From Introduction Level | Private Guiding
♦ Experienced UIAGM/IFMGA mountain guides
♦ Fun and exiting days
♦ Climbing and scrambling
♦ Beautiful nature environments
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Anytime during the year when the snow is higher than 1800m
Via Cordas
Below, we mention a few Via Cordas we find around Chamonix. Via cordas are great for friends and family as an active and fun outing. Even if you are new to climbing, this is possible. At the end of the day, everyone is satisfied and tired 🙂
The routes appeal as they evolve on natural rock in the lower scale of difficulty and will take a natural way up through a succession of smaller clifts. Climbing, you will need to use climbing techniques, such as finding foot placement, using the friction on the rock, staying in balance, reaching up high, getting over small bulges and searching for the best handholds. They might even present a few sections where good route-finding is needed to stay on the right track.
The route’s easy grades and non-serious low-angle terrain are excellent for teaching rope work, belaying, training to move together on easy ground, efficiency, and optimizing changeover speed. This should interest anyone who wishes to enhance their techniques as a start to multi-pitch climbing. The difficulty is relatively low, so on many occasions, the guide can solo next to a team and observe their progress.
Some sections we breeze through, such as going together and holding the rope short between us. On other sections, we climb roped up, clipping into anchors and belaying. More or less like you would if climbing on alpine climbs and normal multi-pitch climbs.
If the weather isn’t good enough to climb the Via Corda, the guide will transform the day into single-pitch rock climbing on nearby protected cliffs or even propose a Via Ferrata climb.
Around Chamonix, we have some very nice Via Corda’s. The best are listed below.
Via Corda des Rocher des Mottets
This long and relatively easy rock climb/scramble is situated on the left side of the Arveyron river gorge. The route follows a succession of low-angle rock slabs polished by glaciers for hundreds of years. Plenty of short walks inbetween the difficulties make for nice breaks inbetween the climbing sections.
The need for precise foot placement, coordination and balance is excellent training for any mountain objective and is fun and exciting.
This is one of our absolute favourite easy climbs. It is such a nice outing in a fantastic environment.
The Via Corda can be climbed with a pair of tight-fitting trainers. Some smooth slabs in the middle of the route climbing shoes can be useful, but for most people, they are unnecessary.
At the top of the climb, we arrive at the Mottets buvette. Time for refreshments.
Group size: Max. 4 participants per guide.
Minimum height of participant: 1.30cm tall
Difficulty: PD / Mostly easy scrambling, but grade 3-4 sections on rock.
Route elevation gain: 560m
Route length: 900m (depending on sections made).
Estimated route time: 2-4h (with 30mn approach).
Overall time: 4-5h
Descent time: About 45mn
Via Caline
The Via Caline is a lovely and easy climb on nice rock sections near the Via Corda described above. It has nineteen short and well-equipped pitches. It is a good route for a fun day out and can be climbed with a pair of well-fitting approach shoes. Those who haven’t much climbing experience should bring regular climbing shoes.
Moving together using short rope techniques is possible when the difficulty is low and makes it possible to move quickly through some of the pitches.
At the top of the climb, we arrive at the Mottets buvette. Time for refreshments.
The route is excellent for a team of 2 to practise techniques and rope work.
Group size: Max. 3 participants per guide.
Minimum height of participant: 1.30cm tall
Difficulty: AD- / 4b, with many more accessible sections (19 short pitches)
Route elevation gain: 560m
Route length: 300m
Estimated route time: 3h (with 45mn approach).
Overall time: 4-5h
Descent time: About 45mn
Via Corda Damou
Much like Via Corda des Mottets, the Damou is set on rock slaps previously covered and polished by glaciers. The route is situated in Argentiere below the Argentiere glacier. It is easier and shorter than the Via Corda des Mottets but has more variations. The climbing is predominantly on low-angled slaps but does present a few steeper sections. It has a nice walk-in and walk-off and is never too busy. It can work great as an introduction for the youngest climbers to a multi-pitch adventure.
There is even a little but decent bouldering area in the forest below.
Group size: Max. 4 participants per guide.
Minimum height of participant: 1.30cm tall
Difficulty: F+ / Grade 3b-3c
Route elevation gain: about 300m
Route length: 400m
Estimated route time: 2h
Overall time: 4h
Descent time: About 45mn
Summer 2025
| No. of Participants | Price per person | Total group price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 450€ | 450€ |
| 2 | 250€ | 500€ |
| 3 | 185€ | 555€ |
| 4 | 150€ | 600€ |
The prices are displayed as the guide’s day rate according to the number of participants. Have a look at what is “Included” and “Excluded” under the price table.
The prices are shown for a single Via Corda outing.
Some climbs are only suitable for smaller groups. A maximum number of people are shown on our suggested climbs.
Included
UIAGM/IFMGA guide
A professional mountain guide will lead, instruct the group, and ensure security.
Group equipment
All ropes, carabiners & safety gear
Harness & Helmets
In case you don’t have your equipment we will provide the harness & helmets.
Excluded
Any cost not mentioned in the “Included” section. The most important ones are:
Personal equipment
Check the gear section.
Lunches & drinks
Bring a sandwich/water bottle
Insurance
You should make sure you are adequately insured. Check our page on insurance.
Lift tickets
We rarely need to buy a ticket, as most of the routes start from the valley floor
Transport
We strive to make meeting points easily reached with—the valley bus/train system. If we have cars (guide + potentially client car), we will use them when needed.
If we drive further away, the participants must pay the transport cost (fuel, parking, road tolls, tunnel fee, etc.).
The prices are displayed as the guide’s day rate according to the number of participants. Have a look at what is “Included” and “Excluded” under the price table.
The prices are shown for a single Via Corda outing.
Some climbs are only suitable for smaller groups. A maximum number of people are shown on our suggested climbs.
Included
UIAGM/IFMGA guide
A professional mountain guide will lead, instruct the group, and ensure security.
Group equipment
All ropes, carabiners & safety gear
Harness & Helmets
In case you don’t have your equipment we will provide the harness & helmets.
Excluded
Any cost not mentioned in the “Included” section. The most important ones are:
Personal equipment
Check the gear section.
Lunches & drinks
Bring a sandwich/water bottle
Insurance
You should make sure you are adequately insured. Check our page on insurance.
Lift tickets
We rarely need to buy a ticket, as most of the routes start from the valley floor
Transport
We strive to make meeting points easily reached with—the valley bus/train system. If we have cars (guide + potentially client car), we will use them when needed.
If we drive further away, the participants must pay the transport cost (fuel, parking, road tolls, tunnel fee, etc.).
We either drive together or meet at a set venue. The guide will hand out the equipment, and we will walk to the start of the route. A small backpack is necessary for the gear, water, and jacket.
Arriving at the foot of the route, we put on our harnesses and helmets. The guide ropes the team up for the climb, and on the harder sections, we climb the route in pitches, as on multi-pitch climbs.
We will make several small stops along the route for drinks, photos, and rest. When we reach the summit, we can enjoy the views and have a well-deserved break. The descent is often not too long.
Depending on the weather, you can wear shorts or long-legged pants. Long-legged pants protect against scrapes from touching the rock.
You must bring a light wind & rain-resistant jacket as the weather can change quickly.
Shorts or long-legged pants
T-shirt
Light jumper
Rain jacket
Approach shoes/running trainers/boots
Climbing shoes (on some Via cordas) – can be rented in shops in Chamonix.
Small, light & compact backpack
Helmet*
Harness*
*We can provide these items, but you must let us know beforehand.
Food and drinks
Small first-aid set
Mobile phone
Sunscreen
Tour Grade: From 1/From A
Please read through the requirements for participating in this tour and follow the link to the “grading page.”
Technical Level
You must be well-balanced and well-coordinated. When the difficulty arises any climbing experience will come in handy, such as using foot and handholds on the rock and using the body’s flexibility and core strength to negotiate steep and overhanging terrain.
Fitness
You must be physically healthy and ready to be on the go for several hours.
General Information
Getting to Chamonix or the course venue
For most of our clients, the easiest way to get to Chamonix or the Alps, in general, is by plane. The nearest airport is Geneva.
Read more about getting to Chamonix here – Click here.
Valley accommodation
Not everyone wants the same accommodation type, so we rarely include Valley accommodation. Check our suggested hotels, B&B, and campsites on this page – Click here.
If you want us to include hotel nights in the price, please let us know what standard you are looking for.
Insurance
You must take out search & rescue, repatriation, and cancellation insurance. Read more about insurance here – Click here.
Safety
We believe our finest task is to give every client a unique mountain experience without taking unnecessary risks. The experience of the mountain guide, access to the most recent weather forecasts, and information sharing between guides are some of the important elements for making good and sound judgment calls. Suppose conditions or other situations render an attempt at a peak dangerous, avalanche conditions of a ski tour no longer possible, etc.. In that case, the guide will do his/her best to devise a good alternate plan. This might be a 100% change of the program. Emphasis is put on staying safe and having a great time!
Mountain huts
In some of our courses, we stay in mountain huts. On hut-to-hut trips, they are part of the itinerary; at other times, we use them as the starting point for a climb or ski tour.
The mountain huts offer basic accommodation in bunk-style rooms. Blankets and duvets are in the huts, so you don’t need to bring a sleeping bag. It is obligatory to bring a sleeping bag liner.
We are served a simple breakfast and a 3-course dinner (soup, main meal, dessert).
We will let the guardian of the hut know if you are on a special diet (vegetarians, allergies, etc.). Vegans will need to bring supplementary food.
There are hut slippers available for use inside the hut.
It’s helpful to bring cash for personal expenses (water, soft drinks, beer, lunches, etc.)
There is mostly no tap water in the huts, and you must buy bottled water.
You will be able to charge your phone.
Some mountain huts have showers. You must mostly pay for this; only a few huts can provide towels.
Make a booking
Please read through all the course information. Please make sure that you have the required level to join the course.
Contact us if you have any questions.
Read more about the booking process here – Click here.
We will need all to join a course to complete our “Participation Form.”
