From Mauvoisin (CH) to La Clusaz (IT) via Fenetre de Durand

Our journey began at the barrage at Mauvoisin, accessing it by tunnels dug into the mountain.

Marmots whistled as they say Castor - even so, some where brazen.

Heavily laden with glazier run-off silt, the reservoir had a milky appearance making cloud shadows quite dramatic.

A birthday "slug" of wine.






The small pass before the descent to Cab. de Chanrion where we spent the night.

First-light departure; Fenetre de Durand shrouded in cloud where we were heading.

Looking back down the reservoir towards the barrage where we began the previous day.

Edelweiss - the first one I have spotted in the wild. The area is a nature reserve, which means that grazing although it takes place is tightly controlled. We saw a number of edelweiss so land management clearly has a positive impact on biodiversity.

Time for coffee (or more accurately chicory), looking back towards Cab. de Chanrion, before we traverse Fenetre de Durand from Switzerland into Italy.


Fenetre de Durand

The start of our 1800 metre descent to our destination! Thankfully neither of us had paid too much attention to the number of contours we would cross.

Sadly the Italian side was not as wild as our 50-year old maps indicated - time for new ones we thinks!

Looking across onto the valley side we will traverse along following a fresh water leat (lete or leet).


Easy walking along the gradually descending leat; sadly our suspicions turned out to be correct - it was covered not open.

Finally the water emerges from the pipe.

Looking back at a great view of the Fenetre de Durand (the V in the skyline).

A chapel built to serve the southern Italians "conscripted" to build the leat.

Finally, our destination!