New bouldering site in Argentiere
Anyone into bouldering will be interested to know that a new site has just opened in Argentiere. Bouldering is a discipline of climbing that is carried out on a large rock without the use of ropes or harnesses. The climber is not very high off the ground (although there are crash mats!) and the aim is to traverse the rock face in two or three movements. Up until now the main sites in the area were the Col des Montets, Médonnet (near Combloux), the stone d'Orthaz and more recently, Les Bossons. The new site in Argentiere was discovered a year ago by Fabrice Judenne and Romain Desgranges, two Chamonix climbers (one of whom is a member of the French National climbing team) and has taken a year to prepare. There are currently around 15 prepared boulders and over 70 possible routes to try, graded in difficulty by coloured flashes. It has opened just prior to the International Climbing Festival (8th – 13th July) and on the 10th, some of the worlds best climbers will be in Argentiere giving the new site a go.
To find the site, head to the Grand Montets car park and follow the road that passes behind the base station of the cable car, towards the Crémerie du Glacier and helipad (follow the helicopter logo). Park by the cross country skiing (marked with a red triangle) and follow the trail past the bridge, turn right and then at the cairn on the left, turn left (15 minutes walk in total).
