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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.