August 04, 2018 - The end of the world.

It hasn't really rained for over a month now and we're going from one heat wave to the other. The constant drought is slowly changing the landscape, making it almost look like a post-apocalyptic scenery in some places.
With temperatures rising well above 35°C until the evening and the nights not being colder than 21°C, it's only possible to climb early in the morning. And even then it's already too hot to climb on your limit.
In a way, it is an ideal occasion to go back to boulders that are facing North and dry very slowly and try problems that are nearly never really dry.
There are quite some areas that offer a lot of shade and dry slowly, but as I didn't want drive, nor walk too far, I simply went to Roche aux Sabots Sud.

All the way up on the small hill, I wanted to start with "La Fin du Monde (assis)", my main climbing goal for today.
A mossy boulder with an overhang directly facing North and perfectly in the shade from the still rising but already hot sun.
Two far, but relatively easy moves, followed by a little but hard dyno, and topping out with a very hard mantle.
When you look at it, it looks something you could flash, but that's until your feet are standing deep in the overhang, knowing you have to dyno to a sloper.

Had a pretty hard time to stick the dyno, but once I had it, I fought my way through until I was completely standing straight. This one isn't over until the very end.
Very nice problem!

Fontainebleau - Roche aux Sabots Sud - La Fin du Monde (assis) 7A+(7B)

Walking down the hill, I passed the boulder of "Zen", and the little time I still had left before it became really too hot, I decided to spend in "Bien Zen".
Maybe it was the heat, but this one felt hard, especially coming out of the roof required some working out.
Nevertheless, quite a stunning problem with that low start under the roof.
Felt harder than 7A+, but then again, it was hot and I was already sweating a lot. I brushed the holds thoroughly after sending it though!

Fontainebleau - Roche aux Sabots Sud - Bien Zen 7A(7A+)

It was completely silent where I was and no sound was coming from the main Roche aux Sabots area, which was strange for such a popular area in Summer.

There was not a single being around, but suddenly, in the distance, I could make out a climbing figure climbing on top of a boulder.

The sound of kids playing when I neared, assured me. It wasn't the end of the world after all.