Back to Fontainebleau

It's been more than 6 months since we last went to climb in Fontainebleau. We have not touched real rock for so long, I am sure Mamma and Papa are missing it even more than I am. This saturday is so sunny that we met there with a few friends to try a few problems.

Gear, food to get some energy to climb, warm clothes not to get sick... and me. I needed to take a nap just after lunch. I love joining Mamma and Papa during their active day but I am still a little girl. I am not worried, they always take good care of me.

That's my mom!

After a nap and a few climbing problems, mom and daughter meet for a little snack: homemade banana bread. Yummy.

I know how to climb too: I managed to meet Papa all by myself. I can climb very difficult problems thanks to my little fingers.

After climbing a little, we all went for a walk on one of the hiking path. And at the end, I showed everybody my own walking skills.

Gleðileg nýtt ár! Bonne année!

We left Iceland on December 30th and missed New Year's Eve there: I really wanted to see the fireworks but Mamma tells me I would have been too scared. All this craziness is not made for a little girl like me. Next time, then I will be old enough to enjoy the colors and big BANGS in the sky. The good thing Amma sent me a video of the firecrackers and I like that one.

Not being in Iceland did not mean we were bored at home: 3 of Mamma and Papa's friends stayed with us for a few days. Bea came from Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Varuni and Jerome came from Angers, South West of here. They all got to see how cute and adorable I was, I played all my tricks on them. They even relieved my parents a little and took care of me in the morning so they could sleep more.

I am a little girl and could not stay up until midnight on New Years's Eve. Too bad, I would have liked to try the super fancy dinner they all prepared. I am sure snails and foie gras don't do little girls any harm.

The girls. Thecutest one is in bed though...

Mamma and Papa, the hosts of this New Year's Eve dinner. Got some good help from all the guests to prepare the food and setup the table. And take care of me.

January 1st in Fontainebleau.
My new backpack so I can go everywhere, until I can walk by myself. The bouncing is the best part: hoppa hoppa.

I am the Galette Queen

Practicing my chopstick skills and helping Mamma pick her lunch.

Picking food for lunch is hard for B and V. That's because they don't have my help.

The Bee of Notre-Dame

On the way back from Lyon

Now that I am getting bigger, Mamma thinks it is time that she gets back to work. She has had a few interviews in Paris and has a very good opportunity in Lyon, 5 hours South of here. We decided to join her when she is invited for an interview there and organize a little family trip to Lyon. On the way back, we got to stop in Bourgogne and check out some new climbing places.

Who said camping was not comfortable? 2 chairs just for me, my favorite comforter and some warm pancakes with nutella for breakfast!

I always thought Mamma had a perfect body: she is copying the Leonardo Da Vinci drawing to show it.

Papa playing in the same old bridge: we tilted the image 90° so it looks like he is doing something cool. In reality, he is just standing there with his arms in the air.

We are traveing quite light this time: the car is packed with camping and climbing gear. Just enough space left for my little car seat. Does not seem to bother me...

Bourgogne was rainy and cold so we headed back home and spent the last day of the week-end in Fontainebleau instead.

Having lunch on Mamma's lap in between big boulders.

Bouldering requires a lot of concentration and attention to details: tiny small holds are not always easy to find. Except for me. It's all a question of scale, tiny holds = big one for me.

You should put sunglasses to watch this picture. Dad is so painfully white that all the sun is reflecting on him. White before bouldering, sunburt red the next day :o)

Mamma is showing me little rock formations while I listen very carefully. I love the texture of rock. Wait until I can walk by myself and I'll become the best climber ever.

I like trees and leaves too. Even when I am crying, seeing some green calms me down. Definitely not a city girl.

My personal Sher-Papa driving me around in Fontainebleau. Great climbing but also great hikes with loads of bumps. My favorites.

While I am away

While in Iceland with Mamma, Papa stayed home by himself. I hope he missed me as much as I did miss him. Maybe he could sleep a lot better during those 2 weeks, I was not there to cry at night. Probably a quiet home, missing the usual excitments, laughters and other family activities.
Don't worry Papa, we'll be back very soon.

Dad spent a while week-end with his friends Michel, Nadine and Julie in Bourgogne. Guess what: they went climbing. So predictable!

In Surgy, rappeling down "la casquette" (the hat), a wonderful climb with a bunch of tiny small holes. I could climb it easy, I have super small fingers that fit everywhere.

Because it rained a bunch, they headed back to Fontainebleau on Sunday. Great weather there and a good occasion to admire Michel's faces when he is pulling hard.

Climbing

Fontainebleau

The world most renowned bouldering area is located just an hour from home, I had to take mom and dad there on this sunny and warm Sunday. I get rewarded too: to reach the first boulders, we have to walk for 15 minutes, which allows us to try my stroller in full off-road mode. Bumps, holes, rocks, branches, sand... there is nothing better than a super bouncy stroller to make me sleep.

The area that we decide to try is fairly small: all boulders are all located within a few meters of each other, easy for us to move the stroller as mamma and papa try problems. Different colors are available as well: yellow (easy), orange (medium) and red (hard). They get to try a little bit of everything. I like being in the woods: it is quiet, very pretty, smells good. I like it very much.

Spending the whole day far from home is not too easy: I need a place in the shade to sleep, to be fed on a regular basis, but most important of all, to be taken care of. I am too small to climb, watching the parents climb is a little boring after a while: being in their arms and playing with them and all the toys we brought is more fun.

Mom = portable food. So convenient

The crashpad becomes a playground!

Mom in effort, me all relaxed

Millau

Fontainebleau was just a starter. Short day-trip, small rocks, small landscape... I want to see bigger now. Our friend Vincent (he is my friend too, I am so cute that everybody likes me) from the climbing gym invites us to stay at this parents place close to Millau in the South of France for this 4-day week-end.

Now we are talking: kilometers of magnificent gorges, rock everywhere, dream lanscapes and perfect weather

A bunch of new experiences for me this week-end:

- go on a hike in my stroller: not always easy to drive it in the rocky paths, sometimes a pusher and a puller are required to go uphill. Not as fast as normal hikers but it does not matter too much and we manage to reach the edge of the cliff, spot some eagle's nests not very far and enjoy a nice picnic in the sun.

- disturb a whole crowd of people at the climbing crag by refusing to sleep or stop crying. I am a celebrity, I have to make myself noticed wherever I go! Mom and dad decide to leave after trying to calm me for 30 minutes without success. We'll visit the crag again the next day and enjoy a few hours of excellent climbing. Or at least, they will while I sleep or play with one of them.

- take a bath in a kitchen sink. Not enough space in my car to bring my bathtub for the week-end. Full of resources, I propose to use the sink instead: it is just my size, a perfect fit.

Daddy trying hard to climb: show-off!

A big hike in my stroller: it goes everywhere and I love it. Mamma and Papa are thinking about an alternative solution, it is quite heavy and bulky to drag me all over the place in it.

At the crag: that's the day I was calm and all smiles. It's the last place where Mom could find some shade to feed me, far in the crack.

It feels good to rest after such a long and eventful week-end