Mountain Huts. If there’s one topic guaranteed to create discussion amongst mountaineers, it’s this. Most often the conversation centres around the facilities, or lack of them, as they range from the very basic (i.e. outside toilets and only dripping water to clean your teeth) to excellent (with private dorms, hot showers and keg beer !)  The guardians are also a popular topic, as they vary from the downright surly to the pretty maid in her dirndl (as experienced by Pete and I during our visit to the La Tourche hut last year).  The guardienne at the Cabane de la Tsa falls into this latter category.  Although not wearing a dirndl, she went out of her way to make a visitor from Geneva feel very welcome (I thought they’d never stop chatting) and she had even baked a birthday cake for a little boy who was 6. (Either that or the candles were in short supply).  However, the one thing they all have in common is their position in the mountains, which is invariably stunning.  So even if you don’t stay for the night, it’s well worth the walk. (See also my recent post regarding the Aiguilles Rouges Hut).