no shortage of accommodation. At Champoussin above Val d’Illiez, the 3-star Hotel Royal Alpage Club has 131 beds (www.royalalpageclub.com), while the less ostentatious Auberge Chez Gaby has 33 beds in 11 rooms (www.chezgaby.ch). Directly above Champéry, Les Crosets has the 3-star Hotel Télécabine (www.hotel-telecabine.com), and the 54-bed Hotel des Portes du Soleil (www.hotel-portes-du-soleil.com). Each of these makes the most of a magnificent panoramic view across the valley, while outline suggestions for walks on the ridge, from which even more extensive views are had, were given under the Val de Morgins sub-chapter (1:1).
But the Portes du Soleil region does not hold a monopoly either on views or on opportunities for mountain activity. On the eastern side of the valley opposite Champéry, a via ferrata route has been devised that picks a way up cliffs above the Tière, a tributary of the Vièze which drains the Lacs d’Antème on the slopes of the Dents du Midi. The
At the head of the valley, about 11km from Champéry, but reached by track and footpath from Grand-Paradis, an open basin of pastureland lies at the foot of the Dents Blanches at an altitude of almost 1500m. This is the Barme alpage, also known as Barmaz, an utterly charming plateau almost completely enclosed by mountains and sliced with streams. Two rustic mountain inns provide accommodation and refreshments: Cantine de Barmaz, which has 50 places in dorms and bedrooms (tel 024 479 11 63); and Cantine des Dents Blanches which is open from the end of May to the beginning of October with 40 dorm places (www.barmaz.com). Nearby, on the edge of woodland overlooking the pastures, a small number of b&b places are available between June and September at Chalet Bicolet (tel 024 471 14 25).
Backed by a line of crags, the Barme alpage lies about 11km from Champéry
It’s possible to drive to the Barme alpage by way of a minor road that extends from Grand-Paradis, but a direct walking route will only take a little over 1½hrs by way of a good track used by the Tour des Portes du Soleil mentioned in 1:1, and is a much better option. There’s also a scenic high route leading from Planachaux (cable car from Champéry) which joins the GR5 to curve below the frontier ridge on the way to Col de Cou in 2½hrs; and a more devious but highly recommended route from Grand-Paradis which begins by heading southeast to the privately owned Bonavau refuge (Cantine de Bonavau), then westward across a narrow saddle of about 1800m by the Signal de Bonavau, before descending to Barme in roughly 2½hrs.
But whichever route is taken to get there, a few days based at the alpage will not be regretted. By day there’s plenty to see and do, while a night spent there has its own very special atmosphere.
The main block of the Dents Blanches, which rises some 1200m above the Barme pastures, has obvious appeal for climbers, but there’s also a line of crags with routes up to 60m high; there are several paths for short walks and longer circuits that involve crossing cols, among them Col de Cou (Col de Coux: 1920m) and the slightly higher neighbouring Col de Bretolet that are noted as being on the route each autumn of large flocks of migrating songbirds heading south across the Alps to winter in Africa or the Mediterranean basin.
Around the block of the Dents Blanches a three–four day trek has been created, most of which takes place on the French side of the mountains, and the suggestion here is to make a counter-clockwise tour, beginning at the Barme pastureland. (For information visit www.tour-dentsblanches.com).
Day 1: From one of the mountain inns at Barme, go up to the Col de Cou and follow GR5 waymarks on the French side below the Terres Maudites cliffs. Continue round to the Col and Refuge de la Golèse then, leaving GR5, branch away up to the Refuge de Bostan-Tornay which stands at 1763m below the Dents d’Oddaz, to conclude a short day’s trek of about 4hrs. The refuge has 100 places and is manned from mid-June until the end of September (www.refugedebostan.com).
Day 2: The second stage is much longer than the first, during which you lose more than 800m of height by descending to Les Allamands and then curving round Le Crêt, followed by a long climb to Refuge de Folly, and an even longer ascent to Combe de Puaires just south of Pointe de la Golette at 2300m, about 7½hrs after setting out. A 300m descent brings the trekker to Lac de la Vogealle in 40mins, with another 20mins needed to reach Refuge de la Vogealle at 1901m. This hut has 40 places, and is manned from mid-June to mid-September (tel 033 450 89 77 59).
Day 3: Returning to Swiss territory by way of the 2395m Col du Sageroux 1½hrs after leaving the Vogealle refuge (beware of stonefall during and after heavy rain), the route of the TDB remains high along the frontier ridge west of Mont Ruan, then uses Col des Ottans (2496m) to descend into the stony Susanfe basin below the Dents du Midi. Reaching Cabane de Susanfe 4hrs after departing the Refuge de la Vogealle, it might be tempting to book a bedspace for the night, as there’s still another 2½hrs or so of trekking left (including the crossing of a minor pass) before reaching Barme. But if you’re not short of time and have plenty of energy, continue downvalley to descend the steep and exposed Pas d’Encel above a ravine, sharing for a while the Tour des Dents du Midi, then break away from that route by a stream, and head across a steep hillside to the privately owned Cantine de Bonavau. Above this a short but steepish climb brings you onto a narrow grass saddle on a spur overlooking the Barme pastures, with a steady descent of the west slope to conclude the trek.
South
