Chamonix Valley & Aiguilles Rouges  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Lat, Long:  45.918, 6.8747 Map Page Views:  16,764. Good page? (1 like)    Administrators:  Euan Cameron, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  HTP on Jun 24, 2009 Make this area a Favorite What's New  Printer View Add Area  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed 59° | 43° 57° | 43° 59° | 37° 59° | 37° 61° | 46°

Looking up the valley from high up on the South si...

Description 

The Mont Blanc range gets all the press, but the Chamonix Valley has outstanding cragging: good rock, no access problems, and views of the haute montagne.

Above the valley floor, the Aiguilles Rouges--opposite the Mont Blanc range--offer climbs with a more alpine-y feel that are easy to reach thanks to a web of trails and cable cars.

Essential guide books:
-Crag Climbs in Chamonix, by François Burnier and Dominique Potard. It's available in several languages, including English, at Chamonix's Maison de la Presse bookstore, across from Snell Sports (the place to go if you need gear!). This book includes everything in the valley plus some, but not all, climbs in the Aiguilles Rouges.

-There are a couple of guidebooks for the Aiguilles Rouges, but they're all in French. The newest has excellent pictures--I'll post more about it soon!

Getting There 

This section covers crags in the entire valley; depending on the time of year, most are easy to access via public transportation.

The Classics

Featured Route For Chamonix Valley & Aiguilles Rouges

Lepidopteres 5.8+  International : France : ... : Aiguille du Peigne

P1: Short pitch of easy slabs, a few bolts, 5-easyP2: More slab with intermittent cracks, 5.7P3: Cracks and corners, 5.8P4: More cracks and corners, 5.8+P5: Cracks and flakes till you gain the ridge, 5.7...[more]   Browse More Classics in International

Photos of Chamonix Valley & Aiguilles Rouges Slideshow

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hiking in Chamonix	The Aiguille de Dru. Above the town of Chamonix. T...	Historic photo.. P.Ross on day two on the first Br...
Historic photo! Ross and McInnes 1958. First Briti...	In the Valle Blanc heading towards the Aiguille du...	P.Ross Vallee Blanc 1959. Mt Blanc in the backgrou...
Paul Ross on the summit of the Aiguille du Geant.1...	P.Ross. South Face Aiguille du Midi.1960	The Mer de Glace glacier above Chamonix with the G...
Historic photo ! . Chamonix camp site 1959.L to R....	The spectacular Grand Capucin. A perfect 1500' gra...	Another photo of the superb granite of the Grand C...
Historic photo.1958 Hamish McInnes , Walter Philip...	Paul Ross on the South Face of the Aiguille Du Gea...	Climbers on the upper section of the Bonatti Pilla...
Descending in a storm down from the Aiguille du Mo...	On the upper part of the Mer de Glace. .Photo P.Ro...	Valle Blanche
L' Aiguille Du Midi	Grandes Jorasses. Old slides from the eighties... ...	John Harlin in the Argentiere basin.
BETA PHOTO: View of the Mont Blanc Massif from Aiguille des Cr...