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  For more spectacular views of the Dents du Midi, however, the ridge that runs from La Foilleuse at 1814m to the 1950m Col des Portes du Soleil, takes a lot of beating. The ridge may be gained by footpath or chairlift from Morgins, and less than 2hrs of easy walking is needed to get from one end to the other. Views from here are not only of the Dents du Midi, but of Mont Ruan and the wall of the Dents Blanches to the south which is also impressive, as is the skyline of the Mont Blanc range beyond and above intervening ridges. And it would be perfectly feasible for a keen walker to continue as far as the Portes de l’Hiver (see the previous paragraph) and descend to Morgins by reversing the route suggested above.

  The major walking challenge of the district, however, is the multi-day Tour des Portes du Soleil which, as its name suggests, makes a circuit of the region, much of it in neighbouring France. It’s a longish tour demanding a total of about 44hrs of walking time on an assortment of trails, tracks and minor roads. Sadly there’s a considerable amount of downhill ski terrain to contend with, with the inevitable tows and lifts that clutter the landscape, but the route also enjoys some splendid semi-wild sections with glorious vistas. Accommodation is available in the form of gîtes, refuges and hotels, but such places are not evenly spaced, so some stages are much longer and more demanding than others. The route is highlighted on the carte des sentiers mentioned above, which also gives approximate timings and contact numbers for information. Being a circuit, the Tour could, of course be started almost anywhere, but since this sub-chapter deals with Val de Morgins, the suggestion is to begin in Morgins itself to make a counter-clockwise tour.