La Tour de la Tsa, from Chez les Chenaux

Introduction

The Tour de La Tsa is a rocky structure clearly visible from most of the Valpelline mountains, south of Monte Cervo. First climbed by Abbè Henry in 1913, only thirty-four years later its summit was reached for the second time by two mountaineers who climbed the easy 'Tsa ridge' from the Marmottin pass. The term 'tsa' refers to the highest hut in an alpine pasture. The term 'tsan' with the meaning of 'champ, camp' is also used in Switzerland (e.g. Nernetzan, camp of the Fates, near Berolle in the Jura).

Description

The Tour de La Tsa is a rocky structure clearly visible from most of the Valpelline mountains, south of Monte Cervo. First climbed by Abbè Henry in 1913, only thirty-four years later its summit was reached for the second time by two mountaineers who climbed the easy 'crest of the Tsa', from the Marmottin pass. The term 'tsa' refers to the highest hut in an alpine pasture. The term 'tsan' with the meaning of 'champ, camp' is also used in Switzerland (e.g. Nernetzan, camp of the Fates, near Berolle in the Jura). From the car park, follow trail no. 5, which goes through a forest and arrives at a clearing where the Chalon alpine pasture is located, reached by a bridle path that continues to the right. Ignore it, the path (wooden arrow pointing to it) continues through the forest behind the alpine pasture to reach the open spaces dominated by the Tour where the large La Tsa alpine pasture is located, which you leave on the right. Continue across pastureland, the path getting lost among the cattle tracks, but yellow signs lead to a fork with a marker, to the left going towards the Berrier alpine pasture. Start climbing again to reach the ruins of Alp Luseney, where the path and yellow signs end. Now follow tracks to the left and cairns (sometimes you have to look for them) that lead to the Plan de Marmottin, which is anything but a plain, but a series of grassy terraces that lead upwards in the direction of the Tour to arrive at a large macereto that precedes the access to the Col de la Tsa. (On the left, steep scree slopes make it possible to reach the Col de Vertsan).. To best overcome this scree slope (on the descent, the route is more obvious), it is best to aim to the right (going up) of the scree slope that descends from the col, where a track can be seen. Once past this, you will reach the desolate plateau on the Chamen side, which a few years ago contained a small glacier (Glacier du Col de la Tsa). The col can also be reached from Chamen, by reaching les Crottes via an intercountry road, bending to the left into a steep, grassy scree gully, which leads to where the glacier used to be under the Cervo mountain and finally to the col via a very steep scree slope. The final ridge starts from the pass. It is reached from the Chamen side, and is followed up to a notch, to the left a steep chute, to the right a more supported scree gully. From the notch, lean on the Marmottin side to return to the ridge, which is easily followed to the summit. The panorama extends from the Matterhorn to most of the mountains in Valpelline. It is also possible to reach the pass from Alpe Berrier on the path to the Crete Seche refuge. Follow the itinerary for the Crete Seche refuge (from Ruz or Chez les Chenaux) to the Berrier alp (2192 m), at the beginning of the Vertosan or Vert Tzan comb. From here, trail no. 2 (towards the W) leads to the hut, trail no. 4 (towards the N) leads to the Chardonney alp. Follow trail no. 3 (towards E) that leads to the Place Moulin dam. The trail climbs up a ridge with beautiful views of the lake and the Luseney oxbow. Pass a little terrace for helicopter landings and a little further on, leave the path to follow some cairns that climb towards the pass until reaching those coming from the Luseney alpine meadow to continue on the previous itinerary.