Plan your visit

Do not light any fire or flame in the forest: barbecues, camping stoves, cigarettes… The forest is dry for much of the year, wind can carry fire quickly, and a spark in the bracken can spread faster than you might expect.

If you see a fire starting, move away and call 18 or 112.

Bivouacking and wild camping are forbidden in car parks and throughout the forest. Choose authorised accommodation and book it before you arrive: places fill up quickly at weekends and on public holidays.

Gîtes and holiday rentals. Villages around the forest—including Milly-la-Forêt, Noisy-sur-École, Achères-la-Forêt, Arbonne-la-Forêt, Larchant, Barbizon and Fontainebleau—offer gîtes, guest houses and Airbnb-style rentals.

Campsites. Several campsites with a long history of welcoming climbers are available:

• Camping La Musardière in Milly-la-Forêt, close to the Trois Pignons.
• Camping Île de Boulancourt a little further south, convenient for Buthiers and Larchant.

Several resources are available, but none replaces respecting closures caused by wildfire risk, biological reserves or private property:

• bleau.info: the reference database for the forest.
• Boolder: a mobile app, although its coverage is not always complete.
• Printed guidebooks (5+6, 7+8 and others) remain invaluable too!

Fontainebleau sandstone is porous. It consists mainly of silica and is hard on the surface but sandy deeper down. Water absorbed by the rock weakens the silica, and a hold that looks dry can suddenly break under a climber’s weight. The rock may therefore take several hours or days—and sometimes weeks—to dry completely below the surface. If you have any doubt, do not climb!

In the meantime:

• Climb indoors: several gyms are available around Fontainebleau, including Karma Fontainebleau, Le Rempart and Bloc à Bleau.
• Walk in the forest: many hiking trails cross the forest.
• Visit museums: the Auberge Ganne in Barbizon or the Prehistory Museum in Nemours, among others.
• Visit Paris! Paris is easily reached from Fontainebleau-Avon and Bois-le-Roi stations in around 40 minutes.