Ailefroide, France

Ailefroide in the Barre des Ecrins region of the French alps is an increasingly well-known bouldering destination, and for good reason: Alpine meadows, pine trees, tall jagged peaks, shady terraces to sip café au lait, and hundreds of problems to try, often within a minute's walk of the road.

Traveling up to Ailefroide from L'Argentière La Bessée, you wind through the picturesque communities of Valouise and Pelvoux, before crossing the river that flows from the glaciers at the head of the Ailefroide valley -- the famed glaciers Noir and Blanc, extremely popular with day-hikers. Green grass and deciduous trees crowd the road below Ailefroide village where the first bouldering appears on large solitary blocks of gneiss. Above the village, the trees thin and turn to pines, the grass becomes scarcer, and the rocky alpine view takes on a more austere, yet still beautiful appearance, with boulders sometimes sitting on rubble slopes where careful spotting and padding is essential.

Though relatively cool for the region, owing to the altitude of 8000-9000 feet, you'll still contend with the heat and humidity that regularly builds here into thundershowers during the summer months. The rock often presents sharp crimps that cut into unprepared skin, and on my first visit to the area, I ripped open a deep gash on my left index finger at my first attempt at the area's most famous line, Le Surprise du Chef -- an awesome V8/9 testpiece requiring a big dyno from a razor crimp to catch a flat edge. After taping up, I re-caught the flatty, and fought hard to reach the top, extending to the tip of my toes to gain the lip by sidepulling a disappointingly bad two-finger pocket. This superb line -- a kind of Midnight Lightning of the French Alps -- was first climbed by master alpinist, sport climber and boulderer, Alain Ghersen, in 1985.

The continued development of this area over the last few years has been spearheaded by some of the most talented climbers in France -- Antony Lamiche and Francois Lombard -- among others. No matter how strong a climber you are, don't be surprised if you are bouted by "7a+" (V7-ish) problems here during the summer -- problems that these locals have ruthlessly dialed. Sandbagging visitors is done almost unconsciously it seems, with Lamiche telling me one day that a new problem he had just established was, "Not so hard, probably like a 7a or 7c …." carelessly suggesting a range from V6 to V9/10 for the problem! But then, this is the guy who flashed the Mandala (V11/12) at the Buttermilks, and ticked the sit-start a few days later.

Lamiche, who hails from L'Argentière La Bessée has hard alpine ascents, first ski descents, and competition wins to his credit. He is not only a sponsored climber and mountain guide, he is also a sponsored skier! The all-around climbing phenomenon has established an 8c/V15 here -- a long, difficult traverse into the low-start to Surprise du Chef, which Lamiche calls "8c bloc" in the local guidebook. Acclaim was given to Lamiche in the French climbing press when he completed this long-standing project. However on the Pont boulder, is his 8b/V13 that probably has the hardest single move in the area -- an outrageous dyno from the poorest of crimps to gain a terrible sloping pinch.

For big, hard lines check out La Steppe Boulder at the top of the valley (three pads), La Capital (take at least four pads for this highballing adventure), and Le Pont (two or three pads). If you are looking for easier lines and more friendly holds and landings, check out the Reception Boulder, the smooth slopers on the back of the Pave Boulder and the superb hidden Mushroom Boulder -- but there are plenty more. The valley has great camping, reasonably-priced chalets or hotels, enough cafes and bars to keep you in crepes, coffee, and comfortable patio boozing. There are a couple of small stores selling bread and other essentials. Add to this, great views and a steady stream of tourists on the weekends, and you have a fun area to pass a couple of leisurely weeks, no matter what grade you climb.

-- Wills Young