First On The Rope Av Roger Frison-Roche

<p><em>First on the Rope</em>– the acclaimed English translation of the French fiction classic <em>Premier de Cordée</em> by <strong>Roger Frison-Roche</strong>– is a tale about the harsh lives of mountain guides and their families in the <strong>French Alps</strong> in the 1920s and 1930s.</p><p>An ascent of <strong>Mont Blanc</strong> as porter with his uncle leaves young Pierre further convinced he wants to be a mountaineer, breathing the crisp, pure air and soaking up the splendour of the wild landscape. But his family have other ideas. <strong>Chamonix</strong> is becoming ever more popular with tourists wanting their thrills on the slopes, and they all need somewhere to stay. Running a hotel, however, is not Pierre’s idea of fulfilment.</p><p>Among the glittering peaks and desolate passes, wonderful sunsets and wild winds, tragedy strikes across the <strong>Vallée Blanche</strong> on the Dru: a brutal storm leaves sadness and destruction in its wak