with even nicer moves. It can be found at about 50m North-North-West from yellow 19 of the 91.1 area. 
Coordinates of the boulder are: 48°22'42"N 2°31'7"E.

Fontainebleau - 91.1 - Proue en Pression 7B