Altitrail Mont-Blanc, a trail running guide book review

During the summer 2014 I spent a few weeks walking and running in the Alps.  It was the first time I had been to the alps during the summer months for around four years and more since I had visited with the sole purpose of not climbing or mountaineering.  The climbing box made it into the van but lack of partners and a regained love of fast light travel through the mountains meant that it stayed in there.

The Altitrail Mont-Blanc guidebook

Before I left I was handed a trail running guide book, Altitrail Mont-Blanc, a JMEditions book by Pascal Frerot, published in English and French.  Generally I prefer to invent my own routes, going where it looks exciting and to places I haven't been, so I was a bit sceptical.  However I now can't wait to 'tick off' more of the runs in there.

Route 16 by the Glacier du Trient

The book is light enough to carry in your rucksack (along with the relevant map I hasten to add), and is packed with photos of the routes and terrain.  It is split into four sections, three of increasing difficulty and length, and one of vertical kilometers - this might sound a bit odd to some runners, but is all the craze on the continent!  After the short but interesting introductory pages of the book, you soon get into the various routes.

The first page of a route from the guidebook

Each route in the book has an ascent, descent, length in km, timings, water fill up points, map required, terrain guide, time of year to run in etc... in addition to the description.  This is the place to start when deciding which run is for you, and the extra's such as the water and refreshment notes are really useful.  The timings are given as an estimate, e.g. 3-5hrs, the 3 hours being that expected of a 'world class trail runner... 1500m ascent per hour and 16km/h', and the 5 hours that of an average trail runner, '650m ascent per hour and 7km/h'.  This is accompanied by a rough map of the route and a profile chart.

The second page of the same route from the guidebook showing how the routes are described alongside the photos

After the short fact box the description begins, easy to follow (despite being in two languages) and packed with pictures of the route - complete with the route drawn on like a climbing guidebook.  The route is broken down into small timed sections, and always has an add on 'to do more' if you have enough energy at the end.  

Perfect trails and perfect views in the Chamonix valley

 With routes from 13.5km to 36km, ascents of 1100m to 2900m (excluding the vertical km's) there is something for everyone, beginner to seasoned pro.  I can thoroughly recommend route no. 15, Balcon de Varan et desert de Plate, it was incredible, exhilarating, and I would never have thought of visiting this area without the book.  I got my copy as a special from Cotswold Outdoor Royal Oak for £22.95, and although that's not cheap it's well worth it, think of it as 85pence per route!

Photo of the book's front cover and the photos of inside the book all come from JMEditions.