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The route to Finhaut and Col de la Gueulaz above the Emosson dam breaks away from the main Martigny to Chamonix road a short distance outside Le Châtelard. It makes for a scenically exciting drive, for as you sweep up the hillside a view opens through the upper Vallée du Trient to its glacier, then as you pass above Finhaut a retrospective view to the northeast reveals the Bernese Alps beyond the Rhône valley, and finally and most remarkably, Mont Blanc and the Aiguilles dominate the southern horizon with a vision of snow, ice and jagged granite ramparts.

Col de la Gueulaz (1965m) marks the roadhead with plenty of parking space, a bus stop, tourist information kiosk, a restaurant, public toilets, a small chapel and views overlooking the Lac d’Emosson. By walking up the steep path above the chapel for 10–15mins, the modest summit of Six Jeur unfolds a truly impressive panorama, and is recommended.

From the dam Lac d’Emosson is seen stretching north for about 4.5km towards the head of the Barberine valley where Mont Ruan and the Tour Sallière close it off with an arc of rock and ice. Despite the intrusion of the massive dam wall, it is an enticing, wild-looking district with several worthwhile outings for both walkers and climbers, but it’s difficult to resist speculating how lovely the valley must have been before the first dam was built here in 1926. Until then the Barberine valley was noted for its alpine pastures and small farms; it was visited by a few climbers, botanists and perhaps chamois hunters, and it was near the head of the valley on its west side that Jacques Balmat, who had made the first ascent of Mont Blanc with Dr Paccard, lost his life in 1834 when prospecting for gold.