1953 – Cuvier – Fontainebleau – by Robert Paragot – 7a/V6
Fontainebleau’s Historic First 7a Boulder
La Joker is one of the most historically significant boulder problems in Fontainebleau, France, widely recognized as the first 7a/V6 (Fontainebleau grading) established in the forest. It was first climbed by Robert Paragot in 1953, marking a milestone in global bouldering history.
Location: Bas Cuvier, Fontainebleau
Located in the Bas Cuvier sector of the Fontainebleau forest, It is part of the white circuit, problem nr 13 on local topographic. La Joker sits within a classic circuit of sandstone problems that have defined modern bouldering. Its grade reflects not only physical difficulty but also its role as a benchmark for progressive climbing standards.
The Shift in Climbing Style: From Balance to Pure Power
Before la Joker, bouldering at Bas-Cuvier was primarily a game of subtle balance, friction, and mental commitment on smooth sandstone slabs. Lines like La Marie-Rose (6a) tested precise footwork rather than raw physical strength. With La Joker, Robert Paragot pioneered a fundamental shift in bouldering movement: power, tension, and aggressive effort. Unlocking the problem required pulling hard on subtle underclings, driving off a high left foot in a shallow seam, and executing a dynamic cross-over slap to a distant right-hand hold. By demanding physical power over pure balance, L’Joker redefined what was considered possible in Fontainebleau and established the template for modern power-bouldering.
Grading History and Evolution
When Paragot first completed the problem, he suggested a grade of 6f or VI h under early grading systems, which were adaptations of the pre-war Welzenbach I-VI scale. Over time — particularly after the adoption of the seventh grade and rationalization of the Fontainebleau scale — the route has been retroactively classified as VII- and translated to 7a.
The climb’s significance extends beyond its grade: it represents one of the earliest instances where a boulder reached difficulty levels previously only approached on roped alpine routes. Consequently, it helped establish Fontainebleau as an international bouldering destination and influenced grading systems worldwide.
Modern climbers still seek out La Joker not just for its grade but for its cultural and historical value — a living piece of climbing heritage in one of the sport’s most revered landscapes.
A Turning Point for French Bouldering
The completion of L’Joker in 1953 coincided with a major cultural shift in the French climbing community. As affordable cars like the Renault 4CV began replacing traditional weekend train rides from Paris, a new, energetic generation of climbers arrived in the forest. Shortly after establishing La Joker, Paragot and his peers shifted much of their attention away from Fontainebleau to free-climbing limestone aid routes at Le Saussois. Because of this migration, La Joker stood as the peak of bouldering difficulty for nearly a decade until Michel Libert opened L’Abattoir (7a+) in 1960, solidifying L’Joker’s legacy as the gateway into seventh-grade bouldering.