High Route 1 — Stage 9: Valtournenche → Rifugio Jean Barmasse

Stage nine is the shortest of the entire Alta Via 1 but no less demanding in gradient: in fewer than five kilometres the trail climbs over 650 metres, rising from the centre of Valtournenche to Rifugio Jean Barmasse on the shore of Lago di Cignana. The stage begins by crossing the Marmore torrent and climbing toward the hamlet of Valmartin, where the path enters a conifer forest and begins a sustained, well-marked ascent. The hydroelectric infrastructure of the dam signals proximity to the artificial lake, a turquoise mirror reflecting the Valtournenche ridgelines. Rifugio Jean Barmasse (2157 m), positioned on the edge of the reservoir, serves as the launchpad for the most demanding stage of the entire Alta Via the following morning. The brevity of this stage is deliberate in the original AV1 design: it allows for genuine rest and energy accumulation before the long traverse toward Rifugio Cuney. Many walkers consider combining stage nine with stage ten, but this is strongly discouraged unless fitness levels are exceptional and an early departure is guaranteed.

Along the route: from Valtournenche (1520 m), the path passes Lago di Cignana (2140 m) — Turquoise artificial basin below the dam, to Rifugio Jean Barmasse (2157 m). Along the way you reach the Jean Barmasse refuge, a useful base. The skyline is dominated by Cervino (4478 m), Grand Tournalin (3379 m), Dent d'Hérens (4177 m).