Aosta Valley Autonomous Region - Regione Autonoma Valle d'Aosta
Department of Tourism, Sport, Commerce and Transport
Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Alte Vie 1-2
Among Aosta Valley's infinity of natural riches are some high altitude trekking routes of exceptional beauty, where it is possible to explore mountain traditions, taste typical local produce and admire the extraordinary architecture of small mountain villages - all of this by walking along ancient footpaths, with a rucksack on your back, in the silence of the great mountains, among wild animals and carpets of flowers, staying in comfortable mountain refuges. This is what Alta Via Trails 1-2 have to offer. They provide an exciting adventure that enables the trekker to learn about the various aspects of the Alpine area - from the hunting trails taken by King Victor Emmanuel II through valley meadows, to deciduous and evergreen woods which become sparser as you climb, to be replaced by grazing land and, further up, by the rocks and crest of a moraine, until you reach a mountain pass. Here the trail descends once again towards another valley, but perhaps you might look up to see a golden eagle in serene flight. Sights such as these can easily provoke a powerful introspection among those of us who are constricted by the anxieties and hectic rhythm of modern society. High Trails 1-2 are presented in a new form, compared with the original routes. The glacier crossings have been eliminated, stretches involving mountaineering difficulties or along asphalt roads have been removed, the number of stages has been increased in order to reduce trekking times, new paths have been chosen at higher altitude, a special sign-posting has been placed along the entire route, … in short, the route has been designed to include even more magnificent areas, all of which is suitable for trekkers. In addition, a link route is being created between Alta Via Trails 1-2, from Gressoney-Saint- Jean to Champorcher, through some of the region's wildest and most inaccessible areas, thus enabling real trekkers to make the complete tour of the Aosta Valley on foot, returning to the original point of departure.
Councillor for Tourism, Sport, Councillor for Agriculture, Commerce and Transport and Natural Resources
"With particular thanks to the forestry experts and workers who, through their hard work, have made these routes possible"
how to use this booklet The description of each stage contains, on the top left, the technical information which sets out the altitude difference on the outward and return trek (the + indicates the metres of ascent and the - indicates the metres of descent). The trekking times shown relate to the times for moderately fit trekkers with a rucksack. The districts refer to the local authority districts through which each part of the route passes. Beneath the technical information is the route description. The route direction described goes from Gressoney St.Jean to Courmayeur on Alta Via Trail 1 and from Champorcher to Courmayeur on Alta Via Trail 2. The direction indications (right, left) provide indications for those trekking in the outward direction.The map is on a scale of 1: 50,000 (1 cm on the map = 500 m.) The route goes from right to left (except for stage 12 of Alta Via Trail 2). Above the map is the altitude profile of the route. This also goes from right to left (or in any event following the direction indicated on the map) and symbols show the places through which the route passes, with their name and altitude. There are also indications of the trekking times, both outwards and back, and the difficulty of the various stretches. On the top right is a small icon of Aosta Valley showing, over the whole route, the stage described.
1 Aosta Tunnel du Grand-St-Bernard A. Ondermontel Tunnel du Mont-Blanc
Tschemenoal Gressoney-St-Jean
Gressoney-St-Jean 1405 mt 1405
Rif. Alpenzu
1417 mt 1417 0h30min 0h30min Tschemenoal
1770 mt 1770 1h00min 0h30min Rif. Alpenzu Rif. ET
0h20min 0h30min 2007 mt 2007 A. Ondermontel A. A. Loasche
Col Pinter
2364 mt 2364 Loasche A. 1h00min 0h50min
2777 mt 2777 1h00min 0h50min Pinter Col Alta Via n n Via Alta E
2057 mt 2057 EEEE
0h15min 1h00min 0h30min 1h30min 1935 mt 1935 Crest Vieux Rif.
Cunéaz Rif. Vieux Crest Rif. Vieux 2 . . From Having passed Gressoney-Saint-Jean (alt. 1405 m) Gressoney-Saint-Jean Refuge (alt. 1935m) Crest Vieux 5h 15 min 5h 00 min + 1372 m – 842 m + 842 m Ayas Gressoney-Saint-Jean, – 1372 m here, the route continues over steep slopes to Col Pinter The path descends along a small bouldered valley and then crosses a grassy plain as far Loasche. Gressoney-Saint-Jean, . Vieux Crest Refuge Vieux . The trail now takes a long Ondermontel. www.regione.vda.it/altevie Gressoney-Saint-Jean Refuge Crest Vieux Tschemenoal Alta Via n n Via Alta
. From here the route, after a short time,
Return altitude difference: Return altitude difference: Districts: Outward trekking time: Outward trekking time: Return trekking time: Outward altitude difference: Departure point: Destination: 1 as a rocky formation. Beyond this, after numerous twists, it reaches the meadows below and on to Cunéaz descends to Crest and cross Torrent Lys to the right, over a wooden road to the right, over a wooden Lys cross Torrent road bridge, and head up along the unmetalled to which follows the torrent, passing golf courses, the village of Having crossed the torrent to the left, over asphalt another road bridge, continue up along an you road for about three hundred metres until route reach the path on the left. From here the begins to climb, gently at first and then more reach through a conifer wood. Thus you steeply, the typical alpine village of Grossalbezo and Alpenzu Grande Refuge the diagonal across the meadows and to reach summer pastures of through a sparsely planted conifer wood and you climbed up through the meadows above it, reach the summer pasture of from the main car park at Route description: stage Alta Via n Alta Via n
stage Tunnel du Tunnel du Mont-Blanc Grand-St-Bernard Vieux Crest Refuge 2535 mt
2 Aosta
Grand Tournalin Refuge 2193 mt 2080 mt 2035 mt 2001 mt 1958 mt 1935 mt 1911 mt 1871 mt
Departure point: Vieux Crest Refuge (alt. 1935 m) 1689 mt
Destination: Grand Tournalin Refuge (alt. 2535 m) 1h00min 0h20min 0h30min 0h30min 0h20min 0h10min 0h35min 0h20min 0h30min
Outward trekking time: 4h 15 min 0h40min 0h10min 0h20min0h20min 0h30min 0h15min 0h30min 0h20min 0h45min TEEEEEETT Return trekking time: 3h 55 min Outward altitude difference: + 991 m – 391 m Return altitude difference: – 991 m + 391 m
District: Ayas A.Croues A.Sousun A.Raccard St. Jacques Rif. Ferraro Charcherioz A. Nannaz inf. A. Nannaz sup. Rif. Vieux Crest Rif. Vieux Rif. Guide Frachey Rif. Grand Tournalin Route description: from Vieux Crest Refuge, take first the track and then follow the unmetalled road leading to the rural hamlet of Sousun. Passing through it, the route heads out over level ground to Charcherioz. Continuing on from here for a short while, on the unmetalled road Rif. Ferraro Rif. Guide Frachey and then along the track, the route climbs St. Jacques up to the G. B. Ferraro A.Raccard and Guide di Frachey refuges. The path now Rif. Grand Tournalin descends towards the valley, through the A.Croues summer pasture of Raccard to the village of Charcherioz Saint-Jacques. Crossing the road bridge over A. Nannaz sup. A. Nannaz inf. Torrent Evançon, the route turns right along the path which climbs up through meadows and sparse woods. Just after the summer pastures of Croues you reach an unmetalled road which A.Sousun the path crosses at various points, until it reaches the summer pasture of Nannaz inferiore and then Nannaz superiore. The route now continues entirely on unmetalled road, which climbs up as far as Grand Tournalin Refuge. Rif. Vieux Crest
4 www.regione.vda.it/altevie Alta Via n Alta Via n
stage 2773 mt Grand Tournalin 2695 mt 2535 mt 3 Tunnel du Refuge - Crétaz Tunnel du Grand-St-Bernard Mont-Blanc 2328 mt
Aosta 2105 mt Departure point: Grand Tournalin Refuge (alt. 2535 m) 1850 mt Destination: Crétaz (alt. 1520 m) Outward trekking time: 3h 05 min
Return trekking time: 4h 40 min 1520 mt Outward altitude difference: + 238 m – 1253 m 0h30min 0h25min 0h40min 0h25min 0h25min 0h40min 1h00min 0h40min 1h00min 0h50min 0h40min 0h30min Return altitude difference: + 1253 m – 238 m EE EE E E Districts: Ayas, Chamois, Valtournenche Cheney A. Promindoz A. Champ Sec Route description: Col di Nannaz
from Grand Tournalin Refuge descend for a short Col des Fontaines while on the unmetalled road and then take the Rif. Grand Tournalin path to the right. Having made a long diagonal crossing through meadows, you reach a rocky cliff. Having passed this, the trail continues to climb over grassy and rocky humps until it reaches Col di Nannaz. From here it descends Crétaz into a grassy valley just below the pass, before climbing upwards a little way to Col des Fontaines A. Promindoz on a rocky ridge. The
Chamois route now begins its descent, among wide Cheney open meadows, reaching the summer pasture of Champ-Sec and, further down, the district of Cheney. It continues its descent, entering a conifer wood and passing beside A. Champ Sec the summer pastures of Promindoz, situated on a grassy Rif. Grand Tournalin panoramic plain, before completing Col di Nannaz the descent at the Col des Fontaines village of Crétaz.
6 [email protected] Alta Via n Alta Via n
stage Tunnel du Tunnel du Mont-Blanc Grand-St-Bernard
Crétaz 2157 mt
Aosta 4 Barmasse Refuge 1925 mt 1520 mt 1492 mt Departure point: Crétaz (alt. 1520 m) Destination: Barmasse Refuge (alt. 2157 m)
Outward trekking time: 2h 35 min
1h00min 1h15min 0h20min
Return trekking time: 1h 50 min 0h45min 0h45min 0h20min Outward altitude difference: + 665 m – 28 m EET Return altitude difference: – 665 m + 28 m District: Valtournenche Valmartin A. Falegnon Rif. Barmasse Route description: from the village square of Crétaz cross the asphalt road and take the path that descends to join the track. Having crossed the Torrent Marmore it rises back up to the village of Valmartin. Here, take the path through the meadows which climbs steeply, passing through a wood. After a long diagonal stretch, it leads to several hydro-electrical Downy oak constructions. The trail then reaches the summer pastures of Falegnon and continues across a slope into a valley until Rif. Barmasse it reaches the artificial dam at Crétaz Tsignanaz. At this Valmartin point, the route A. Falegnon climbs to the right, crossing over the dam itself to reach Barmasse Refuge
Marmot
8 www.regione.vda.it/altevie Alta Via n Alta Via n stage Tunnel du Tunnel du Mont-Blanc Grand-St-Bernard Barmasse Refuge 2736 mt
5 2585 mt Reboulaz Refuge hut Aosta 2459 mt 2352 mt 2290 mt 2267 mt Departure point: Barmasse Refuge (alt. 2157 m) 2157 mt Destination: Reboulaz refuge hut (alt. 2585 m) 2136 mt 2085 mt Outward trekking time: 3h 40 min Return trekking time: 3h 05 min 0h30min 0h55min 0h20min 0h25min 0h15min 0h30min 0h30min 0h15min 0h40min 0h35min 0h15min 0h15min 0h15min 0h20min 0h25min 0h20min Outward altitude difference: + 674 m – 246 m E E ETE E T-E E Return altitude difference: – 674 m + 246 m Districts: Valtournenche, Torgnon, Nus Biv. Tsan Biv. A. Vareton A. Fornace A. Gran Raye Biv. Reboulaz Biv. Rif. Barmasse A. Cortina Sup Route description: from Barmasse Refuge continue on the unmetalled road for a short while and take the path to the left which descends to the summer pastures of Cortina Superiore. The route then returns to the unmetalled road which, Rif. Barmasse descending slightly, enters a conifer wood before beginning a steep climb. Return to the path on the right, which ascends to the summer pastures of A. Gran Raye Biv. Tsan Fornace and then to Col Fenêtre d’Ersa. A. Cortina Sup After a slight drop in height, it joins the unmetalled road which takes you to the summer pastures of Vareton. From this Biv. Reboulaz Fenêtre point onwards the route is entirely on de Tsan footpath. It rises up to the summer A. Fornace pastures of Gran Raye, to reach Tsan A. Vareton refuge hut and from here to Col Fenêtre de Tsan. From the pass, the route descends, Fenêtre d’Ersa through various bends, down a steep grassy slope. Just above various ruins, it begins a long diagonal crossing to the right until it reaches the plain where the Reboulaz refuge hut stands, by the magnificent Leseney Lake.
10 [email protected] Alta Via n Alta Via n stage Tunnel du Tunnel du Reboulaz Refuge hut Mont-Blanc Grand-St-Bernard 2775 mt 6 Oratorio Cuney Refuge Aosta 2652 mt 2585 mt Departure point: Reboulaz refuge hut (alt. 2585 m) 1h10min 0h55min
Destination: (alt. 2652 m) Oratorio Cuney Refuge 1h10min 0h30min Outward trekking time: 2h 05 min EE Return trekking time: 1h 40 min Outward altitude difference: + 190 m – 123 m Return altitude difference: + 123 m – 190 m Rif. Cuney District: Nus Col Terray Biv. Reboulaz Biv.
Route description: from Reboulaz refuge hut the path crosses the torrent that flows from the Leseney lake and begins to climb, passing beside various ruins. After a steep slope of rocks and debris it reaches Col Terray. From the col, the route drops down a fairly steep slope through a series of bends to a grassy valley. After this, it continues on Biv. Reboulaz for a long stretch at mid-slope with various rises and falls until it reaches a rocky-grassy outcrop. After a short steep Col Terray descent, the route bears to the right, passing under rocky bastions and across several gullies until it reaches a grassy plain. Having crossed the torrent towards the left, it crosses a small promontory to Rif. Cuney arrive at the Oratorio Cuney Refuge, situated by an oratory church.
Silver birch
12 www.regione.vda.it/altevie Alta Via n Alta Via n stage 2793 mt
Oratorio Cuney Refuge 2700 mt 2653 mt 7 Closé 2652 mt Tunnel du Tunnel du Mont-Blanc Grand-St-Bernard 2206 mt 1944 mt Aosta Departure point: Oratorio Cuney Refuge (alt. 2652 m) Destination: Closé (alt. 1456 m) 1456 mt Outward trekking time: 5h 10 min
Return trekking time: 6h 15 min 1h10min 0h30min 0h50min 0h20min 1h10min 1h10min Outward altitude difference: + 141 m – 1337 m 1h50min 0h50min 1h20min 0h15min 1h10min 0h50min Return altitude difference: +1337 m – 141 m EE E EE E Districts: Nus, Quart, Oyace (in previsione) Rif. Cuney Arp Vieille Arp Damon Col Chaleby
Route description: Col de Vessonaz from Oratorio Cuney Refuge the route descends for a short distance across several ridges, Rosaire Clermont Biv. then heads to the right, skirting the base of a rocky area before rising slightly to a grassy plain. After a short climb to the right it reaches Col Chaleby. From here, the path descends the steep slope to a basin, where there are the remains of a Closé mountain chalet, and then (in previsione) climbs sharply, crossing a rocky stretch and a series of gullies at mid-slope to reach Rosaire Clermont refuge hut. Climbing up the steep rocky slope once again, you reach Col de Vessonaz. The descent, at first, passes Arp Vieille steeply through rock debris, after which, keeping Rif. Cuney to the right under a modest rocky buttress, you reach the summer pastures of Arp Damon. The route continues on to the right into a small rocky valley, at the end of which there is an almost level stretch through a sparse conifer wood, leading to Arp Damon the vast grassy plain of the summer pastures of Arp Vieille. From here the path crosses the plain, enters a dense wood and descends, down a series of numerous bends, until it reaches a clearing. Here, Biv. Rosaire Col Chaleby bearing to the right, you reach the Ponte della Betenda, Col de Clermont the bridge crossing the Torrent Buthier. Continuing Vessonaz onwards, the path climbs up out of the wood and, after a few bends, reaches the meadows of the village of Closé.
14 [email protected] (in previsione) Closé Aosta Tunnel du Grand-St-Bernard
A. Eclevey
Tunnel du
Mont-Blanc (in previsione) (in
1456 mt 1456
1560 mt 1560 0h30min 0h20min Eclevey A.
Suchéaz 1995 mt 1995 0h50min 0h30min
0h20min 2186 mt 2186 0h35min Brison
E
0h45min 0h30min 2480 mt 2480 Col Brison Col EEE
Brison Berrio Superiore Berrio 1938 mt 1938
Alta Via n n Via Alta
0h55min 1h30min Ollomont 1385 mt 1385 TT E
0h15min0h15min 1h00min 1h30min 1393 mt 1393 Rey Col Brison
Berrio Superiore Ollomont Rey 16 Birch-tree . After Closé (alt. 1456 m) Rey (alt. 1393 m) 4h 50 min 4h 55 min + 1032 m+ 1095 m – 1095 m Ollomont Oyace, Valpelline, – 1032 m Berrio . At this point, Ollomont . the a few more minutes along the asphalt road, you reach the village of Rey Superiore pastures of take the unmetalled road which descends first through gradually, meadows and then woodland, until it reaches Continuing on up . From here, there is a , it Closé, . After a long, mid-slope www.regione.vda.it/altevie Closé Rey Alta Via n n Via Alta Eclevey Suchéaz. Brison Col Brison
Return altitude difference: Return altitude difference: Districts: Outward trekking time: Outward trekking time: Return trekking time: Outward altitude difference: Departure point: Destination: 8 from the village of path climbs up through meadows, cutting across the unmetalled road. Reaching the summer pastures of enters a conifer wood where it begins to arriving rise rapidly, at the summer pastures of through woodland it arrives at the summer pastures of Route description: diagonal stretch, the path rises up a tight series of curves of the last steep slope leading to fairly long initial descent through meadows and rocky outcrops, until you reach a very scenic, flat area. From here, a long mid-slope diagonal begins, leading to the summer stage Stoat Alta Via n Alta Via n
stage
Tunnel du Tunnel du Rey 2375 mt Mont-Blanc Grand-St-Bernard 2300 mt
9 Champillon Refuge 2151 mt
2057 mt Aosta
Departure point: Rey (alt. 1393 m) 1621 mt Destination: Letey Champillon Refuge (alt.2375 m) Outward trekking time: 2h 40 min 1393 mt Return trekking time: 1h 45 min Outward altitude difference: + 982 m 0h10min 0h25min 0h20min 1h15min 0h30min 0h05min 0h15min 0h10min 0h50min 0h25min Return altitude difference: – 982 m EE TEE Districts: Ollomont, Doues Rey Prumayes Pessinoille Route description: Champillon
just above the village of Rey, take the footpath de Champillon Tsa
which climbs up through a dense conifer wood, Rif. Letey Champillon passing the old summer pastures of Prumayes, and into meadows. After a short stretch of unmetalled road, you reach the summer pastures of Champillon (nearby you can admire the small church of Notre- Dame-des- >Neiges, built Rif. Letey above a rocky Champillon Rey Pessinoille Eagle gully). Continue on up the unmetalled Tsa de road until you Champillon Prumayes reach, after a Champillon short while, the summer pastures of
Pessinoille. From White beam here, the path passes on up through steep green meadows to the summer pastures of Tsa de Champillon and, a little further up, Letey Champillon Refuge. White beam
18 [email protected] Alta Via n Alta Via n
stage 2709 mt Tunnel du Tunnel du Champillon Refuge Mont-Blanc Grand-St-Bernard
10 2375 mt Saint-Rhémy 2380 mt Aosta 2046 mt
Departure point: Letey Champillon Refuge (alt. 2375 m) Destination: Saint-Rhémy (alt. 1600 m) 1807 mt 1645 mt 1626 mt
Outward trekking time: 4h 50 min 1600 mt
Return trekking time: 5h 30 min 1h30min0h30min 0h40min 0h20min 0h40min 0h20min 0h50min Outward altitude difference: + 353 m – 1128 m 1h30min0h30min 1h00min 0h30min 1h00min 0h30min 0h30min Return altitude difference: + 1128 m – 353 m TET-EEE EE Districts: Doues, Étroubles, Saint-Oyen, Saint-Rhémy Pointier Inf. Prailles Sup. Eternod Sup. Pointier Sup. Col Champillon
Route description: Crou de Bleintse from Letey Champillon Refuge, the path Rif. Letey Champillon tackles a steep grassy spur with a series of bends, arriving at Col Champillon. The first stretch of descent is very steep as far as the ruins of the summer pastures of Crou de Bleintse. After this point, the route becomes more gentle and begins a long mid-slope Rif. Letey diagonal crossing towards Champillon the right, to the summer Pointier Sup. pastures of Pointier Superiore. After Col Champillon descending the last barren grassy slopes, you then reach the summer pastures of Pointier Pointier Inf. Inferiore. Here you follow a stretch of unmetalled road towards the left and then Crou de Bleintse return to the footpath. Having crossed a small conifer wood, the path crosses the Torrent Menouve over a wooden bridge and returns to the unmetalled road. After a short climb, take the path to the right leading to the village of Prailles Superiore. Just above the houses the path enters St. Rhémy meadows, following a long level route towards the village of Eternod Superiore, which you reach after a short stretch of asphalt road. From the village, a wide footpath climbs up to join an Eternod Sup. unmetalled road in woodland. Here, bear left and Prailles Sup. follow it for a distance until you arrive at a bend in the asphalt road, where you head down to the village of Saint-Rhémy.
20 www.regione.vda.it/altevie Alta Via n Alta Via n
Tunnel du Tunnel du stage Mont-Blanc Grand-St-Bernard Saint-Rhémy 2540 mt 2273 mt 11 Lac Refuge Aosta 1965 mt 1950 mt 1934 mt 1726 mt 1660 mt Departure point: Saint-Rhémy (alt. 1600 m) 1664 mt 1624 mt Destination: Lac Refuge (alt. 2540 m) 1600 mt
0h30min 0h45min0h25min 0h05min 0h30min 0h20min 0h30min 0h20min 0h20min
Outward trekking time: 3h 45 min 0h20min 0h30min0h25min 0h05min 0h20min0h10min 0h30min 0h15min 0h20min Return trekking time: 2h 55 min TEEEE T T T E Outward altitude difference: + 960 m – 20 m Return altitude difference: – 960 m + 20 m Laval Devies
District: Saint-Rhémy Mottes Rif. Lac Moindaz (in previsione) Merdeux Inf. Couchepache Tsa de Merdeux Tsa
Route description: from the village of Saint-Rhémy cross the road bridge over the Torrent Grand Saint-Bernard. About 100 m along the unmetalled road, take the wide footpath to the right which climbs up to the village of Laval. Then follow the asphalt road through the villages of Couchepache and Mottes Tsa de Merdeux and, after a downward stretch, take the Rif. Lac unmetalled road which passes under the (in previsione) motorway viaduct and continues on level ground as far as the summer pastures of Moindaz Devies. A little further on, take the St-Rhémy footpath to the right, alongside a dry-stone wall, then climb up across meadows to the summer pastures of Merdeux Inferiore. A. Côtes From here there is a short stretch of Laval unmetalled road as far as the summer pastures of Côtes, before the route takes a Merdeux Inf. Devies mid-slope path across to the summer pastures of Moindaz. It then climbs once again, through wide green meadows, to the summer pastures of Couchepache Tsa de Merdeux. After crossing several streams Mottes and climbing a steep grass spur, you arrive at the plain of Lake Merdeux (where the construction of a refuge is proposed).
www.regione.vda.it/altevie
24
. Refuge
Walter Bonatti Walter and Inferiore Malatrà of
the summer pastures summer the
the route descends to descends route the
Poplar
distance, short here, after a after here,
. From . Superiore
Col Malatrà Malatrà Col Malatrà of
(in previsione) (in
the summer pastures summer the Rif. Lac Rif.
metres of descent at descent of metres
arrive after a few a after arrive
you bridge, wooden small A. Giué Sup. Giué A.
the torrent to the left over a over left the to torrent the
Having crossed Having Superiore. Giué of pastures
A. Malatrà Sup. Malatrà A. across the whole plain to reach the summer the reach to plain whole the across
Rif. Bonatti Rif.
Following the stream to the right, the route leads route the right, the to stream the Following
A. Malatrà Inf. Malatrà A.
vast grassy plain, through which a torrent runs. torrent a which through plain, grassy vast
eventually to several grassy ridges that lead down to a to down lead that ridges grassy several to eventually
boulders takes you takes boulders
descent through rocky through descent
. The mid-slope The . Malatrà
Col to up leading
stretch of rocky debris rocky of stretch
passes the last steep last the passes
tight series of turns, of series tight
the left and, after a after and, left the
path continues on to on continues path
diagonal stretch of stretch diagonal
the basin, a long a basin, the
picturesque jagged rocky ridge. Having crossed Having ridge. rocky jagged picturesque
reaches a basin of rocky detritus below a below detritus rocky of basin a reaches
path rises through green meadows until it until meadows green through rises path
the
A. proposed) is refuge a of construction Rif. Bonatti
Lake Merdeux (where the (where Merdeux Lake
(inprevisione) of plain the from Rif. Lac
Route description: Route
E EE EEE
Districts: Saint Rhémy, Courmayeur Courmayeur Rhémy, Saint
0h50min 1h45min 0h05min 0h20min 0h05min
Return altitude difference: difference: altitude Return + 900 m – 385 m 385 – m 900 + 1h15min 1h15min 0h05min 0h15min 0h05min
Outward altitude difference: difference: altitude Outward 2025 mt m 900 – m 385 +
2054 mt
Return trekking time: time: trekking Return 3h 05 min 05 3h
Outward trekking time: time: trekking Outward 2208 mt min 55 2h
2228 mt Destination: Destination: Walter Bonatti Refuge (alt. 2025 m) 2025 (alt. Refuge Bonatti Walter
Aosta
Departure point: point: Departure Lac Refuge (alt. 2540 m) 2540 (alt. Refuge Lac
Mont-Blanc 2540 mt Grand-St-Bernard
Tunnel du du Tunnel
Tunnel du Tunnel
Walter Bonatti Refuge Refuge Bonatti Walter
12
2925 mt Refuge Lac
stage
Alta Via n n Via Alta Alta Via n n Via Alta Alta Via n Alta Via n
stage 2054 mt 2033 mt Walter Bonatti Refuge 2025 mt Tunnel du 1989 mt Tunnel du Grand-St-Bernard 1929 mt 13 Courmayeur 1924 mt Mont-Blanc
Aosta 1389 mt Departure point: Walter Bonatti Refuge (alt. 2025 m) 1223 mt Destination: Courmayeur (alt. 1223 m)
0h20min 1h00min 0h30min 0h45min 0h30min 0h30min 0h15min
Outward trekking time: 3h 50 min 0h30min1h30min 0h30min 0h45min0h30min 0h30min 0h15min Return trekking time: 4h 30 min T E-T E E E E E Outward altitude difference: – 1036 m + 234 m Return altitude difference: + 1036 m – 234 m District: Courmayeur Rif. Bonatti Villair Sup. Villair Rif. Bonatti Arminaz Inf. Rif. Bertone Courmayeur
Leuchey Sup. Sécheron
Route description: from Walter Bonatti Refuge the route descends for a short way through meadows, Arminaz Inf. then bears to the left and leads to the summer Lèche pastures of Sécheron.
A mid-slope path climbs slightly towards the summer pastures of Arminaz Inferiore, which you reach after a short descent. Having crossed the torrent
over a wooden bridge, the path continues to the right, on level ground between shrubs and rhododendrons, to the summer pastures of Lèche. Then continue on, through green meadows, passing just above the summer pastures of Leuchey Superiore. From Leuchey Sup. here, entering a conifer wood, there is a slight rise up to a grassy ridge, beyond which is the Giorgio Bertone Refuge. From Rif. Bertone the refuge, the path drops steeply, entering a dense conifer wood and after a series of numerous bends, arrives at an unmetalled
road. From here, the route follows alternate stretches of the road and the footpath that intersects it. Having crossed a road bridge over Villair Sup. the Torrent Tsapy, the continues entirely on the road. This descends, becomes asphalt, and crosses the village of Villair Superiore. Then, at a major crossroads, turn left and enter the town of Courmayeur, just by the church. Courmayeur 26 [email protected]