D'escalade à Chamonix

So my buddy is getting married in France on July 24. I think that's a pretty good excuse to go get some climbing in Chamonix! I should have two weeks there. I'd like to get on stuff in the 5.8-5.10 and Grade 3-4 ice range. Anyone got any beta?

Specifically:
-Climbing guide to pick up?
-Anything to avoid?
-Awesome/Terrible campgrounds?

ANYTHING will be helpful. Thanks!

Try finding this guide book series for Chamonix: Topo of the Mont-Blanc range by Michel Piola. I have a copy and it lists several rock climbs (nothing mixed)with excellent topos of the routes on various parts of the massif. I have one of these books I purchased in Paris a long time ago. worth it if you can find it, as it is accurate and small in size. We stayed just outside Chamonix, in Saint Gervais-les-Bains, and found it to be much cheaper. You can catch a train to Chamonix from there. It is only about 7 klicks from the town centre. We rented a three bedroom apartment as our French friends had lots of people visiting. Chamonix is the total bomb as far as mountain access is concerned. If you speak a bit of mangled French, the locals will be cool. If you have a spare day, try taking the tele-cabin from Aiguille du Midi over to Point Helbronner in Italy. Not cheap, but the view is completely incredible on a clear day. One warning: Chamonix isn't an inexpensive place.

Cool, thanks a lot for all the information. Yeah, I've heard it isn't cheap but I'm going to try to camp it and stay away from bars/restaraunts/etc.

Hi. I went to Chamonix last summer. A good guidebook for rock routes is "Chamonix Crag Climbs" by Francois Burnier & Dominique Potard. It's available on Amazon UK or you can buy it at Snell Sports, the local climbing store. Closest crag to town is I think Les Gaillands, which has single and multi-pitch routes in a range of difficulties. If you're interested in mountaineering routes, there's a book called "The Mont Blanc Range: Classic Snow, Ice, and Mixed Climbs". Mostly easier stuff from PD to maybe D, so you won't find the Walker Spur in it but for my purposes it was perfect - descriptive and beautiful color photos.

I'm not really good at interpreting the French alpine rating system quite yet. Think I'll actually have to get on a route to figure it out completely. But, I was thinking of alpine routes rather than cragging. But, if the Walker Spur is in that 5.8-5.10 range that is EXACTLY the kind of stuff I want to try to get on.

PM sent. And the Walker Spur is exactly the kind of route you DO NOT want to get on your first trip.

If you aren't dead set on camping, the ski station next to the Brevard Gondola is a great place to stay: it is dormitory style quarters with a great kitchen for only 8 euros a night. Lots of good company making dinner in the kitchen with climbers and skiers from all over the world.

Not dead set on camping, just figured it would be the cheaper option. 8 euro with access to a kitchen would be pretty sweet. I'll have to check that out.

Haha, yeah, maybe not so much the Walker Spur...I just meant not cragging. Alpine routes are what I want.