UKC

Anyone know where I can find a good account of Font bouldering history? Either free online or a reference to a good book.

I recently took my first trip to the forest a few weeks ago, and needless to say, a life changing experience! I used the 7+8 guide, which did the job, but it was sadly lacking in describing any of the rich history of the climbing here. It would be really cool to read about it now I've done some of these famous problems.

Thanks!

Only thing I know about it is that when we stopped off for a quick look on the way to The Alps in 1971, because we then climbed  a lot on South East sandstone and were interested because someone had told us that the Fontainebleau crags  were laid down under the same ancient sea and therefore connected with Harrison's, Bowles etc, the place was known to the locals as ''Bleau" and they were therefore Bleausards.

Quite when it came to be known by the, to my mind, for less romantic sounding Font I know not. Do they now refer to themselves as Fontards? Sounds like a term of abuse.

First, there was Times Roman.

Then there was Times New Roman.

There was Courier.

Then there was Courier New...

IGMC...

See if you can get hold of "Fontainebleau - Escalades et Randonnees" Published by Arthaud in 1982 by Maurice Martin and Roland Truffaut. I've got a copy of the 2nd Edition published in 1986. 

ISBN 2-7003-04-18-7

There is a potted history at the beginning of this guide (in French)

Good luck!

Also a chapter about the area in Mazeaud’s naked before the mountain. I think there is a bit of history in Nea Morin’s book also. 

James

https://www.prepressure.com/fonts/basics/history

La Forêt/Bleau  features in books by many French climbers who either came from Paris or lived there at some point. I've not read it but suspect the biography of Pierre Allain by Giles Modica might be relevant. Is Catherine Destivelle's autobiography available in English ? 

And https://sites.google.com/site/topobleau/bleau-en-lettres has a series of short pieces (in French)

If you speak French, a book titled "Fontainebleau - 100 ans d'escalade" was published last year and will probably tell you more than you need to know about the place. Lots of great photos from BITD and fun anecdotes (I bet you didn't know Jérôme Jean-Charles, who first climbed Carnage, was also the 1981 French Rubik's Cube champion?). The second part by Jacky Godoffe is poorly written in my opinion but it is a lot shorter than the first part which focuses on the late 19th and the first three quarters of the 20th century.

The Pierre Alain book is only available in French. The destivelle book is in English but has little history about the area more personal recollections. 

James

I believe that the French still call it Bleau and the British call it Font. The locals who know the forest intimately are still called Bleausards.

Mehmet

A while since I read Ascensions (Catherine Destivelle's book, first published in the mid 2000s)& I remembered that Fontainebleau featured quite a bit in the early chapters but couldn't remember if it was just memories or a bit more.

Not about climbing but Simon Schama's Landscape and Memory has a fascinating chapter on the forest and it's 'father' Betancourt(?) . The development  and concept of wilderness and the first waymarked footpaths

Je ne parle français, but thanks for helping, appreciated.

I did find an old alpinist edition that purports to have a font (or bleau, if you prefer) history, Im going to try and get my hands on a copy (http://www.alpinist.com/doc/ALP12/Crag_font). I can't believe there isnt some kind of account in english somewhere online! It's the mecca of meccas after all..

You may already have this, but Just my Type by Simon Garfield is a slightly more sophisticated history than yours

Well, I thought I'd skip all that cuneiform and hieroglyph nonsense... And I'm not sure that Ogham really counts as a font.

I'm more interested in the technical aspects of font design, and you don't find many books on that. In fact, I have found none.

I have got this, though...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Signs-Symbols-Their-Design-Meaning/dp/0823048268

https://imgur.com/EDOLaY6

https://imgur.com/a/LrYDXTv