Guidebook for Maritime Alps Moderate Rock

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 brunoschull 22 Nov 2019

Hi.  I'd like to follow up on a recent thread about moderate alpine rock routes. One respondent (gooberman-hill) mentioned the Maritime Alps, including several climbs such as:

Traverse of the  Cime Saint Robert, Grand Cayre de la Madone North-West Ridge (AD), Petit Cayre de la MadoneEperon nord-ouest (TD-), and Cayres de la Cougourde Eperon Demenge (D+).

These climbs look great.  I've been to Cham lots of times, but I'd love to go further South.

What is the recommended guidebook for this area, and where can I buy it?

Many thanks,

Bruno

 gooberman-hill 22 Nov 2019
In reply to brunoschull:

Hi Bruno,

If you are looking for an English language guide, I recommend the Robin Coullomb guide. It may be old, but it is still really good:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mercantour-Park-Maritime-Alpine-Guides/dp/09062272...

All the routes mentioned, and more, are in this guide, along with a lot of good hiking and scrambling.

There is also a french language guide to the area. I'll post the details here later this weekend when I have it in front of me (waiting for a bus at Geneva airport right now!)

Steve

OP brunoschull 22 Nov 2019

Thanks for the reply Steve--A French guide book recommendation would be great!  I try to buy my guidebooks in the local language (French, Italian, and so on).  Helps me learn the language, and pick up a bit of the culture.  I'm really excited to explore that part of the Alps. Thanks again, Bruno.

 gooberman-hill 22 Nov 2019
In reply to brunoschull:

A couple of further recommendations:

ArĂȘte Sud (Sigismondi) (AD) on the Argentera is fab. 

Traverse of Main Ridge (AD)on Point Andre is a lovely gentle introduction to Alpinism.

You can do the Argentera from the French side there and back in a day, although a stay in the Remondino hut is nice. If you are going up the normal route on the Argentera, then when you decsend down towards the Argentera you go through a rock band and down onto scree. At this point, traverse directly rightwards across the screes under the Nasta and pick up the path up the Argentera on the other side of the hut. It's much quicker and less faff, saving you a nasty blocky descent and re-ascent. Remember where you rejoined the path for the way back If you are into running / scrambling this is a good hard day out!

Steve

OP brunoschull 22 Nov 2019

I found this:

https://www.alticoop.com/boutique/montagne/litterature-et-cartes/topos-mont...

and

https://www.alticoop.com/boutique/montagne/litterature-et-cartes/topos-esca...

The latter appears very sport climbing oriented, but perhaps the former is a good guide for what I'm seeking (climbs such as those you have mentioned).

Just thought I'd ask around before I buy

Thanks again, Bruno

(I'm based in Switzerland, where are you?)

 gooberman-hill 23 Nov 2019
In reply to brunoschull:

Hi Bruno,

I have both these guides. The former is the comprehensive guide to the French side of the range - so it has nothing on the Argentera and Nasta group (where there is some very fine climbing). The latter is as you say the sport climbing guide to the arriere pays from the coast up to the border.

I also have an Italian language guide to the Argentera and Nasta group. It's called All'ombra della Nasta, and was published by the CAI Cuneo section. I haven't found it on their website (caicuneo.it), but this site may have a copy. https://www.anobii.com/books/All%27ombra_della_Nasta/0157dae30a6dba0993

If you are going to go down there for a look, I would recommend the Coullomb guide as it covers both sides of the range, is pretty comprehensive for walking and scrambling, with a selection of the better climbs, mainly at easier grades. If you decide to dig deeper I would then go for the French and Italian guides.

While I am UK based, I used to spend quite a lot of time down there. These days I spend more time in Chamonix, although  I still get down there from time to time.

Steve


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