It was the closest boulder from where I work and it looked beautiful.
I drove there after work some day last Spring, and I was simply amazed! In the middle of fields stands out a huge boulder called "La Roche du Saut". No other boulders to seen anywhere, just fields and the village of Villecerf. All alone.
There are many climbing hooks fixed in the boulder and a sign saying that the boulder has been authorised and maintained by the FFME, Fédération Française de la Montagne et de l'Escalade.
It only has two published boulder problems on it.
A 7A+ called "L'Amériche", on the right arete, of which I don't understand how it goes.
And a 7B called "Alone" with now only 4 registered repeaters.
La Roche du Saut will never get the attention it really deserves. It is too far away from the main forest for only one boulder, but it's definitely worth the detour.
When I tried "Alone" on my first visit, I couldn't figure out the mouvement to get the undercling on the left.
I knew what to do, but I just couldn't execute the move and keep my balance, so I ended up leaving empty handed but added it to my must-try-again list.
When Maarten was here in the first week of January, we passed by Villecerf on our way back from the Decathlon in Varennes.
The top was wet, but the wall was dry enough to work on the move to the undercling and stick it.
To my surprise it didn't take many tries to suddenly find the key and make the move nearly every time.
I was also able to make the dynamic to the top many times, but it was wet and I kept on sliding off.
If the top would have been dry, I knew that I would have done it that day.
Today I went right after work.
It has been a clear and sunny sky every day since Monday and the air was dry.
It was only -1°C though, and the icy wind made it feel even colder.
From my first try I could do the move to the undercling left hand, kept my balance and positioned my left foot, slighly turned my right foot, prepared to push up for the move to the top and slid off with my right foot.
I knew it was going to happen today, if only I could withstand the cold. My fingers and toes were freezing after each attempt and I had to change many times from climbing shoes to sneakers and walk and jump around to keep the blood pumping around.
My right foot slid off many times because I couldn't feel my toes anymore, so it was hard to tell if I was applying pressure correctly.
It felt like an hour, but barely 20 minutes later I stood on the top. Relieved that I could get out of the wind and warm up in the car on my way home.
Fontainebleau - Villecerf - Alone 7B
Besides the cold, the conditions are perfect and I have two days off now.
Let's see what it will bring as long as I can fight the freezing cold.
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