Mountain refuge Refuge-bivouac lac de Balanselme (Manenti)

High level on Valtournenche

At 2,790 meters, the land is in charge. The Refugee-bivouac lac de Balanselme (Manenti) , in Valtournenche , within the Aosta Valley , is located in a strip where the day is planned more by relief, exposure and meteorology than by proximity to inhabited nuclei. The altitude places it in a clearly alpine environment, with a sense of isolation and with a landscape dominated by high slopes, lacustrous cubes and nearby summits that are more than three thousand meters wide, as Mont Blanc du Créton , Dome du Tsan - Sud or Punta Budden . More than a comfortable passage shelter, it works as support in serious mountain terrain, useful to divide itineraries or to gain height before moving through this high sector of the valley.

Its interest fits well with long-range hiking tours and links between bivacs in the area. In the environment there are traces such as Tour du Cervin and access marked by path 34, in addition to connections to other shelters and vivacs, which reinforces its role as an intermediate point within wider traverses, not only as an isolated destination. For logistics it is appropriate to maintain a prudent reading: there are relatively close sources, with water points at about 350-420 meters, but in high mountain the real availability can vary according to time, flow or state of the land, so it is still wise to leave with sufficient autonomy. It is also necessary to have quick changes in time, careful orientation and safety margin, because in such areas as this any final stretch, as simple as it may appear on the map, can be hardened by wind, fog, residual nevers or broken ground.