I just
returned from a three-day trip to Fontainebleau over Pentecost. Last weekend I
was there as well and I spend quite some time in Rocher de Oiseaux. I had
spotted a very nice 7C there which I wanted to try. Last week it was too warm
but this weekend the weather was better. Lower temperatures so I decided to
give the 7C, La Manderine a try. After watching my father struggle for 3 hours
in Uruguay which he finally managed to top I tried to warm up in le Manderin
droite (7B). That was quite a challenge but after tweaking my moves and finding
the right beta it all worked out.
La
Manderine is beautiful. I spend the rest of the day trying to work out all the
moves. The far move with the right hand to the dent in the sloper proved to be
the hardest and I was not able to make it.
The next
day we went to Isatis where I finally did Vin Rouge a 7A+ dyno that I had tried
on several trips before. This time I has able to send it in the third try.
After that I managed to do Divine Decadence a 7B, basically the sit/crouch
start of Surplomb Statique. I gave Surprise a couple of tries but decided this
boulder was a bit too much for me right now. I was very sicked about La
Manderine so we went back to Rocher de Oiseaux. I tried till my fingers bled.
Every time the moves went a bit smoother but the long move remained a problem.
I will be back for La Manderine when the friction is a bit better and I am sure
I will be able to do this one.
On the last
day we went for a quick visit to Zen in Roche aux Sabots. I thought it would be
quite easy to top this 7A but to my surprise I had to give it quite a couple of
tries before being able to send it.
Having been
to Fontainebleau now two times in a row makes me remember again why I love to
come here. A lot of boulders are really beautiful and require not only strength
but foremost a lot of finesse and technique. It is truly the best bouldering
place on earth. I only wish the conditions were better more often.
Below is a
movie of my trip to Fontainebleau with at the end a good try in Kendo of the
week before.