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

September 18, 2025 - Racing the dark.

It was a last moment decision when I decided to go for a quick climb after diner, so it was already late when I arrived in 91.1 to try another one of the recent openings of Theo (Konstantakopoulos). 
I had briefly tried the standing start of "Philion", named after Theo's son, a week or two ago, but quickly threw in the towel due to very bad skin. The standing start starts with a fairly good crimp left hand, and a very, very bad tiny crimp for the right. Hence my decision to quit last time when I had bad and sweaty skin.
After my first attempt today, I thought it would be a quick deal and I would be able to work the sitstart soon, but it couldn't be farther from reality. After that first try, my right hand just kept on slipping off that tiny crimp at crucial moments and the times that I was able to jump, I was always too far off the better hold. It became a race against the upcoming darkness.
My skin started to sweat as if it already was in recovery mode, but I persisted until I finally had an attempt where it stuck.
I still tried the sitstart a few times, was able to get up into the standing start, but couldn't find enough on the crimp anymore to do the jump. In the meantime, darkness had caught up on me, and I was forced to quit. I will come back for this one quite soon though. The moves of the sitstart are beautiful.

Fontainebleau - 91.1 - Philion 7A

September 15, 2025 - Last light, quick fight.

A couple of days ago, Theo (Konstantakopoulos) sent me a message suggesting me to go try one of his new ascents in Canche aux Merciers, "Big Fish (assis)". As it was raining as good as all day yesterday, I only was able to go check it today this evening after work and dinner.
We finished eating later than I expected, and it was already just past 20h when I arrived at the boulder. Even though it's not that noticeable on the videos, it was the very last light of the day and darkness was going to fall soon. I had to hurry.
The starting pinches didn't suit me very well at first, but after a few minutes, featuring a few tries, I got the hang of it and topped it out. Pretty nice one indeed.

Fontainebleau - Canche aux Merciers - Big Fish (assis) 7A+

I still had a little time before it would be really dark, and I spent it on the other side of the boulder, trying "Pac-Man", also from Theo.
A huge very violent move to the right, followed by a harder than it looks topout. Quite sketchy as well. 
Somehow, barely ten minutes later, I managed to stick the dyno, did the far move to the slopey arete and to my surprise, I didn't fall off. Improvising, I had to use a power scream to not fall off at the very end. It seemed to have helped, because I topped it out then.

Fontainebleau - Canche aux Merciers - Pac-Man 7B+(7B)

September 13, 2025 - Problem solving.

Yesterday, Saturday, it was my birthday and even though I wanted to climb in the morning, I had to keep the session short so I could do something with my family later that day. It would have been great to be able to do "Tempête Solaire" in Apremont Butte aux Dames, but the conditions weren't ideal and I didn't want to spend the whole session again trying the separate moves. Instead, I chose to go to the nearby boulder of "Bavaria", with the intention to try the harder problems on it, starting with "8-6 Bavaria (bas)".
The transition low to the left using the beta I saw online seemed impossible at first, but thinking out of the box made me come up with another method, using a toehook for the right and a hidden kneebar for the left leg. It worked, but the crux near the end was giving me some trouble. Luckily it didn't take too long before I was also able to solve the problem there and a few attempts from the start later, I was able to make my way through to the end. I really liked the solution that I found on this one.

Fontainebleau - Apremont Butte aux Dames - 8-6 Bavaria (bas) 7B+(7B)

To finish the session, I made a quick ascent, from my first attempt, doing the slightly easier "8-6 Bavaria", which does use the better holds higher up. Nice one on itself.

Fontainebleau - Apremont Butte aux Dames - 8-6 Bavaria 7A+