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
 A l t a V i a n A l t a V i a n

2777 mt
stage
Gressoney-Saint-Jean
1
Tunnel du Tunnel du
Mont-Blanc Grand-St-Bernard

2364 mt
Vieux Crest Refuge

2057 mt

2007 mt
Aosta

1935 mt

1770 mt

1417 mt
Departure point: Gressoney-Saint-Jean (alt. 1405 m)

1405 mt
Destination: Vieux Crest Refuge (alt. 1935m)
Outward trekking time: 5h 15 min
Return trekking time: 5h 00 min 0h15min
 1h00min 1h00min 1h00min 0h30min 1h00min 0h30min
Outward altitude difference: + 1372 m – 842 m 0h30min 1h30min 0h50min 0h50min 0h20min 0h30min 0h30min
Return altitude difference: + 842 m – 1372 m E E E E E E T

Districts: Gressoney-Saint-Jean, Ayas

A. Ondermontel
Rif. Vieux Crest

Col Pinter

Rif. Alpenzu

Gressoney-St-Jean
A. Loasche

Tschemenoal
Route description:
from the main car park at Gressoney-Saint-Jean,
cross Torrent Lys to the right, over a wooden road
bridge, and head up along the unmetalled road
which follows the torrent, passing golf courses, to Rif. Vieux Crest
the village of Tschemenoal.
Having crossed the torrent to the left, over
another road bridge, continue up along an asphalt
Cunéaz


road for about three hundred metres until you
reach the path on the left. From here the route
begins to climb, gently at first and then more Col Pinter
steeply, through a conifer wood. Thus you reach
the typical alpine village of Grossalbezo and
Alpenzu Grande Refuge. The trail now takes a long
diagonal across the meadows and to reach the
summer pastures of Ondermontel. Having passed
through a sparsely planted conifer wood and
climbed up through the meadows above it, you A. Loasche
reach the summer pasture of Loasche. From
here, the route


A. Ondermontel
continues over
steep slopes to
Col Pinter.
The path descends Rif. Alpenzu
along a small
bouldered valley
and then crosses a Tschemenoal
grassy plain as far
as a rocky formation. Beyond this, after numerous
twists, it reaches the meadows below and on to
Cunéaz. From here the route, after a short time,

descends to Crest and Vieux Crest Refuge.

2 Gressoney-St-Jean
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 A l t a V i a n A l t a V i a n

2535 mt
stage Tunnel du Tunnel du
Grand-St-Bernard

Vieux Crest Refuge

Mont-Blanc

2193 mt
Grand Tournalin Refuge

2080 mt
2035 mt
Aosta

2001 mt

1958 mt

1935 mt
1911 mt
1871 mt

1689 mt
Departure point: Vieux Crest Refuge (alt. 1935 m)
Destination: Grand Tournalin Refuge (alt. 2535 m) 
1h00min
0h20min0h30min0h30min0h20min0h10min 0h35min
0h20min0h30min
     
0h40min 0h10min 0h20min 0h20min 0h30min 0h15min 0h30min 0h20min0h45min
Outward trekking time: 4h 15 min T E E E E E E T T
Return trekking time: 3h 55 min
Outward altitude difference: + 991 m – 391 m

Rif. Guide Frachey

Rif. Grand Tournalin

A. Nannaz sup.

A. Nannaz inf.

A.Croues

St. Jacques

A.Raccard

Charcherioz

Rif. Vieux Crest

Rif. Ferraro

A.Sousun
Return altitude difference: – 991 m + 391 m
District: Ayas

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
and then along the
Rif. Guide Frachey
track, the route climbs
up to the G. B. Ferraro St. Jacques
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
Saint-Jacques. Crossing the road bridge over
A. Nannaz sup. A. Nannaz inf.
Charcherioz
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
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 A l t a V i a n A l t a V i a n

2773 mt
2695 mt
stage

2535 mt
Grand Tournalin
3

2328 mt
Refuge - Crétaz Tunnel du
Mont-Blanc
Tunnel du
Grand-St-Bernard

2105 mt
1850 mt
Aosta

Departure point: Grand Tournalin Refuge (alt. 2535 m)

Destination: Crétaz (alt. 1520 m)

1520 mt
Outward trekking time: 3h 05 min
Return trekking time: 4h 40 min
0h30min 0h25min 0h40min 0h25min 0h25min 0h40min
Outward altitude difference: + 238 m – 1253 m
1h00min 0h40min 1h00min 0h50min 0h40min 0h30min
Return altitude difference: + 1253 m – 238 m E E E E E E

Districts: Ayas, Chamois, Valtournenche

A. Promindoz

Cheney

Col des Fontaines

Rif. Grand Tournalin

A. Champ Sec

Col di Nannaz
Route description:
from Grand Tournalin Refuge descend for a short
while on the unmetalled road and then take the
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 des Fontaines

Col di Nannaz
the descent at the
village of Crétaz.

6
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 A l t a V i a n A l t a V i a n

2157 mt
stage Tunnel du Tunnel du

Crétaz Mont-Blanc Grand-St-Bernard

1925 mt
4 Barmasse Refuge Aosta

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 E E T

Return altitude difference: – 665 m + 28 m

Rif. Barmasse

A. Falegnon

Valmartin
District: Valtournenche

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

Crétaz

artificial dam at
Tsignanaz. At this Valmartin
point, the route A. Falegnon
climbs to the right,
crossing over the dam itself to
reach Barmasse Refuge

Marmot

8
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 A l t a V i a n A l t a V i a n

2736 mt
stage
Barmasse Refuge
Tunnel du

2585 mt
Tunnel du Grand-St-Bernard

5
Mont-Blanc

2459 mt
Reboulaz Refuge hut Aosta

2352 mt

2290 mt
2267 mt

2157 mt
2136 mt

2085 mt
Departure point: Barmasse Refuge (alt. 2157 m)
Destination: Reboulaz refuge hut (alt. 2585 m)
Outward trekking time: 3h 40 min
0h30min 0h55min 0h20min 0h25min 0h15min 0h30min 0h30min 0h15min
Return trekking time: 3h 05 min
0h40min 0h35min 0h15min 0h15min 0h15min 0h20min 0h25min 0h20min
Outward altitude difference: + 674 m – 246 m E E E E T E T-E E

Return altitude difference: – 674 m + 246 m

Districts: Valtournenche, Torgnon, Nus

Biv. Reboulaz

Biv. Tsan

A. Gran Raye

A. Fornace

Rif. Barmasse
A. Vareton

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
Fornace and then to Col Fenêtre d’Ersa. Biv. Tsan
After a slight drop in height, it joins the

A. Cortina Sup

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. Vareton A. Fornace
pastures of Gran Raye, to reach Tsan
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.

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stage

2775 mt
Tunnel du Tunnel du

Reboulaz Refuge hut Mont-Blanc Grand-St-Bernard

6 Oratorio Cuney Refuge

2652 mt
Aosta

2585 mt
Departure point: Reboulaz refuge hut (alt. 2585 m) 1h10min 0h55min
Destination: Oratorio Cuney Refuge (alt. 2652 m)  
1h10min  0h30min 
Outward trekking time: 2h 05 min E E

Return trekking time: 1h 40 min

Rif. Cuney

Col Terray

Biv. Reboulaz
Outward altitude difference: + 190 m – 123 m
Return altitude difference: + 123 m – 190 m
District: Nus

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
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 A l t a V i a n A l t a V i a n

2793 mt

2700 mt
stage

2653 mt

2652 mt
Oratorio Cuney Refuge
7

2206 mt
Closé Tunnel du

1944 mt
Tunnel du Grand-St-Bernard
Mont-Blanc

Aosta

1456 mt
Departure point: Oratorio Cuney Refuge (alt. 2652 m)
Destination: Closé (alt. 1456 m)
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
E E E E E E
Return altitude difference: +1337 m – 141 m
Districts: Nus, Quart, Oyace

(in previsione)

Arp Vieille

Arp Damon

Biv. Rosaire Clermont

Rif. Cuney
Col de Vessonaz

Col Chaleby
Route description:
from Oratorio Cuney Refuge the route descends
for a short distance across several ridges,
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
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 A l t a V i a n A l t a V i a n

2480 mt
stage
Closé
8
Tunnel du Tunnel du

2186 mt
Mont-Blanc Grand-St-Bernard

Rey

1995 mt
1938 mt
Aosta

1560 mt

1456 mt
Departure point: Closé (alt. 1456 m)

1385 mt
1393 mt
Destination: Rey (alt. 1393 m)
Outward trekking time: 4h 50 min
Return trekking time: 4h 55 min
Outward altitude difference: + 1032 m – 1095 m 0h15min
  0h55min 1h00min  0h45min 0h35min 0h50min 0h30min
Return altitude difference: + 1095 m – 1032 m 0h15min 1h30min 1h30min 0h30min 0h20min 0h30min  0h20min
Districts: Oyace, Valpelline, Ollomont T T E E E E E

(in previsione)
Rey

Ollomont

Col Brison
Berrio Superiore

Brison

A. Eclevey
Route description:
from the village of Closé, the
path climbs up through
meadows, cutting across
the unmetalled road.
Reaching the summer
pastures of Eclevey, it
enters a conifer wood
where it begins to
rise rapidly, arriving
at the summer Birch-tree

pastures of Suchéaz. Continuing on up

through woodland it arrives at the summer
pastures of Brison. After a long, mid-slope
diagonal stretch, the path rises up a tight
series of curves of the last steep slope
leading to Col Brison. From here, there is a
Berrio
fairly long initial descent through meadows Superiore
and rocky outcrops, until you reach a very

scenic, flat area. From here, a long mid-slope

diagonal begins, leading to the summer
pastures of Berrio

A. Eclevey
Superiore. At this point,
take the unmetalled
Rey Col Brison
Closé
(in previsione)
road which descends
gradually, first through
Ollomont
Brison

Suchéaz
meadows and then
woodland, until it
reaches Ollomont. After
a few more minutes
along the asphalt road,
you reach the village of
Rey.
Stoat

16
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 A l t a V i a n A l t a V i a n

2375 mt
stage

2300 mt
Rey

2151 mt
9
Tunnel du Tunnel du
Mont-Blanc Grand-St-Bernard

2057 mt
Champillon Refuge Aosta

1621 mt

1393 mt
Departure point: Rey (alt. 1393 m)
Destination: Letey Champillon Refuge (alt.2375 m)
Outward trekking time: 2h 40 min
Return trekking time: 1h 45 min
0h10min 0h25min 0h20min 1h15min 0h30min
Outward altitude difference: + 982 m
0h05min 0h15min 0h10min 0h50min 0h25min
Return altitude difference: – 982 m E E T E E

Districts: Ollomont, Doues

Rif. Letey Champillon

Tsa de Champillon

Pessinoille

Champillon

Rey
Prumayes
Route description:
just above the village of Rey, take the footpath
which climbs up through a dense conifer wood,
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
gully). Continue on

Eagle
up
the unmetalled
Tsa de Prumayes
road until you Champillon
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

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2709 mt
stage
Champillon Refuge
10

2375 mt
2380 mt
Tunnel du Tunnel du
Mont-Blanc Grand-St-Bernard

Saint-Rhémy

2046 mt
Aosta

1807 mt
Departure point: Letey Champillon Refuge (alt. 2375 m)

1645 mt

1626 mt
1600 mt
Destination: Saint-Rhémy (alt. 1600 m)
Outward trekking time: 4h 50 min
Return trekking time: 5h 30 min 1h30min 0h30min 0h40min 0h20min 0h40min 0h20min 0h50min

Outward altitude difference: + 353 m – 1128 m 1h30min 0h30min 1h00min 0h30min 1h00min 0h30min 0h30min
T E T-E E E E E
Return altitude difference: + 1128 m – 353 m
Districts: Doues, Étroubles, Saint-Oyen, Saint-Rhémy

Eternod Sup.

Pointier Inf.

Rif. Letey Champillon

Prailles Sup.

Crou de Bleintse
Pointier Sup.

Col Champillon
Route description:
from Letey Champillon Refuge, the path
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
St. Rhémy


Superiore. Just above the houses the path enters
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
unmetalled road in woodland. Here, bear left and

Eternod Sup.
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
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 A l t a V i a n A l t a V i a n

2540 mt
stage Tunnel du

2273 mt
Tunnel du Grand-St-Bernard
Mont-Blanc

Saint-Rhémy
11 Lac Refuge Aosta

1965 mt

1950 mt
1934 mt

1726 mt

1660 mt

1664 mt

1624 mt

1600 mt
Departure point: Saint-Rhémy (alt. 1600 m)
Destination: Lac Refuge (alt. 2540 m)

0h30min
0h45min0h25min0h05min0h30min 0h20min0h30min0h20min0h20min
Outward trekking time: 3h 45 min 0h20min 0h30min0h25min0h05min0h20min0h10min0h30min0h15min0h20min
Return trekking time: 2h 55 min T E E E E T T T E

Outward altitude difference: + 960 m – 20 m

Mottes
Rif. Lac
(in previsione)

Tsa de Merdeux

Moindaz

Merdeux Inf.

Couchepache
Devies

Laval
Return altitude difference: – 960 m + 20 m
District: Saint-Rhémy

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

Devies. A little further on, take the Moindaz
St-Rhémy
footpath to the right, alongside a dry-stone

wall, then climb up across meadows to the
summer pastures of Merdeux Inferiore.
From here there is a short stretch of A. Côtes
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).

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2925 mt
stage
Lac Refuge
12 Walter Bonatti Refuge

2540 mt
Tunnel du Tunnel du
Mont-Blanc Grand-St-Bernard

2228 mt
Departure point: Lac Refuge (alt. 2540 m)

2208 mt
Aosta
Destination: Walter Bonatti Refuge (alt. 2025 m)
Outward trekking time: 2h 55 min

2054 mt
2025 mt
Return trekking time: 3h 05 min
Outward altitude difference: + 385 m – 900 m
Return altitude difference: + 900 m – 385 m 0h05min 0h15min 0h05min 1h15min 1h15min
0h05min 0h20min 0h05min 1h45min 0h50min
Districts: Saint Rhémy, Courmayeur
E E E E E

Rif. Bonatti

Rif. Lac
(in previsione)
Route description:
from the plain of Lake Merdeux (where the
construction of a refuge is proposed) the

A.
path rises through green meadows until it
reaches a basin of rocky detritus below a
picturesque jagged rocky ridge. Having crossed
the basin, a long
diagonal stretch of
path continues on to
the left and, after a
tight series of turns,
passes the last steep
stretch of rocky debris
leading up to Col
Malatrà. The mid-slope
descent through rocky
boulders takes you
eventually to several grassy ridges that lead down to a
vast grassy plain, through which a torrent runs.
A. Malatrà Inf.
Following the stream to the right, the route leads Rif. Bonatti
across the whole plain to reach the summer A. Malatrà Sup.
pastures of Giué Superiore. Having crossed
the torrent to the left over a


small wooden bridge, you A. Giué Sup.

arrive after a few
metres of descent at 
the summer pastures  Rif. Lac
(in previsione)
of Malatrà Col Malatrà
Superiore. From


here, after a
short distance,
Poplar
the route descends to
the summer pastures
of Malatrà Inferiore and Walter Bonatti
Refuge.

24
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 A l t a V i a n A l t a V i a n

2054 mt

2033 mt

2025 mt
stage

1989 mt

1929 mt

1924 mt
Walter Bonatti Refuge
13 Courmayeur
Tunnel du
Mont-Blanc
Tunnel du
Grand-St-Bernard

1389 mt
Aosta

Departure point:
Destination:
Outward trekking time:
Return trekking time:
1223 mt
Walter Bonatti Refuge (alt. 2025 m)
Courmayeur (alt. 1223 m)
0h20min
3h 50 min   1h00min0h30min  0h45min 0h30min 0h30min 0h15min
0h30min 1h30min 0h30min 0h45min 0h30min 0h30min  0h15min
4h 30 min T E-T E E E E E

Outward altitude difference: – 1036 m + 234 m

Courmayeur

Villair Sup.

Leuchey Sup.

Rif. Bonatti
Rif. Bertone

Arminaz Inf.
Return altitude difference: + 1036 m – 234 m
District: Courmayeur Rif. Bonatti

Sécheron


Route description:
from Walter Bonatti Refuge the route
descends for a short way through meadows,
then bears to the left and leads to the summer Arminaz Inf.
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
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