Book Bucket List at the Summit

For mountaineers who have become authors, writing about the mountains is more than just writing about a landscape. Here’s proof in five books, ranging from the stories of poet-climbers to texts that challenge conventional wisdom.

*Premier de cordée*, Roger Frison-Roche (1941)

This cult classic novel draws on the personal experiences of the author and explorer, as well as the stories of the mountaineers he grew up with. As a young man from Chamonix in search of height, Pierre’s life should have been nothing but climbs. But the mountain takes his father from him, and what follows is vertigo and free fall. Thanks to his friends—amid doubts and pushing beyond his limits—he manages to once again become the “lead climber” of his own life. A great coming-of-age story

*Stars and Storms*, Gaston Rébuffat (1954)

A timeless pillar of mountain literature, in *Stars and Storms* the poet-guide takes us on a journey across the greatest north faces of the Alps (including the Drus). On paper alone, it’s already a thrilling read. But beyond the feats of climbing, Rébuffat’s hallmark is his reflections on the majesty of nature and prose as pure as the fresh mountain air of the peaks he has scaled.

*The Conquerors of the Useless*, Lionel Terray (1961)

More than just the autobiography of the legendary mountaineer—which would already be quite something given the expeditions he led… This book is a philosophy of the mountains that defies the social conventions of its time. “What’s the point of all this! Is there even a 100-franc bill at the summit?” To this recurring remark from his father, who doesn’t understand what he’s looking for up there, Lionel Terray counters with the joy of the game itself—a celebration of the useless. A beautiful text about raw passion.

Breaking Through the Ice Ceiling, Marion Poitevin (2025)

The first woman (and still the only one to date) in the Chamonix High-Mountain Military Group, she is now a guide, rescue worker, and president of the Lead the Climb association, which promotes female leadership in mountaineering… In *Breaking Through the Ice Ceiling*, Marion Poitevin discusses performance, sexism, anger, and perseverance… And she recounts her extraordinary journey solely to blaze new trails.

Samivel, Sophie Cuenot (2025)

A native of Chamonix, Sophie Cuenot worked as a journalist at Radio France before devoting herself to writing. She has already published four books, including *Le Roman de Chamonix*—recently reissued—and her latest, *Samivel*. Behind this pen name lies Paul Gayet-Tancrède, a multifaceted artist (illustrator, watercolorist, writer, photographer) and a pioneer of Alpine ecology, who, through his work, celebrated the mountains to better call for their protection. This richly illustrated biography tells the story of a free-spirited, committed, and visionary man. It is an enlightening read and a source of wholesome inspiration.

To find these books and many others about the mountains

Éditions Paulsen - Espace Guérin - 30 Avenue du Mont Blanc - Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Librairie Sauvage - 178 Avenue Michel Croz - Chamonix-Mont-Blanc