Day 11 Les Haudères to Grimentz via Lac de Moiry

 Off at 8.15, walked Northeast wards up the side of the valley through Sagen and the pretty village of Villa. Splendid views back down to the valley and the mountains behind but it became mistier as the morning went on. A steeper climb to the Col Torrent (2919m). I climbed along to the top of the nearby hill (2986m) to admire the view. Very shattered rock here with lots of scree giving quite a different view from the passes further west. Down to a lake for lunch and there was a slight shower. Down to the Barrage of Lac de Moiry. The lake was an unreal blue and the barrage an impressive curve. It started to rain as we trekked down to Grimentz, our first rain while walking! The campsite was 'savage' in an old quarry with a climbing wall in one corner. There was not a lot of room and we upset a French couple by camping all around them!
Grimentz centre was maintained as a chocolate box Swiss village and was very pretty but the ski apartments on the outskirts were horrid. Pete and I scaled the climbing wall, he had to be restrained later from repeating it in the dark! A fun dinner culminated in a tank firework display from Bruce. We then spent an age trying to light a fire with damp wood from the woods. Adrian persevered late into the night but by the time he was successful everybody had gone to bed!

Exodus Trip Notes

Day 11 We climb first to Villa (1,730 m.) then on to cross the Col Torrent (2,919 m.), and make a long descent past Lac de Moiry (2,249m.) to the woods above the picture postcard village of Grimentz (1,572 m.).

Rough camp near Grimentz.