With a final grunt of exertion the teenager hauls himself over the sandstone crest and stands proudly, having chosen a four-metres rock rather than the Alps to test his mettle this summer.
Niclas Popp, 14, is one of thousands of freestyle climbers, or ’boulderers’, who make an annual pilgrimage to the mecca of their sport in Fontainebleau, 70 kilometres south of Paris. They climb without a rope, and usually at a height of just a few metres. If they do fall, injuries are minor. This isn’t about peering down vast alpine cliffs, but about skill,
technique and a keen eye for a good handhold. For the world’s boulderers the estimated 20,000 stumpy sandstone knolls and outcrops in the forest around Fontainebleau are unbeatable in their scope. Hordes of climbers come here each year (among the region’s estimated 10 million tourists annually), and for one main reason. ”The sheer choice of rocks here is staggering,” says Susanne Menhorn, the instructor with Niclas’ group, who for the third time has brought children and adolescents here from Germany. Spread over 22,000 hectares, the two-to-twelve metres high outcrops are either clustered or stand alone among the pines and birches.
Ten differently coloured markings indicate the skill gradient needed for each one. White denotes a gentle climb suitable for children, blue means a tough haul, and only highly experienced boulderers should attempt the black rocks. But, with plenty of room for everybody, the novices mingle happily with the pros. ”Fontainebleau is a giant playground,” says Angelika Lorenz, a seasoned 40-year-old Bavarian boulderer, who this year has brought her 12-year-old son with her. While she quickly spiders her way up blue-marked rocks, he is just finding his way in the sport and must learn gradually. ”But you can always work on your technique here,” adds Lorenz. “There are still hundreds of climbs to choose from, even for beginners.” At the other end of the scale, extremes of skill are required to ascend almost featureless rocks that carry the ominous black marking. Dauntingly smooth and with few or no foot or handholds, the top grades have prompted some unusual techniques. Hardcore boulderers wear very small climbing shoes. They say that the tightness helps them feel the rock better. And the hardest ascents can only be made when the temperature is below zero, otherwise your hands get too sweaty.
It was this unrivalled training potential that first drew members of the nascent French Alpine Club to Fontainebleau in 1874. Only here could they find the diversity needed to prepare for the mountains in earnest. Today, bouldering is an established sport in itself, with its own clubs and legions of devotees. Bouldering halls are opening up fast in towns around the globe and fostering new generations of climbers. ”The great thing about bouldering is that you can make real progress from day one,” says Popp. A greenhorn himself, he takes the precaution of placing a crash mat under the four-metres climb that he is attempting. His climbing partner Ladina stands below, offering a few pointers to the ledges and handholds ahead, and ready to catch him if he falls. ”You don’t actually need anything except climbing shoes,” Popp adds, after cresting the rock face with some visible exertion. He has no time to dawdle though - there are just 10 minutes left to win the competition announced by his teacher Menhorn: whoever climbs the most and the hardest rocks for the day will be exempt from evening cleaning duties.
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