October 13, 2024 - Subside.

I spent a weekend with my sisters at a gite in the Belgian Ardennes, but after a four hour drive back home today, I was eager to head for a short climb, despite feeling stiff and tired from the drive. 
I had tried "Subside" in Vallée Ronde two short sessions already, but each time it was in the morning in Summer, and the sun was full on the boulder, making it quickly too hot to stay there. Now in Fall later in the afternoon, it was perfectly in the shade. I arrived at the boulder and didn't expect anything more than just having a good time there in solitude and hopefully manage to at least do the crux this time.
When I somehow managed to do the crux move, I became somewhat hopeful and did some attempts from the start. To my big surprise, I only needed a handful.

Fontainebleau - Vallée Ronde - Subside 7B

October 05, 2024 - Execution.

It was nice to receive a message from Jan (Gorrebeeck) this morning, asking what I had planned. He agreed to come with me to Les Mammouths, where I wanted to especially try the new "La Pervenche Citronelle", suggested to me by the opener. A nice looking boulder with toehooks, so I definitely was game for it.
With the toehooks being completely my style, I was able to do it on my third attempt. I would have almost said that it could rather be 7A+, but as Jan needed to work out another method and needed almost two hours to get it done, I'm thinking that (soft) 7B could be right.

Fontainebleau - Les Mammouths - La Pervenche Citronnelle 7B

As Jan had almost even given up on "La Pervenche Citronnelle", his morale had gotten a boost after finishing it after all, after some encouragement, so he was in for another 7B, "Dragon Skin", where we joined Jerome (Hergle).
Both Jan and I only needed a handful of attempts to get it done. 

Fontainebleau - Les Mammouths - Dragon Skin 7B

We said goodbye to Jerome and moved over to one of the new problems of Laurent (Darlot), "Solinidée". We both executed it quickly but agreed it was a very nice one.

Fontainebleau - Les Mammouths - Solinidée 7A+