| Mont Ussy orange circuit Route |
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| Mont Ussy orange circuit   | 
| Page Type: Route Location: France, Europe Lat/Lon: 48.42166°N / 2.69638°E Route Type: Bouldering Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter Time Required: Half a day Difficulty: 3 (max 4)
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| Page By: megla Created/Edited: Aug 1, 2009 / Oct 6, 2009 Object ID: 535717 Hits: 319 Loading... Page Score: 87.97% - 9 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
The Mont Ussy rocks, as well as the nearby Roche Hercule are the closest bouldering site to the city of Fontainebleau, and are therefore a playground not only for climbers but also for local kids.
Along with some very tough single problems, three circuits start at the same point, righthand of the dirt forest road (signposted Route du Mont Ussy), less than half a kilometer W from the Carrefour du Mont Ussy.
The main large rock formation is well visible from the trail.
The three circuits are a yellow one (PD-), a red one (TD) and the one presented here: the orange AD+ circuit (a circuit is a succession of boulder problems in the same range of difficulty).
AD stands for Assez Difficile (quite difficult). The average grade is 3, with a max of 4 (UIAA IV to V+).
NB: Fontainebleau sandstone formations are very compact.
The sand is so fine that it is used by the Murano (Venice, Italy) glass blowers to create their traditional filigrane glass objects.
Getting ThereThe main Mont Ussy bouldering site is situated righthand off the Route du Mont Ussy dirt forest road, less than half a kilometer W from the Carrefour du Mont Ussy.
The large rock formation is well visible from the trail.
By car:
Fontainebleau is less than 40 miles out of Paris.
By clicking the coordinates in the primary info (above) and then enlarging or diminishing, one easily finds the roads leading to theCarrefour du Mont Ussy.
The prolongation of the Route Louise road leads directly to this crossroad -large parking lot-
By train:
Local trains (Ter) stop at the Fontainebleau-Avon station, leaving Paris (Gare de Lyon station) every hour starting at 6 AM (40 min. ride) - similar schedules for the return trip; bicycles are admissible in the train (additional costs) -
The forest is right next to the train station (+ restaurants and cafes).
The "Route de la Bonne Dame" road is at the edge of the forest. We follow it westward, eventually crossing the large RN 6 (D 606) road, and continue along the forest trail (slightly righthand after the intersection) - It takes more or less 30 min from the station to the Carrefour du Mont Ussy parking lot -
Map:
1:25000 IGN (Institut Geographique National) map Nr.2417 OT (Foret de Fontainebleau)Route DescriptionOur circuit first exploits the main rock complex from all sides (and insides!). Some research is necessary to hunt out the first sequence of 12 numbered problems.
After Nr 13, we follow northwards until Nr 21.
We now need to walk westwards from Nr 20 to the summit of the next chaos.
From here on, the main direction is S (back down), twisting in and out numerous blocks, often meeting the two other circuits (the yellow one and the red one).
Little by little we rejoin the Route du Mont Ussy.
The last number we discover is Nr 31. Along the whole circuit (32 problems) some ways are not numbered, but are only marked with an arrow (or a dotted arrow).
Red TapeThe use of chalk is not well accepted (by the rock and by locals, except in very specific situations); resin (pof) is used here.
Wild camping is not allowed in the Fontainebleau forest.
Fires are not allowed.
Cars are allowed along the asfalted roads (dirt roads are blocked with posts and signs).
The asfalted road (Route forestiere de la Butte aux Aires) between the Carrefour du Mont Ussy and the road D 606 (N6) is blocked by a barrier.
The Mont Ussy is a wildlife and flora conservation area (this part of the forest is not maintained; it is left to its genuine way of growing).
Bicycles are permitted along the dirt roads.Camping, Motel & other infoCamping and Motel
"Bleau, Fontainebleau Bouldering" by Stepen Gough (On the edge Guidebook, Greenshires Publishing Ltd, July '97) is a reference book (in English) for Fontainebleau bouldering .
Other litterature also on the SP Fontainebleau Area page.
Very close by sectors: the Mont Calvaire chaos and the Roche Hercule. The Roche Hercule and the Petite Hercule large blocks are situated right above the Carrefour du Mont Ussy parking lot.
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