February 23, 2025 - Once you see it.

My main goal for today, was "L'Aéro Pris à Pic (assis)" on an isolated boulder at the far end of Rocher Cailleau. I had tried this problem a few times, but it was long ago, and I thought to give it another try after that much time. The other times I tried it back then, I still remember that I could just barely do the first move and the second felt nearly impossible, despite the compression style being something that I like quite a lot.
The sun had just broken through a light fog and had started warming the air to a very comfortable temperature by the time I arrived at the boulder. Just the way I like it.
Before starting with trying the moves, I inspected the problem from close by and from a distance, imagining how it would do the moves. Just like the other times, I had to smile when realizing the shape of the boulder. It didn't steal the name that has been given to it, "Le Phalloïde". Once you see it, you can't 'un-see' that it looks like a giant penis, ready to go.
I was ready to go as well and immediately noticed that I felt much more comfortable than a few years ago, trying the first move. The second move took a bit more time, but fairly quickly I got the hang of it. I practiced the upper part as well, to avoid any surprises. I turned on the camera, and immediately executed the moves almost perfectly and climbed on to the high top. A great climb!

Fontainebleau - Rocher Cailleau - L'Aéro Pris à Pic (assis) 7B

Having done it much quicker than I expected, I still stopped at the "Vandale" boulder, and as there was nobody there to my surprise, I stopped and decided to try the what for me feels like the crux move of "Le Bon Sens". About a year and a half ago, I had injured the inside of my elbow trying it, and I hadn't come back for it since, as I was afraid to get injured again, or even more. It was the move that I hadn't been able to do yet when working out the separate moves.
I slowly built it up and after some time, I had done the move, the only one that I hadn't been able to do yet. My skin was too bad by then to give it a go from the start, but it was okay. I hadn't planned on the trying the problem in the first place, and I was happy that I done the crux move. This problem has made it back on my list. Not very high, but it's back on it.

February 22, 2025 - Migrated.

After a rainy morning, the sun finally did come out and there was a good breeze, so I hoped to be able to climb something. Recently, a new problem was opened on the boulder of "Migration Lente" in Roche aux Oiseaux, and knowing that it is on the top of the hill, helped me make my decision to go and try it out. 
"Bib le Migrant" only consists of three moves, including getting last foot off the ground, so I expected it to be really hard. It starts off with a bad slopey crimp from which you have to make quite a big deadpoint move to a good two to three finger crimp and then make another big move to the good top hold. I seemed to have very good skin today, because I immediately was able to hold my position when taking my second foot off the ground. The deadpoint move to the high crimp felt hard at first, but not t all impossible. Surprisingly, I got closer and closer at a fast rate and when I felt ready to turn on the camera, was able to send almost straight away. Nice, but felt quite soft for the proposed grade of 7C.

Fontainebleau - Roche aux Oiseaux - Bib le Migrant 7C

February 15, 2025 - Two on one.

Two weeks ago in Marion des Roches, I checked out "Crépuscule (du sol)", but with the lower back injury then, it didn't even come up in me to try it. The problem looked very nice though, and it lingered in my head since then. I didn't go back last week, because I joined Victor (Burger) on both days of the weekend, climbing in bad conditions and only repeating a few easier problems in Mont Blanc. I did promise myself to go back Marion des Roches today to work in "Crépuscule (du sol)".
With only -4°C in the early morning, it was freezing cold, but it was dry and it looked like the conditions might be very good. Despite the cold, I left early anyway, as usual. By the time I got there, it was still only 0°C, but the sun made it very bearable. 
I hadn't planned for it at all, but I decided to warm up trying the big dyno of "Big Mak" on the same boulder. I had tried it a few times about ten years ago, and figured it would be good to wake my body up. Already on my first attempt, I felt that I was close and decided to put on the camera, just in case. A few attempts later, I stuck the dyno and the swing, and topped out.

Fontainebleau - Marion des Roches - Big Mak 7B

I then took my time to work out the moves of "Crépuscule (du sol)" separately one by one. It didn't take long to realize that the hardest part was at the start. Getting off the ground and doing the first big and rather awkward move from the undercling to a sloper right hand. As soon as I had figured out the move, I turned on the camera and sent it immediately after. Very, very nice problem.

Fontainebleau - Marion des Roches - Crépuscule (du sol) 7B+

The energy that I still had left in me, I spent trying "L'Oeuf de Pâques (assis)", which felt really hard or just too morpho. It had sucked me dry, but I was pleased with the session when I walked back to the car, quite exhausted.

February 01, 2025 - Target located.

Earlier this week, something shot in my back and I have been suffering of severe back pain since then. My lower back has always been a big problem, but throughout the week, I even had difficulties just standing straight or walking.
Even though the weather was forecasted to be beautiful, I didn't make myself any illusions for trying anything too hard. Instead, I left home yesterday morning with my main goal just finding a boulder. I had been searching for "L'Introuvable" in Cuvier Ouest a couple of times almost ten years ago, scouting through the dens vegetation at the far end of the area. Each time, I hadn't been able to find, doing much justice to the boulder's name. This time, I wasn't going to give up.
Again, I found myself walking through dense vegetation, sometimes in circles, but suddenly, after an epiphany moment looking elsewhere than was indicated by the description on bleau.info, I found myself in front of the boulder. It was wet, as I had expected, but at least now I know where it is, so I will go back for it soon after a longer dry period.
On my way back, I stopped at "Halte aux Feux" and decided to give it a few tries. It didn't require a lot of body tension, so it went fine with my bad back and made it to the top after a few attempts.

Fontainebleau - Cuvier Ouest - Halte aux Feux 7A+

This morning, I could my feel that my back felt less painful, but I still didn't want to risk trying anything hard, especially when it requires a lot of body tension, or far reachy moves. It was still -4°C when I left for Marion des Roches, where I wanted to try "Bi-Steak" and "Franck" at the far end of area. I had tried "Bi-Steak" ten years ago, but couldn't do much in it for some reason and hadn't gone back for it since.
This time, I was able to work out the moves separately quickly, besides the second one, involving a bad right heelhook, but I decided to give it some attempts from the start anyway, and somehow managed to hang on and work my way to the end.

Fontainebleau - Marion des Roches - Bi-Steak 7A

The moves of "Franck" were worked out even quicker and on my second attempt from the start, I managed to top it also. I didn't find this much harder than "Bi-Steak".

Fontainebleau - Marion des Roches - Franck 7B

With my two main goals done already, I briefly tried "Big Mak", but the backwards dyno was hurting my back too much, so I stopped with it quickly.
"Natacha", however, I was able to flash.

Fontainebleau - Marion des Roches - Natacha 7A