Branche d’en Bas and Branche d’en Haut are two hamlets located on the concave slope generated by the Torrent Tollent, a creek coming down Bec Rond through Comba Neire, and ending in the Dranse de Ferret in between Branche d’en Haut and Branche d’en Bas.
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Branche d'en Bas
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Branche d'en Bas
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Branche d'en Bas
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Branche d'en Bas
Branche d’en Bas sits on the right side of Torrent Tollent and is the lower of the two hamlets. The hamlet has a total of 27 houses, most of them secondary properties, and has 19 permanent residents. The houses are scattered over an extensive area along the main road, commencing at an altitude of 1,250 m and ending near then bridge crossing Torrent Tollent. Branche d’en Bas has a denser cluster in the upper section of the hamlet at an altitude of 1,370 m.
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Branche d'en Haut
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Branche d'en Haut
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Branche d'en Haut
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Branche d'en Haut
Branche d’en Haut, at an altitude of 1,390 m, is the upper hamlet on the left-hand side of Torrent Tollent. Branche d’en Haut is more compact and concentrated, and counts 40 houses in two main clusters, in majority secondary residences. The upper cluster is mainly the outcome of the development of several secondary houses in the 1980s which are similar in architectural style and give this part of the hamlet a harmonious appearance. The lower cluster has a few older houses among newer chalets, dating from the pre-tourism-relate times. One of the houses in the upper cluster has once been operated as a restaurant and bed & breakfast but was transformed into a residential property afterwards.
Branche d’en Haut is well connected to the TMB Tour Mont Blanc hiking trail, and is starting point for several hiking trails on the eastern slopes of Val Ferret.