Following the publication of the first volume of “Suisse extrême Ouest” in 2023, here is the second volume. This guide describes the most beautiful multi-pitch routes (starting at 6a) from Fribourg to Vaud, including the Bernese Oberland, as well as a few sites in Valais. The number of multi-pitch climbing areas is enormous, and since the last single-volume edition in 2010, many new routes have been established and older ones have been restored.
The areas featured here represent some of the finest climbing Switzerland has to offer. Some of them, such as the Virements, can easily rival the best in Europe. The diversity is vast: in the west, limestone walls dominate (with the exception of the Petit Clocher du Portalet), while in the east, the granite formations of the Grimsel and Furka Passes take center stage. Crowds have noticeably thinned in certain areas since the wave of route development in the 1990s. Technically demanding climbing and the commitment required for difficult multi-pitch routes seem to have fallen somewhat out of fashion. But trends come and go, and routes are once again being tackled more often when precise information—such as that found in the Filidor guidebooks—is available.