North Face of Mont Blanc du Tacul

Contamine Grisolle Route - II/AD+
This is a mixed route that is a great introduction to North Face climbs in the Alps. It includes 4 hours of climbing Scottish III mixed ground with everything from snow ice through to a bit of mixed chimney climing action. It is never steeper than 55 degrees and finishes on the summit of Mont Blanc du Tacul.

Chere Couloir - II/4
This is a brilliant ice route that reminded me of the likes of Comb Gully on Ben Nevis. The main difference is that you will be climbing it with blue skies and sunshine over your head - the route itself stays in the shade though. It has 6 pitches of climbing with 2 of them steep at 85degrees and then you can follow mixed ground to the summit or do as we did and abseil off in-situ belays. We climbed it in 2009.

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