French to British grade conversion chart
Every French grade with its British equivalent, side by side. Where the two scales don't line up, you'll see a range.
Key conversions
- 5c = HVS 5a – E1 5a
- 6a = E1 5a
- 6b = E2 5b
- 6c = E3 5c
- 7a = E4 6a
- 7b = E5 6b
- 7c = E6 6b
- 8a = E7 6c
- 8b = E8 7a
- 9a = E10 7b
| 4a | – | 5.6 | IV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4a+ | – | 5.6 | IV+ |
| 4b | – | 5.6/ | IV+ |
| 4b+ | – | 5.7 | V− |
| 4c | – | 5.7 | V− |
| 4c+ | HVS 4c | 5.8 | V |
| 5a | HVS 4c | 5.8 | V |
| 5a+ | HVS 4c | 5.8 | V+ |
| 5b | HVS 5a | 5.9 | V+ |
| 5b+ | HVS 5a | 5.9 | VI− |
| 5c | HVS 5a – E1 5a | 5.9/ | VI |
| 5c+ | E1 5a | 5.10a | VI+ |
| 6a | E1 5a | 5.10a | VI+ |
| 6a+ | E1 5b | 5.10b | VII− |
| 6b | E2 5b | 5.10c | VII |
| 6b+ | E2 5c – E3 5c | 5.10d/ | VII+ |
| 6c | E3 5c | 5.11a/ | VII+/ |
| 6c+ | E3 5c – E4 6a | 5.11b/ | VIII− |
| 7a | E4 6a | 5.11c/ | VIII |
| 7a+ | E4 6a – E5 6a | 5.11d/ | VIII+ |
| 7b | E5 6b | 5.12b | VIII+/ |
| 7b+ | E6 6b | 5.12c | IX− |
| 7c | E6 6b | 5.12d | IX |
| 7c+ | E6 6c | 5.13a | IX+ |
| 8a | E7 6c | 5.13b | X− |
| 8a+ | E7 7a | 5.13c | X |
| 8b | E8 7a | 5.13d | X+ |
| 8b+ | E8 7a | 5.14a | X+/ |
| 8c | E9 7b | 5.14b | XI− |
| 8c+ | E9 7b | 5.14c | XI |
| 9a | E10 7b | 5.14d | XI |
| 9a+ | E11 7b | 5.15a | XI/ |
| 9b | – | 5.15b | XI+ |
| 9b+ | – | 5.15c | XI+/ |
| 9c | – | 5.15d | XII− |
Approximate. Conversions by OpenBeta sandbag; British from RockFax/theCrag tables.
About these grades
French grades are the sport climbing scale used across Europe and most of the world, from 3 to 9c, written in lowercase (6b+).
British trad grades pair an adjectival grade for overall seriousness (E1 to E11) with a technical grade for the hardest move (5a to 7b).