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The road actually continues a short distance beyond the hotel to the barrage, and through tunnels emerges in the upper reaches of the valley on the west side of Lac de Mauvoisin, where a track (banned to private vehicles) continues almost as far as Cabane de Chanrion. On the east side of the barrage another track goes through more tunnels before heading south high above the water level. This is the preferred route by which to approach the Chanrion Hut, for about 30mins beyond the barrage a waymarked path strikes up the hillside, and crossing pastures eventually leads to the Lacs de Tsofeiret. Across the valley the abrupt wall of Combin de la Tsessette’s East Face makes an impressive show. About 70m above the largest of the three lakes, Col de Tsofeiret is very much a col of two sides; on the north it’s a grass slope, but the south side is precipitous rock down which steep zigzags lead to a chain-assisted stretch, then wood-braced steps before tucking against crags and descending to a moraine wilderness deposited by the Glacier du Brenay. About 40mins from the col you arrive at the Cabane de Chanrion (2462m), set in a basin of grass bluffs, pool-filled hollows, and mountains hung about with small glaciers, 3½hrs from the Mauvoisin roadhead (www.chanrion.ch).