The sun was out when I woke up this morning, and I decided to go to Beauregard in Nemours. I had visited this small area with Victor (Burger) at the end of the Winter this year, but we weren't able to climb there due to wet or too humid boulders. As we had a longer dry period, I estimated that the boulder with "Seuls les Vrais le Savent" had to be dry this time. After a long walk uphill, I finally arrived at the nice roof boulder and it was indeed dry. I warmed up trying the topout of "Seuls les Vrais le Savent" and as soon as I had done that, I was surprisingly able to cruise through the roof on my first attempt from the start and topped it out. This is a really nice isolated roof and still have a few more lines to offer. I briefly tried the much harder "C'est Toujours pour Ceux qui Savent", but the crux shoulder move required full tension on the left heelhook and I didn't dare to commit, afraid I would injure my left hamstring that still felt sore after "Day of Tentacle". As this is a perfect boulder for hot Summer days, I will gladly go back for it.
Fontainebleau - Beauregard - Seuls les Vrais le Savent 7B
After having been so close to doing "Day of Tentacle" last week in Apremont Sanglier, it was my main goal for today's climbing session. It was substantially colder than last week, so I hoped for good friction on the extremely bad slopers at the end. Last week, on Saturday, I had figured out al the moves and could do the boulder in two overlapping parts, but couldn't do the topout when coming from the start. That was my first session on it. The day after, on Sunday, I went back, with Olaf this time, for my second session. I was able to cruise through the first part every time, but again kept falling off at the end. I did get a new highpoint though, and even couldn't have been closer to topping out, but still fell off. My left hamstring had started hurting though because of the constant pressure with the heelhook trying to top out. It got bad enough for me to throw in the towel and give my hamstring a break. This morning, my third session on it, I could still feel my hamstring and for a moment I feared that I would have to stop again in order not to get injured, but I stayed and tried to come up with some minor tweaks to relieve some of the pressure on my hamstring for the topout. A little detail made that work and keeping that in mind, I was finally able to finish it. A very cool problem that felt very hard for the grade. My hamstring can confirm.
Fontainebleau - Apremont Sanglier - Day of Tentacle 7B
Even though the sun was shining all day long, there was also a chilly, sometimes quite strong, breeze. I was working, but considering that the conditions must be very good today, I decided to go for a short evening climbing session after diner. The boulder of choice, was "Didgeridoo (direct assis)". Not far from home, short walk, so ideal for a quick session. There are two videos on bleau.info, each showing a different method, one for taller and another for shorter climbers. I started trying the method for shorter climbers, but didn't quite feel the flow. Then for the taller method, it felt like my legs were too short or something. Having longs arms, but short legs, I ended up figuring out my own method, sort of in between the two other methods. Once I had decided on what to do, it went quite quick and felt rather soft for the grade. Great problem, nevertheless.
Fontainebleau - Bois Rond Auberge - Didgeridoo (direct assis) 7C
Two weeks ago, I spent a whole session trying the upper part of "Manyata", starting from a pile of stacked crashpads, but I couldn't figure it out and was unable to do it. I had given it a break since then, but this evening after work, I decided to go back and try the upper part again. After some time, I was finally able to figure it out and was able to do the upper part. I suddenly felt psyched and realized that it could go. A few attempts later, from the start, I almost flowed through the moves, executed the upper part nearly perfectly and topped out. This is the first known ascent since a key hold broke, back in 2016. I really enjoyed the process and am almost sad that it's over. It was a perfect evening after work project. The direct version is harder and more delicate than the right exit, so I'm giving it 7C.
On Friday, I worked a lot in "Day of Tentacle", in Apremont Sangliers. I was able to figure out a method for the first part, could do all the moves separately, even though the topout just barely, but had a handful of attempts where I fell off the last hard move, which is my crux. Below, a video with some of my best attempts on Friday, that I posted on Instagram.
Yesterday, I went back to "Day of Tentacle", this time joined by the good company of Olaf (Deppe), and I had again a few very good attempts, one of which where I couldn't have been closer to topping out, but still fell off due to a bad desperate move at the very end. Unfortunately, my left hamstring gave me a severe warning to stop trying, it had had enough for that day. I didn't mind it very much though and will be glad to come back to this quiet spot as soon as my hamstring allows me to. Hopefully again in the good company of Olaf.
This morning I met Olaf at Rocher de Télégraphe. We both felt quite tired and both were suffering from a minor injury in our left leg. Me, my hamstring, and Olaf at the back of his knee. I didn't expect much of the session, and mainly wanted to see what "Casser du Sucre" was about. Opened many years ago, but not having a single registered repetition, it was all mossed over again, so I warmed up with brushing the whole problem again, watching a new line being born, "Casser du Sucre (gauche)". A very logical line, starting with a sitstart from the ground, on the left, with two fairly good crimps. From there, take a tiny sharp crimp left hand, make a big move to the right, to another small crimp and top out in "Casser du Sucre". This was before I realized that "Casser du Sucre" starts more to the right under the overhang, crouched and with one knee on the ground.
Fontainebleau - Rocher du Télégraphe - Casser du Sucre (gauche) 7B+(7B)
Olaf was trying "Nouveaux Horizons", a traverse on slopers on the other side of the boulder. I joined him and quite easily flashed it.
Fontainebleau - Rocher du Télégraphe - Nouveaux Horizons 7A(6C+)
While Olaf was trying "Nouveaux Horizons", I had a better look at the description of "Casser du Sucre", and it was then that I realized how it actually starts. It looked quite hard, but I was able to do first and hardest move immediately. I turned on the camera and sent it right after. This honestly felt less hard than what I done earlier and is not more than 7B in my opinion. Nevertheless, both the direct and left versions are pretty nice and I had a fun time with Olaf.
Fontainebleau - Rocher du Télégraphe - Casser du Sucre 7B+(7B)
I watched Olaf unfortunately fall off "Nouveaux Horizons" a few times, even though he normally cruises through the move where he always fell, when doing it separately. I had to leave , but I'm sure he was still going to do it. It turned out to be a good session after all.
Climbing together with Olaf (Deppe) is always fun and cozy, so I'm glad that he's back in the forest for a few months. We met up this morning on the parking of Rocher Guichot and it promised to be quite busy on this French public holiday. At 10h15, I grabbed the last parking spot on the real parking, Olaf already had to park further out and more cars kept arriving, looking for a spot. I wasn't worried about climbing in a crowd though, because we had planned to go all the way out to the far end of Grand Montagne, to try "Eau de Vie". "Eau de Vie" was opened by Laurent Darlot in 2022, and the first time I went to try it, was in the same year. Leaving the boulder unfinished back then, I knew and had felt that it was harder than the 7A+(7B), proposed by Laurent. A year later, in 2023, I went back, had a new high point, but still wasn't able to finish the problem. "Eau de Vie" is somewhat hidden between mossy boulders and a somewhat denser vegetation, so a perfect problem to try when you want to avoid people and perfect for trying in Summer. Today was such an occasion to go and try it again, and even more perfect with Olaf. Even though it was my third session on it today, my previous one was two years ago, and I had forgotten most of the moves that I had managed to figure out last time. Anyway, with Olaf being there too, I didn't mind starting over. Having his vision and thinking out of the box that I was in, is always beneficial, even if it turns out not to work sometimes. It just gives you a fresh look at the problem. After having warmed up with doing the last, but still sketchy, part of the problem, we started working the first part. It took a while, but after many failed alternatives, we found a method that worked. A few attempts later, I managed to work myself through and finish "Eau de Vie", albeit just barely, by the tips of my fingers. I don't know what Laurent had eaten the day that he opened it, but I want it too. Even after finally having done the problem, I still think that this felt like hard 7B the least. Even though he still didn't do one specific move, Olaf is getting really close, but he will have to go back for it. I'm glad I was able to show him a problem that he can go back to when wanting to avoid people.
I had some very close friends from Belgium that were staying over for a few days, so yesterday was only some easy circuit climbing until it was too hot. After my friends had left for Belgium again, I went for a quick climb in Franchard Hautes Plaines, with the intention of dedicating some time in "Le Surplomb de la Coquine". I had tried it a few times, but only very briefly, since I never figured out what to do or how to move. Decided to stick with it this time, I forced myself to find a way. The starting position is very boxed in, so I needed quite some time to figure out how to get out of that box and then again even more time to think out of the box for a move that seemed too morpho at first. After an hour of figuring out what to do, I ended up finding a way and then was able to execute it all immediately after turning on the camera. Definitely not one of the nicest problems, but I was glad to have found a way for something that I had never understood before.
Fontainebleau - Franchard Hautes Plaines - Le Surplomb de la Coquine 7C(7B+)
A few days ago, I got struck with some kind of belly flue, with painful cramps, and which made me feel very weak. Trying to fart was like playing Russian roulette. This morning, I was still feeling extremely weak and painful cramps were still bothering me once in a while. If I wouldn't have agreed to meet Victor (Burger) at the boulder of "Plains Toit" in Franchard Meyer this morning, I probably wouldn't have left for climbing at all. That's how I bad I still felt. Nevertheless, I met up with Victor at the boulder, and by the time I arrived, he had already worked out the moves, but was waiting for me, some extra crashpads, and a spotter to give it real send attempts. His first few attempts, he fell off the last hard move, but after I gave him some advice for doing that move, he adapted and was able to finish it off. In between his attempts, I tried some of the moves, but it felt exhausting and I didn't even think I would be able to do the second part separately. Victor encouraged me to try from the start though and without any expectations, besides falling off too exhausted halfway, I gave it a go. To my big surprise, I climbed all the way until the last hard move, the one where Victor had fallen off a few times. I didn't make myself any illusions though, but I did turn on the camera for another quick attempt so I would have my method on camera for whenever I would come to try it again, in better body conditions. I was again able to get the last move, but fell off there again. Victor had to leave, but I being so close, I got more motivated and somehow I was hardly feeling ill anymore. It had given me a boost, and I decided to stay, to have another attempt after a longer break. Victor had left for barely five minutes and after placing the crashpads under the point where I had the most chance of falling, I gave it another attempt, feeling quite confident this time. I don't what it was, but I cruised through the problem, made it through the last hard move and topped out. It was time for me to stop complaining about how I had felt. Trying to fart is still a Russian roulette though.
