Climbers, walkers flock to forest outside Paris after wildfire closure

FONTAINEBLEAU, France - A hugely popular forest outside Paris reopened to the public on Aug 22 after being partially ravaged by a wildfire in July which forced the closure of the beloved nature oasis.Although part of the Fontainebleau forest remains off limits for now, 80 per cent of the area has reopened and large groups of walkers, rock climbers and other outdoor enthusiasts flocked to the woods to take advantage of the late summer sun.The sprawling forest, around 60km south-east of the Fernch capital, is a particular magnet for climbers who come from around the world to tackle its famous boulders.“It’s a return to the good old habits,” said Gilles Moutounet, a 59-year-old retail executive who spends most of his weekends climbing in Fontainebleau.A few metres away, on another boulder, a