UKC

We are two families who have been going to Font each fall the last 7 years, and will head there again early October this year. The kids are 7-9 years old now and been climbing quite a bit. We figure it could be fun to try to do some circuits with the kids. The ideal circuit would be:

1) Around grade 2-3 (so probably yellow, or maybe an advanced children circuit)

2) Not too high/exposed

3) It would be fun if the problems are mostly connected so you can move from rock-to-rock and mostly only touch the ground at the start of each problem

4) Caves, tunnels and other interesting stuff would be great bonuses.

Any tips?

I'd suggest getting a copy of this guide: https://books.google.fr/books/about/Fontainebleau_Climbs.html?id=hnHbMQEACA...

Covers most of the main circuits with good maps and information, including yellows for kids. Plenty of easier circuits at places like Canon, St Germain, etc. 

The forest is also covered in geocaches which can add some exploration to a day. Check out 'Le Trou de la Mort' at Calvaire - you will need a torch...

A while since I climbed at 'bleau but one of the problems with the easier circuits (yellow & orange) was that they were often very polished & with eroded starts. I remember a 'new' yellow circuit at Rocher Canon being 'created' while I lived in Paris & that was much more fun that the older yellow it replaced although as sandstone is relatively soft it started to become polished fairly quickly

these maybe useful

http://www.grimporama.com/francais/bleau/bl_enfant.htm

http://www.grimporama.com/francais/bleau/bl_enfant.htm

I found Rocher des Potetes a good place for lower grade, not too high, flat landing and away from loads of people... Good yellow and orange circuits...

not sure what went wrong with my post above, the 2nd link should have been

https://www.auvieuxcampeur.fr/guide-circuits-escalade-pour-enfants.html

Beauvais has a white children's circuit, though I have no experience of it. So does Chamarande,and Massif Canard at Malesherbes. Information taken from the old Stephen Gough 'bleu' guide.

I did a "classic" yellow circuit once. It was nails, I climbed about Font 6b at the time and was a full height adult. I can recall wondering how the short would reach the starting holds. 
I also remember doing an easier but long circuit at Diplodocus (maybe blue or red?), which was loads of fun and went all over the place. A definite comfy shoes and beer towel day. Big smiles all round. I dont recall any major highballs. Which tbh is more of a concern I'd say with kids.

If the circuit is well used, maybe start half way through? Tends to be less well travelled towards the ends. You knew that already I'm sure. 

you may find infos and topos here for circuits that are explicitely family circuits:

https://sites.google.com/site/topobleau/cultures-bleau/2021-circuits-enfant

and here: https://sites.google.com/site/topobleau/cultures-bleau/2020-lescalade-enfan...

quite some development out there during the last few years in this regard. 

Thanks for lots of good tips!

Probably a good idea to stay way from the classic circuits. I remember being quite annoyed slipping off the starting footholds at the orange circuit at Bas Cuvier the first time in Font.

There seems to be more variation in the level of the children circuits than I was aware of. Will definitely check out some more of them. The links with info about family circuits are great!

I already had some friends recommending Potetes as a quite and family friendly area with low boulders - will probably check it out. St Germain also looks good, and I'm quite eager to try Mise au Poing (but will probably chicken out).  Canon should also good, with the added benefit of the river close by. And that cave at Calvaire warrens a visit in itself.

We really liked the kids circuits at Rocher du Télégraphe

La Feuillardière (cosiroc.fr)

Was looking for a link to our favourite  Kids circuit at Apremont Bizons and found this link to a new circuit, if its anything like the old one it'll be great?

Apremont-DeuxCircuitsPourEnfants (cafbleau.fr)

Most of my Font days have been on volume of movement rather than difficulty so I know orange and yellow circuits relatively well. You soon realise these circuits are not really "what they say on the tin". The hardest orange moves are maybe f6B on polished slab (but feel f5+ if you cheat and use pof) but there is lots of polished f4 and f5 labeled as two grades easier and some juggy highballs can be very serious (the purple at Dame Juoanne had hard UK 5a moves pulling onto a hanging undercut wall from the top of a 5m boulder....E1 in anyone's money for a solo climber). 

Potets yellow is OK for what you describe but the nearby kids white is maybe better (and a lovely warm-up for the yellow). Diplodocus is my favourite as it has an excellent mix of lowball problems (with some tunnels) except for the distinctive main boulder (where a short rope might be handy). Beauvais and  Buthier have good white kids circuits and reasonable yellows.

For anyone wanting easier stuff (maybe a bit easy for your needs) the white kids circuits at Feuillardiere (Telegraphe) has great unpolished lowballs with some tunnels and they even have a pink heart toddler circuit. This has a buggy friendly 500m flat track approach and it's easy to watch most of the rocks from the centre.  

I had not considered Diplodocus due to the lack of slightly harder problems, but agree that is a lovely place and probably great for doing circuits and bringing kids. Sandy landings there as well if I remember correctly.

Sorry I mis-remembered the good white circuit at Trois Pignons: it's at Sabots between the parking and the good but polished yellow there... not at Potets.

I'm not sure of the northern sectors for kids height-wise, but Canche aux Merciers and Potets, both in Trois Pignons have either EN, yellow or orange circuits which are reasonably low for the best part (i.e. plenty of 2-3m high blocs).

The orange at Cul de Chien is a goodun also, although a few blocs may be high for kids. Much of the orange at Isatis is a delight, but it is mixed up with highballs, although the majority are at the 2-3.5m height.

As for people saying there is a lot of polish. From 2017 up to lockdown and once last year I managed 14 trips to Bleau, climbing over 1000 problems f6a and below. So many starts require good feet but I've rarely found polish to be the issue, just me. I do acknowledge there are a few exceptions.

I've climbed many thousands, pretty much all the popular yellow circuits (most a few times) and most of the orange ones plus the majority of the less popular circuits and quite a few new circuits. This was mainly 2000 to 2016. I'd have to disagree unless there has been a lot of resetting in the most popular areas during covid. A significant fraction of problems in the popular aras are almost a number grade out due to polish (eg a problem given f3A should be at least f4A). The really quiet circuits are so much better for friction and grade reliability. In the end it's down to too many people climbing with dirty feet and poor footwork in the honeypots. You can tell from the grades... some bleausards will try and bullshit you that it's about not spotting the easiest method but I'm experienced enough to not fall for that: in my view they usually won't be able to tell the difference between a f2A and a f4A. Plus on a glassy f6B orange slab with no features mascarding as a f4A it's a pure slab problem comparable with other pure slab problems actually given f6B, so there is no trick (pof aside, which will benefit on both). The rock quality and friction on brand new circuits is really noticably so much better.

I took my kids and my other half's cousins kids to font in June. Age ranges 2-11 Best spot by far was apremont kids circuit. Low. Good landings. A nice range. Some weird rock formations. Also an impressive bar buvette (snack bar) next to the car park. Barbizon is a lovely village next to thev park. I later took a large group of 14 yr olds climbing there and they had a great time.

I live near ish and have taken the kids elsewhere in font. Apremont was most ' child friendly'

Enjoy! 

Good to read you are getting into the forest with your young charges! Was talking only this evening about coming over with the boy in the next year, so good to read about the best circuits. Was on your home sandstone in the valleys today. Good, but not quite Font.

Ah, thank the lord. At least one person who knows what the damn place is called.

Here you go. I found a trip report I did 7 years ago when Little Ent was 8. 

http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Fontainebleau-with-The-Nipper/t12481n.html

E

I take novice school pupils most years, but who are a bit older than yours. Plus I have taken my own kids who as getting older.  

The yellow circuit above elephant main area is worth checking out.  

Also the white kids at Sabot, which has plenty to keep most beginner teenagers/young quite experienced entertained.

Both good spots as there are quality other circuits near by. Plus have nice landings and are low ball