Climbing gym chain · France
Block'Out grades, explained
Block'Out is a French chain of bouldering gyms; each gym also has a restaurant or snack bar, a fitness room and a sauna or hammam. Its founders opened the first gym in Cergy, north-west of Paris, in 2008; the chain now has 13 gyms across France, the newest being Metz and Vitrolles (2019). All gyms are bouldering only, with walls about 4.5 m high, and grade problems on Block'Out's own B1–B14 scale rather than by hold colour alone.
Bouldering grades
Block'Out uses its own numbered scale, B1 (easiest) to B14, instead of grading by hold colour. Block'Out does not publish Font equivalents. Third-party sources agree that, above about 5C, each B step is roughly one Font step, but they differ on where the scale starts. The levels below follow Kaskad Coaching's table (2026); each level's note gives an older forum mapping (2016).
| Level | Font | ≈ V-scale |
|---|---|---|
| B1An older (2016) forum mapping: 4. | 4+ | V0–V0+ |
| B2An older (2016) forum mapping: 4+. | 5A | V1 |
| B3An older (2016) forum mapping: 5. | 5B–5C | V1–V2 |
| B4An older (2016) forum mapping: 5+. | 6A | V3 |
| B5An older (2016) forum mapping: 6A. | 6A+ | V3–V4 |
| B6An older (2016) forum mapping: 6B. | 6B | V4 |
| B7An older (2016) forum mapping: 6C. | 6B+ | V4 |
| B8An older (2016) forum mapping: 7A. | 6C | V5 |
| B9An older (2016) forum mapping: 7A+. | 6C+ | V5–V6 |
| B10An older (2016) forum mapping: 7B. | 7A | V6 |
| B11An older (2016) forum mapping: 7B+. | 7A+ | V7 |
| B12An older (2016) forum mapping: 7C. | 7B | V7–V8 |
| B13An older (2016) forum mapping: 7C+. | 7B+ | V8 |
| B14An older (2016) forum mapping: 8A. | 7C | V9 |
Block'Out uses this grading at all its gyms. From climbers' descriptions and photos of the gym's grade boards. Gyms reset and regrade often, and grades vary between setters, so treat this as a guide and check the boards when you visit.
13 Block'Out gyms
Each gym's page has its address, how to book, and links to prices and opening hours.
Is this page accurate and helpful?
Questions
- What Font grade is B1 at Block'Out?
- B1 at Block'Out is 4+, about V0–V0+ in V-scale.
- What Font grade is B2 at Block'Out?
- B2 at Block'Out is 5A, about V1 in V-scale.
- What Font grade is B3 at Block'Out?
- B3 at Block'Out is 5B–5C, about V1–V2 in V-scale.
- What Font grade is B4 at Block'Out?
- B4 at Block'Out is 6A, about V3 in V-scale.
- What Font grade is B5 at Block'Out?
- B5 at Block'Out is 6A+, about V3–V4 in V-scale.
- What Font grade is B6 at Block'Out?
- B6 at Block'Out is 6B, about V4 in V-scale.
Sources
- Block'Out: home (13 gyms in France)
- Block'Out: Où grimper ? (all 13 gyms with addresses, phones, hours)
- Block'Out: Notre histoire (key dates 2008–2025)
- Block'Out: La grimpe ('système de cotation unique', B1–B14)
- Block'Out: FAQ (routes graded B1 to B14; walls about 4.5 m)
- Kaskad Coaching: Cotation Block'Out (13 Sep 2026, updated 24 Sep 2026)
- Camptocamp forum: Correspondance B chiffre / Fontainebleau (23 Nov 2016)
Checked 3 October 2026. Gear Loop isn't affiliated with Block'Out.