British guide Jon de Montjoye has added two new rock routes to the Perrons, a collection of sharp summits just east of Chamonix's Aiguilles Rouges and above the village of Vallorcine, where de Montjoye has been based for nearly 20 years. His 'back garden' includes many increasingly popular crags and rock walls that straddle the Franco-Swiss border.

The first route, completed towards the end of August with wife Hilary Sharp, lies on the South East Face of Pointe Vouilloz (2,672m), climbing the prominent red pillar at the right-hand end of the main wall. This excellent line, named Bada Bing, is eight pitches long, the upper four sustained 6c+ with the steepest climbing right at the top.

In common with other routes on the face, the extremely sound but compact rock, so typical of this area, results in the line being completely bolted. The fifth pitch is a little longer than 50m and 17 quick draws should be carried.

In 2007 de Montjoye and Sharp climbed another 350m route on the pear-shaped buttress of the Pain de Sucre (2,646m) just left of the main face, working ground up and bolting from skyhooks. The 10-pitch line was called A Bigger Bang, after the name of a Rolling Stones concert the pair went to see in Lyon in between equipping pitches seven and eight. This has difficulties up to 7a, 6c obl.

This year de Montjoye added another route parallel to, and right of, A Bigger Bang; between it and the Reiffel-Charlet Route. Climbed with Swiss guru and guidebook author Michel Piola, the line is as yet unnamed but is perhaps a bit more sustained than A Bigger Bang and with longer runouts between bolts. Maximum difficulties are 6c+

The Perrons de Vallorcine (highest summit, Grands Perrons 2,673m), which sports a classic ridge traverse, fine views over the Mont Blanc Range, and lies a little over one hour's walk from the famous tourist attraction of the Emosson Dam, now has around 17 routes on its sunny South East Face. These will be included in the second volume of Michel Piola's comprehensive topo guide to the increasingly popular Aiguilles Rouges. The first volume, covering the western sector from Brevant to Chezerys, was released this summer.

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