The Fontainebleau Grading System — Complete Guide

What Is the Fontainebleau Grading System?

The Fontainebleau grading system — often called the French system or simply Font grades — is the most internationally widespread climbing grading scale. It originated in the famous Fontainebleau forest south of Paris, where climbers have been bouldering since the late 19th century, and has since been adopted across European sport climbing, indoor walls, and competitions worldwide.

Unlike many other systems, Fontainebleau grades are open-ended: as climbers push human limits, new grades can be added at the top. When the 9a barrier was first broken in 1995 by Alexander Huber on "Om" in Germany, it seemed like the ceiling. Today 9c exists.

The system uses numbers (3 through 9), letters (a, b, c), and plus signs (+) to create a fine-grained scale. This gives it far more resolution than simpler systems, making it suitable for ranking thousands of routes from complete beginner terrain to the absolute frontier of human climbing performance.

How the Notation Works

Each grade has three levels of precision:

• Number — the broad grade band (e.g., 7)
• Letter — finer subdivision: a (easiest), b (mid), c (hardest)
• Plus sign — optional, indicates the harder half of that letter grade (e.g., 7a+ is harder than 7a but easier than 7b)

So the sequence goes: 6a → 6a+ → 6b → 6b+ → 6c → 6c+ → 7a → 7a+ → ... and so on. There is no 6a-, 6b-, etc. — the minus notation is used in the UIAA system, not Fontainebleau.

Complete Fontainebleau Grade Table (3 to 9c)

The table below shows every Fontainebleau grade with its approximate equivalent in Yosemite (YDS), UIAA, and Australian systems, along with the climber level typically associated with each grade.

Note: Grade conversions are approximations. Different crags, setters, and styles can make any given route feel harder or easier than its stated grade.

History of Fontainebleau Grades

Climbing in Fontainebleau forest began in the 1870s as a form of alpine training. The first systematic grading attempts emerged in the 1930s with the Bleau circuit system, where colored ribbons marked routes by difficulty. These circuits — still in use today — are marked with numbered dots on the rock.

The numerical grade system we know today evolved through the 1970s and 80s as sport climbing exploded in France. Pioneers like Patrick Edlinger and Marc Le Menestrel pushed grades to 8a and beyond, creating the need for finer subdivisions. The a/b/c letter system and + notation were gradually standardized in this era.

The 9a milestone was crossed by Alexander Huber in 1995. Chris Sharma, Dani Andrada, and Adam Ondra then systematically pushed the frontier: 9a+ (Sharma, 2003), 9b (Ondra, 2008), 9b+ (Ondra, 2012), and finally 9c (Ondra, 2017) on "Silence" in Flatanger, Norway — a route that had been projected for years and required an estimated 8,000–9,000 moves to memorize and execute flawlessly.

Key Milestone Ascents

• 8a — First climbed systematically in the late 1980s by Antoine Le Menestrel and others
• 8b+ — Wolfgang Güllich on "Action Directe" (1991), Germany — widely considered the first 9a by today's standards
• 9a — Alexander Huber, "Om" (1995), Germany
• 9a+ — Chris Sharma, "Realization/Biographie" (2001), Céüse, France
• 9b — Adam Ondra, "Change" (2012), Norway
• 9b+ — Adam Ondra, "Vasil Vasil" (2013), Czech Republic
• 9c — Adam Ondra, "Silence" (2017), Flatanger, Norway

Fontainebleau vs. Other Grading Systems

Fontainebleau vs. Yosemite Decimal System (YDS)

The Yosemite system is dominant in North America. Both are numerical, but YDS stacks all technical climbing in the 5.x range (from 5.0 to 5.15d), with letter subdivisions only above 5.10. The Fontainebleau system is generally considered more precise in the upper ranges because it doesn't need to cram so many grades into a single number.

Quick reference: 6a ≈ 5.9, 7a ≈ 5.11c, 7c ≈ 5.12c, 8a ≈ 5.13a, 9a ≈ 5.14c, 9c ≈ 5.15d.

Fontainebleau vs. UIAA

The UIAA system uses Roman numerals (I through XII+) and is most popular in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Eastern Europe. It is somewhat coarser than the Fontainebleau system at the top end. 7a ≈ VII, 8a ≈ IX, 9a ≈ XI, 9c ≈ XII+.

Fontainebleau vs. Australian

The Australian system uses plain numbers (1 to 40) in a linear scale that maps fairly directly onto the Fontainebleau system in the sport climbing range. 7a ≈ 23, 8a ≈ 30, 9a ≈ 36, 9c ≈ 40.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "Font" mean in climbing?

"Font" is shorthand for Fontainebleau. When climbers say a route is "Font 7a" or just "7a", they mean a grade of 7a on the Fontainebleau scale. Outside of bouldering contexts you'll sometimes see it called the French system.

Is the Fontainebleau system the same for bouldering and sport climbing?

The scale and notation are the same, but the feel differs. A 7a boulder problem and a 7a sport route are not equivalent in effort — the boulder is shorter and more powerful, while the sport route demands endurance. Most climbers find they can sport climb one or two grades harder than they can boulder at their limit.

Why do some crags have inconsistent grades?

Grades are set by the first ascentionist and can be influenced by height, style (crimpy vs. slopey vs. pocket), rock type, humidity, and local conventions. Over time, repeats and consensus can lead to upgrades or downgrades. This is part of climbing culture — grades are opinions, not measurements.

What Fontainebleau grade is considered elite?

Different sources draw the line differently, but here's a rough consensus: 6c+ or below is beginner to intermediate, 7a–7c is solid intermediate to advanced, 7c+–8b is advanced to elite, and 8b+ and above is world class. Only around 100–200 climbers in the world have ever climbed 9a or harder.

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