Sharp Rise

A Steep Ascent

The cradle of mountaineering, the world capital of climbing harnesses and toned calves: in Chamonix, climbing isn’t an option—it’s a tradition.

For Beginners: The Ice Climbing School

Your first taste of high-altitude mountaineering: the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix’s ice climbing school takes you on a full half-day excursion to the legendary Mer de Glace. Up there, you’ll learn not only the basics of the sport—walking roped together, handling an ice axe, putting on crampons—but also how a glacier lives, moves, and melts (far too quickly). An outing filled with thrills, laughter, and a serious awareness of climate change.

For the daring: ice climbing

The concept: glacier climbing, ninja-style in the cold. With a guide from Evolution 2 or the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix, you’ll climb naturally frozen formations like the walls of mountain streams, or artificial sites like the Bérard waterfall, above the hamlet of Le Buet. This spot, perfect for beginners, is maintained by volunteers, and thanks to a system of heated pipes, the ice holds up even when the valley thaws in early spring. Are you ready to hold your ground, too? Because this activity is as fun as it is physically demanding. And it’s a lot of fun!

For the die-hards: the Alpi-Trail

If your smartwatch is practically an extension of your arm, and if—on top of knowing what “2,000 D+” means—you find it “motivating” or even “fun”… then the Alpi-Trail organized by the Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix is for you. Starting from the village of Le Tour, you’ll climb to the summit of the Aiguille du Tour in a single, fast-paced day. With a lightweight pack on your back, you’ll run across the moraine of the Glacier du Tour along a steep and sometimes rugged trail. The climb is steep all the way to the Albert I Refuge. Once you reach it, switch out your gear to tackle the mountaineering sections. The final stretch (not exactly a walk in the park) features mixed terrain, including rocky sections… Four to six hours of effort later, you’ll finally be at 3,542 m. Time for a quick break? Not a chance. The descent follows immediately, taken in short strides, for another 3 to 4 hours of “hiking.” Exhausted but happy.

For families: walking on a glacier and sleeping in a mountain hut

For a gentle (and slightly hygge) take on mountaineering, the Compagnie des Guides offers a family-friendly introduction to high-altitude hiking: a hike on the Glacier du Tour, an ice axe and crampon workshop, a fiery sunset over the peaks, and a night at the Albert I refuge. All without stress, but with just the right amount of effort (6 to 7 hours outdoors, after all) to earn that hearty evening meal. Teens (ages 14 and up) love it, and parents ask the guide if it’s possible to extend the experience by one more night… The answer is yes.

La Compagnie des Guides

• Maison de la Montagne - 190, place de l’Église - Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
  04 50 53 00 88
• Argentière Office - 24, route du Village - Argentière
  04 50 54 17 94
• Evolution 2 - 130 Rue des Moulins - Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
  04 50 55 53 57