| Format | Number + UPPERCASE letter (6A, 7B+) |
| Rates | Bouldering difficulty |
| Used in | Europe and worldwide |
| Difficulty | Intermediate concept |
Named after the Fontainebleau bouldering area near Paris.
The Font grade, from Fontainebleau in France, is the European system for grading bouldering difficulty, written as a number plus an uppercase letter and optional plus — 6A, 7B+, 8C. The capital letters distinguish it from French route grades. It is the main bouldering scale outside North America, where the V-scale dominates.
How it works
Number + letter (A–C) + optional plus, rising to about 9A. It grades a boulder problem’s hardest moves.
Font vs V-scale
The US V-scale is the equivalent; convert with our grade converter. See V-scale vs Font.
Watch the case
Uppercase = Font bouldering; lowercase = French route grades.
Frequently asked questions
How does the Font scale work?
It combines a number, a letter from A to C, and an optional plus — 6A, 6A+, 6B… — rising to around 9A at the elite end. Like other scales, higher is harder. It grades the difficulty of a boulder problem's hardest moves.
Why are Font grade letters uppercase?
The capital letters (6A, 7B) distinguish bouldering Font grades from lowercase French route grades (6a, 7b), which otherwise look identical. The convention prevents confusion between the two systems, which both originate in France.
How does Font compare to the V-scale?
They both grade bouldering and map approximately — for example Font 7A is around V6. Use our climbing grade converter to translate between Font and the V-scale; the two diverge slightly at the very top end.
Sources
- Bouldering grades — American Alpine Club