The Swiss Alpine Club Geneva section goes to the Saleve once a week and uses the CEPTA climbing wall one evening a week in winter.  The carouge section uses a wall somewhere near Servette.  In each case the 'instructors' are French speaking. CAF Annemasse has a small hut and climbing wall near le Coin.  may the most impressive are the amis montagnards whoose climbing wall and club locale are instead a churxh near the St Georges cemetery.  Unfortunately no steeple but still the vaulted roof provides an overhang. Nice atmosphere but do not think thre is any instruction.  a lot of glocals post outings to climbing walls or climbing.  Depends what level you are.  Also depends if you a re long term and French speaker.  

Thank you so much. I am still all new to this climbing ,so I want to start leaning more.I do speak french with my lovely English accent!

I will def join some outings. But need to get going first. Do you know of anyone whoo gives lessons.

Will check and revert.  Maybe some glocal can offer.  have you done any climbing at all?

I have done lots of weeks in mountains. mainly just using chains and basic stuff.

Just following and copying others. Now I would like to really learn my stuff. eady for next season.Thanks

You can also go at Centre Sportif de la queue d'Arve near Jonction. As for Amis Montagnards, you can join us on Tuesday evenings if you want to get a touch at the club and see what we're up to.

:)

Qwertz will correct me if I am wrong but this is my impression of the Amis Montagnards and CAS Geneve.  Atmosphere - even though not a member I find the atmosphere on a tuesday night at AM excellent but best to arrange to meet up with someone (e.g Qwertz).  I have always gone with a group of CAS Geneva interlopers.  My impression is that the age of people attending the Tuesday evenings is lower but as you modestly refuse to state your age and it is not clear from the photo whether you are a hen or a chicken.......   I understand from climbers who are members of the AM that there are many more climbing ooutings arranged by them than CAS.  On the other hand CAS concentrates on teaching and bringing poeple up to grade 5, above that you tend to team up with equally capable people.  Not to be forgotten is CAS Carouge but I do not know their programme.  Michel Piola - one of the top climbers 15-20 years ago and still very active left Geneva section 3 years ago and joined Carouge.  His daughter who was Swiss indoor climbing champion is also a member of Carouge. information on the Geneva section you can find below.  If you have have done walks where cahins are used as opposed to via ferrata andd you enjoyed it then a progression to climbing is a normal reaction.  In this case from the extract below you should contact Rodolfo Zumbino by email in French - I have heard he is an excellent instructor  

Entraînements à l'escalade

MUR D'ESCALADE - Adultes

De début octobre à mi-avril, des entraînements d'escalade auront lieu, le mardi de 18 heures à 20 heures (sauf pendant les vacances scolaires) sur le mur d'escalade du CEPTA (salle de gym : 18, ch. Gérard-de-Ternier - 1213 Petit-Lancy) - Bus n°10, arrêt CEPTA. - Prière de prendre votre matériel de base - Prêt possible.

Encadrement & animation : Des membres de la commission des courses.

Renseignements auprès de Rodolfo ZUMBINO  [email protected]

SOIREES D'ESCALADE - Adultes

En prolongement de l'entraînement en salle, des soirées d'entraînement à l'extérieur seront organisées le mardi à partir de la mi-avril. Les informations détaillées paraîtront dans le bulletin du mois d'avril ainsi que sur ce site (www.cas-geneve.ch)

Renseignements auprès de Rodolfo ZUMBINO  [email protected]

ENTRAÎNEMENTS A L'ESCALADE EN HAUTE-SAVOIE

Des sorties d'escalade seront organisées le samedi en Haute Savoie, Suisse Romande et Val d'Aoste de fin avril au début décembre 2010. Se reporter aux bulletins mensuels pour les dates et les inscriptions.

Ces sorties se font au départ de Genève. Le déplacement se fait avec les voitures des participants (coût 20 cts/KM/participant/chef de course exclu). L'équipement est celui de varappeur + chaussures de trek et équipement personnel pour une journée en montagne. Ces journées d'escalade s'adressent à des personnes disposant déjà de connaissances de base de l'escalade et du maniement du matériel. Il ne s'agit pas d'un cours d'initiation. Les participants doivent maîtriser le degré 5c en second. Le but de ces journées est de perfectionner la technique d'escalade (notamment l'escalade en tête).

Renseignements : Pierre Zach     e-mail : [email protected]

Wow. That is fantastic. I will do that. Im female and just about to reach the big 40!but i can just about mange to get about!!!lol

Thank you so much for all of that. Away on business till September the 18th. But on my return will make some contacts.

Many thanks again

Check out this site and find the walks which i am leading on 18th September and 2nd October.  The first is not too difficult. there is over the two days one section of chains which really do not need to  be used but (if I can find the way into it) the first day takes us up the combe de Rechy which was a hideoutof the French resistance a^nd, if we get into it, you will understand why (nothing compared to the plateau de Glieres).  The first time I got there I was confronted by a chamois and had to stare it out - normally they run like hell when they see a human. The second is a simple traverse from Sixt to Chamonix which gives a good overview of eastern Hte Savoie. The only difference is that for 50% of the 2 day traverse I somehow manage to avoid the normal path. in each case we stay at the chalet de Moede d'Anter5ne run by the daughter or granddaughter of one of the resistance fighters in the conbe de Rechy.  To join go to http://www.cas-geneve.ch/mCouAct.php?idGroupe=3 find the walk (in each case the chef de course is Paul Everett) hit demande d'inscription follow the instructions but for safety send me a confirming email on [email protected].  There will probably be some climbers present.  By the way this is not a Club Alpin Suisse marketing exercise these are two bloody good two day outings and i pride myself on being able to look at a map see where the paths go and a find a more interesting, less frequented alternative. 

hi, did you start, i would like to learn .. please tell me where you go. I am lookinh for a club to start .. thank you

I went to Val D'aoste twice and the lessons were good. It's about an hour 20 from Geneva. The first two or three of the climbs were easier, at an incline rather than straight up so that you learn to use the shoes. 

The second time I went I was enjoying the climbing, that fear of the void had gone and working on style was the next step. 

I know that some people went climbing indoors but you might as well do it outdoors with a good guide, to enjoy the landscape and the food. 

Yopu can always go with a guide and pay and it is no necessay to go as far as val d'aoste.  you can learn on the Saleve but it you are not made of money then you cantact the clubs mentioned earlier and you have a chance of meeting like-minded people with the same level of experience and then eventually as you learn you team up and do things independently which is always very satisfying.  Indoor climbing walls are usually used in winter or when you only have an hour to spare

Hi, I have sent an email to Rodlopho, but I don't get any news.. I would relally like to start in October. Do you have any phone number ?

Thanks

He is very bad at replying.  Did you send in French?   This Thursday we have a meal at the Alpine club where the new memebrs are introduced and there is a presentation of what we do.  Please copy me the email on [email protected]

Hi Anna sorry I am away untill the 21st of Sept. Yes another guy has contacted me and we are going to start indoors in Geneva and go from there. He has been visiting diff walls to see which is best. When I get back ill contact you, Ok.

ok, don't hesitate.

For indoor climbing, if you don't need classes, you should try the Migros Vitam'Park. I like that place much better than Queue d'Arve, the routes are more diversified and interesting. It's also cheaper and you can rent the material (they lend you the rope for free already). There are also two nice bouldering areas.

Pika, can a person go alone or is a partner always needed?  I'm wondering if they have some kind of continuous belay system for solo climbers...

Richard, there is no mechanical belaying system there, but I saw some time people climbing with the people working there, I don't know if they were taking classes or just ask to be belayed...

I just looked on the website http://www.vitamparc.com/fr/page/cours and I see that they provide courses. You can try to call them, or maybe go on a not too crouded time and ask someone who's not climbing. Otherwise, there is the bouldering if you like it.

Hello..

 I am new to both to Geneva and to Climbing...I have been living in Switzerland almost 8 years but in Zurich...so my French language skill is next to nothing ;-) So if you have found any places where I can learn climbing without demanding French language skills...I am up for it...

Kindly let me know.

Cheers, Krish

hey there,

I'm new in geneva too.. I found 2 places where you can boulder and 1 where you can climb in geneva... we can choose a date and meet there togheter.. let me know...