New Chamonix Multi-Activity Guide Out

New guide covers a range of mountain activities throughout the Chamonix valley - fire up the camper van...

New from outdoor specialist publisher Cicerone Press is Chamonix Mountain Adventures by Hilary Sharp, the second in a series of multi-activity guidebooks covering everything from trail-running and biking through to full-on alpine climbing in the Chamonix valley area.

We really like the concept behind the Mountain Adventures series - see our review of Mountain Adventures in the Maurienne - which mixes up a whole bunch of outdoor activities in a single volume. So you get routes for walking, trail-running, cycling - both on and off road - via ferratas, rock climbing and alpine mountaineering in a single volume.

The idea is that you can rock up in you camper van with family, mates, bikes, boots and whatever, and take your pick from the mix of stuff on offer without having to splash out on multiple guide books or pore over badly-translated free route guides from the tourist office. 

Cicerone says that the guide, put together by Chamonix resident and International Mountain Leader, Hilary Sharp covers everything from easy family strolls through to 'moderate rock climbs and glacier hikes, which require either technical skills or a professional guide'. It also includes eight classic alpine routes including Mont Blanc and the Cosmiques.

Obviously, if you're gunning for hardcore alpine routes, then you'll need a specialist guide book, but this would also make an ace accompaniment to keep you entertained on rest days. And assuming it's put together in the same vein as the Maurienne volume - the Vanoise and Dauphiné Alps if you weren't sure - it'll be nicely presented, well researched and easy to use.

Mountain Adventures - Chamonix is £14.95 from the Cicerone Press web site - www.ciceronepress.co.uk - but if you're quick on the draw, there's 25% off all Cicerone guidebooks bought between now and 31 May, 2012, which makes it - erm, fingers, abacus, furrowed brow - £11.21.