Fontainebleau reopens after wildfire, climbers and walkers flock back to Paris woods

Fontainebleau, a popular forest outside of Paris, reopened its gates to the public on August 23 following a wildfire in July that left part of the forest in ruins. Although some portions of the forest remain off-limits, 80% of the area has been reopened, drawing large groups of walkers, rock climbers, and other outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy the late summer sunshine.

Nestled around 60 kilometers (40 miles) southeast of Paris, Fontainebleau is a popular destination for climbers, who travel from around the world to tackle its famous boulders. Gilles Moutounet, a 59-year-old retail executive who spends most of his weekends climbing in the forest, expressed his delight at the reopening. Just a few meters away, a retired couple from Turin, Italy, dressed in green, were defying gravity on a boulder.

Stefano Rosso, nearly 70 years old, has been visiting Fontainebleau's climbing sites for 30 years, traveling from Italy with his wife after a holiday in the region.

The wildfire, which scorched 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) of the former royal hunting ground, forced public access to the forest to be restricted. Aerial images show parts of the forest razed by the flames. Benoit Kaplan, a deputy prefect of the Seine-et-Marne department, stated that firefighters are on duty every day to extinguish hotspots.

Approximately 20% of the forest, including many burnt trees, remains off-limits due to the risk of falling debris. Forest worker Julien Vabre cautioned visitors about the dangers of reopening, warning that campfires will inevitably occur and that people will venture near the prohibited zone, despite the risks. Vabre urged visitors to stay on designated walking paths, with barbecues and smoking prohibited to prevent the parched vegetation from catching fire due to the recent heatwaves.