Essential Fontainebleau > Trois Pignons > Cul de Chien
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CUL DE CHIEN BLOC NOTES >>> The famous Cul de Chien area is popular as the large sandy sea in the middle of the forest has some excellent open boulders with good circuit problems. The hard-core climber should head straight for the ‘Autre Toit’ (the ‘other roof’) which has a selection of testpieces into the eighth grade. From the parking, it is a 20 minute walk to the pleasant open sands of Cul de Chien, where the famous Tête de Chien/Le Bilboquet (shaped like a dog’s head) stands in the middle of a large sandy bay. Just to the east of this is a large boulder behind which is the classic roof problem Toit du Cul de Chien. This is a good reference point. Most of the circuit problems lie on lower boulders to the north and east of the sands. ACCESS >>> 1. From the Croix St. Jérome car-park: walk along the Chemin de la Vallée Close for a few hundred meters then veer right onto the Chemin de la Plaine de Jean des Vignes. Pass an open area junction with boulders on the right and continue to a crossroads with the Chemin de Mont Pivot. From here, turn east (left) into the forest along a path which leads to the sands, turn right and head vaguely uphill to a sandy pass, where you will see the Tête de Chien (aka Le Bilboquet boulder). The main area is to the east (left). 2. From the Roche aux Sabots car park: follow the main Jean des Vignes path for 400m to a crossroads. Turn right onto the sandy Chemin de Roche aux Sabots. Continue uphill to a junction at the top, turn left onto the sea of sands. Continue across this to Le Bilboquet and turn right to the main boulders. CIRCUITS >>> The repainted u yellow circuit (PD no. 2) has 58 problems, starting just off the sandy plain on the NE flanks, leading north in a long loop. The u blue circuit (D no. 1) is a superb circuit of 53 problems starting at the far north of the area, ends at Le Toit area. The u red circuit (TD+ no. 3) has 30 problems (and 3 variants) starting just east of the Bilboquet. Highlights: 1, 3, 6, 7, 10, 14, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22, 27, 30. TEST PIECES >>> r A. Doléance r B. Verglas Frequent r C. Hammer’s Break r D. Belle Lurette r E. Le Toit du Cul de Chien r F. Arabesque r G. Éclipse r Arabesque
r Yellow circuit
6a 6b 6c 7a 7a 7b+ 7c
Red 25 bis. A tricky Cul de Chien slab left of red 25. Red 27. Desperate little slab problem, crimpy, sticky toes. Red 22 bis. Undercut problem finishing direct, no stacking mats. Slab left of red 23. The famous roof through the drilled pockets to a highball groove. Undercut the roof (kneebar) to the pocket to slopey finish left. Undercut roof niche left round to the hanging crack. Subtle power. r Le Toit du Cul de Chien