Aosta Valley walks

The Pointe de la Croix is clearly visible to the east of La Thuile. This circular hike offers sweeping views of the Mont Blanc massif and the 4,000-metre peaks on the Italian-Swiss border, in particular the easily recognisable Cervino. The return route takes you via the popular Lac d'Arpy.

A trek across the Gran Paradiso passing through the 5 surrounding valleys.

Nestled at the foot of Tête du Ruitor and its glaciers, within a beautiful setting, Saint-Grat Lake is the highlight of any hike in its own right. Through the final twists and turns before the lake, the slope is smooth and the route straightforward. The next climb much steeper, leading to Refuge Adami gives you a stunning view point.

A beautiful circular route along the border between Italy and Switzerland. From the road on the Italian side of the Col du Grand Saint-Bernard, you will discover the Lacs du Ferret in the Swiss valley of La Fouly. You will enjoy panoramic views of the Orny, Saleinaz and A Neuve glaciers.

A fairly popular hike that takes you close to the foothills of Gran Paradiso. You might spot some ibex if you’re lucky!

A lovely hike in the Cogne area with stunning views of Gran Paradiso.

Facing the Grand Paradis, these two mountain pastures, now abandoned, offer a beautiful view of the glacier and the summit of this particularly popular mountain.

A visit to the Victor Emmanuel Refuge, which, like its neighbour the Chabod Refuge, can be considered the base camp for the summit of Gran Paradiso, located in the province of Aosta in northern Italy. A steep but short climb that ends between the refuge and Lake Moncorvé.

An easy walk at the bottom of the Rhêmes Valley, through larch and spruce forests and along the Grand Ru irrigation canal. A short, slightly steeper detour takes you to the beautiful Vallon d’Entrelor and the Refuge Delle Marmotte. On the way back, don’t miss the chance to admire the stunning Entrelor Waterfall and the lovely little Lake Pellaud.

A magnificent hike starting from Chamois. The route is very varied, offering superb panoramic views of the Gran Paradiso massif at the Col du Pilaz. You’ll appreciate the beauty of Lakes Charey and Champlong. From time to time, you’ll catch glimpses of the Matterhorn, which plays hide-and-seek for a good half of the journey. The village of Chamois is the only car-free village in Italy. It is accessible only on foot, by bike or by cable car.

A walk through the hunting grounds of King Victor Emmanuel, who owned a very large building in Orvieille that is currently being refurbished. Passing through the mountain pastures that follow, the very pretty Lac de Djouan then comes into view.

stage 5 of the Tour du Mont Blanc from Refuge Bertone (Italy) to Refuge Elena (Italy): a hike offering superb views of Mont Blanc from the Italian side.

A lovely hike to an easily accessible summit. Close to the Great St Bernard Pass, Mont Fourchon lies on the ridge forming the border between Italy and Switzerland.

The Waterfalls Trail: thesecond stage of a circular route in the Gran Paradiso National Park. Starting from Rhêmes-Notre-Dame, you reach Rifugio Benevolo, passing numerous impressive waterfalls along the way.

It may not be true paradise but it certainly is heavenly. An exceptional group trek carried out in July 2011 which allows you to explore the Val D'aoste valleys ending with a balcony trail to Gran Paradiso summit.

Between the coolness of the streams and panoramic views, this hike is punctuated by footbridges and lookout points. All of this allows you to get up close to the power of the water and admire the magnificent Alpine panoramas.

This 10-day tour of the Matterhorn is remarkable. It allows you to walk alongside the 4,000-metre peaks of this Alpine range every day. Located in two countries, Italy and Switzerland, it also allows you to familiarise yourself with three European languages: Italian, German and French in the Valais region of Switzerland. Important note: Two stages of this route take place partly on glaciers. It is highly advisable to bring crampons and a rope for maximum safety. Crampons will make it easier to walk, and the rope can be used to form a rope team to secure the participants.

This is a short first stage that takes you almost halfway up the slope to the hamlet of Frachey, overlooking the Ayas valley.

stage 4 of the TMB: from the Elisabetta Refuge (Val Veny) to Plampincieux (Val Ferret) via Col de Checroui and Courmayeur.

A Trek through Valgrisenche with a view over the large village dam.

A superb hike to the summit of Monte Tantané. The ascent along the ridge is quite challenging, but once you reach the summit you’ll be rewarded with a magnificent panoramic view, particularly of the Matterhorn and the Monte Rosa massif.

This circular walk above Chamois passes by Monte Charvaz, a viewpoint offering a panoramic view of the western part of the Valtournenche valley. You’ll recognise the mountain range above Torgnon, stretching from Becca d’Aver to Cima Bianca. The return to Chamois follows the course of the stream of the same name.

Drive via Doues to the Doues - Champillon parking lot below the Refugio Champillon (a beautiful drive with magnificent views). From here, you can walk to the Refugio (1-hour climb) or take a relaxed stroll along the Rû (water channels), which is what I did (see route). Enjoy the beautiful views of both the mountains and the Ollomont valley. You can keep walking for as long as you like. Return the same way.

A pleasant route that alternates between mountain pastures and forests. The northern section of the route takes you past peaks exceeding 3,000 metres: Becca de Salé, Pointe du Tsan and Pointes de Chavacour. On the way back, you ’ll pass close to Monte Meabé and Becca d’Aver

This is a long and tiring hike ending at a fantastic lake with nothing but eternal snow and even a glacier surrounding it! I skipped the Rifugio Benevolo because I had already done it a few days earlier. This Rifugio is well worth the effort and can easily be integrated into this trek.

A beautiful route to the Antécime du Meabé, another peak overlooking Torgnon. In good weather, you’ll enjoy panoramic views of the Matterhorn and the Monte Rosa massif. At the start, the path shares the route with the Col Fenêtre trail. From this pass, it’s also possible to reach the Antécime du Meabé.

A beautiful and fairly easy walk to a very nice Refigio. A large part is through the forest, so there is plenty of shade. After the Refigio, you can walk a little further to sit and relax at a small current (2). If you fancy a very short walk (due to bad weather, for example), turn left at (3) instead of going up. You walk along a very old irrigation canal (Rû).

A superb route to the Becca d’Aver, the peak overlooking Torgnon. You’ll enjoy panoramic views of the Matterhorn and the Monte Rosa massif. From the Becca d’Aver, follow the ridge path to reach another peak, the Cima Longhede.

A short, pleasant walk for when the weather is a bit unpredictable. A walk along an irrigation canal, also known as the Rû. We start in the quiet village of Bruil and make a loop back via Pessey and Rhêmes-Notre-Dame. We start with a decent climb, but after that, it is relaxed.

A lovely walk to a small peak overlooking the village of Torgnon. On this rocky outcrop stands a monument dedicated to the Madonna degli Alpini (Our Lady of the Alpine Hunters). At the summit, you’ll enjoy a panoramic view of the southern peaks of the Aosta Valley.

A beautiful walk to the lovely Benevolo mountain hut on the edge of the Gran Paradiso National Park. Along flowing mountain streams and grazing cows and lots of flowers, even Edelweiss!!! Park your car in Thumel and take a relaxed walk back and forth.

A beautiful route which initially follows the “Petit Monde” stream. The climb continues towards the Cret mountain pasture and joins the track leading to the hamlet of Gilliarey. On the right, a small path leads to the Gilliarey sanctuary. You’ll enjoy a panoramic view of the Valtournenche and the Matterhorn. The return journey follows the same route as the outward journey

A pleasant route offering several views of the village of Torgnon and the neighbouring peaks: Le Zerbion and Le Tantané. At the small chapel (3), you can enjoy a panoramic view stretching from Valtournenche all the way to the Matterhorn.

The walk begins with a strenuous climb to a mountain hut (Alpenzu). Afterwards, it slopes gently downhill past various Walser houses. Along the way, you can enjoy the amazing views of the valley. The return is partly through the forest.

The beginning of the route is easy enough (follow route 4 to Lake Gabiet), but it's more than a 600-meter climb! The lake is beautiful, and you can see the snow on top of the Monte Rosa in the distance.

Starting from Arpnouva, the hike begins with a magnificent ascent up the glacial valley to the Refuge Elena. The path climbs steeply to the Col Ferre, which is the highest point of the day. The descent is straightforward on the Swiss side to the Refuge de la Peule, a lovely little stop-off amidst the cows. The descent follows a track suitable for vehicles, with the option to cut across some of the hairpin bends through cow pastures. There is also a ford to cross. A mountain hut a little further up offers a chance for a short break. The rest of the route, which is straightforward, offers beautiful views of the glaciers. The walk ends on the road and finishes at La Fouly.

An easy walk from the beautiful village of Gimillan to Lago Money. You can decide what to do when you arrive at waypoint 2:Most people walk to the Laghi di Lussert, which is also very beautiful, but a 1-hour longer walk.I did it a few years ago, that's why we walked to the silent and very beautiful Lago Money.

For this eighth stage, it is possible to take the ski lifts up to the Théodule Refuge, depending on conditions, in particular the Plan Maison lift from Breuil; or even as far as Fornet, to get even closer.

This is the second part of the classic stage of the Tour du Cervin, running from Prarayer to Breuil. The final section of the route can be avoided if you are tired once you reach the road. It is also possible to head towards Varvoie and Lake Perrères to rejoin the road more quickly.

A superb route that begins in a larch forest and continues over a succession of hilltops. The arrival at the pass beneath Mont Flassin offers a phenomenal view. From Gran Paradiso to the Grandes Jorasses, via the Matterhorn and so many others. The panorama is exceptional.

The route starts from the car park at the Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses ski resort, which is easily reached from Aosta. You quickly reach the mountain pastures after an initial climb through a larch forest. You pass a group of stone houses with slate roofs at the Arp du Bois Desot. Then, the landscape opens out onto the ridge of a vast mountain pasture which leads easily to the Fenêtre de Serena, where the view stretches across the French and Italian Alps as far as the eye can see.

It’s the last day. The descent from the Col de Malatra is magnificent. It’s the last pass at almost 3,000 metres. You can see the path from afar, winding up the mountainside. After that, the solitude will be over. We rejoin the TMB from the Bonatti Refuge and its throng of hikers. The descent towards Courmayeur is superb, but once you reach the tarmac, it’s a very long way.

An average day on paper, but the fatigue is setting in. But it’s the penultimate day. The route is still clearly marked, so we don’t waste too much time getting lost. A stop at the Refuge de Champillon is a must. There’s a climb through the fields. The Col de Champillon is the last major pass before the finish.

A very long day. The descent to Oyace seems never-ending. On the other hand, once again, the scenery is magnificent and wild. It’s best to have a good rest in Oyace, as the final climb to the Col de Brison is very long. It’s almost over

A long day lies ahead with the climb to the Col de Lauzon (3,299m). This is the highest point of the TDG. The descent from the pass is pure delight. It is possible to run downhill for 3–4 km to the Vittorio Sella Refuge. It is a large refuge with plenty of people. The descent to Valnontey is also long, but there are plenty of cafés to rest in.

A short day as the next day takes you into the Gran Paradiso National Park, where camping is prohibited; I had to cut the stage short, otherwise it would have had to be extended unreasonably. The Hostellerie du Gran Paradis is the only place to stay overnight. The food is great, but be warned: at weekends there are often Italians, French people, etc. out mountain biking.

A superb winter route starting from Chamois. At Col Pilaz, you will be surprised to discover the Matterhorn to the north. A giant red bench offers a superb photo opportunity with the Cervinio in the background. On the south side, a magnificent panorama of the Paradis massif awaits you. The village of Chamois is the only car-free village in Italy. It is only accessible on foot, by bicycle or by cable car.

A lovely autumn circular with magnificent views of the Aosta Valley and Cly Castle. Parking in Nus, pleasant climb in stages. On the way back, a meal or refreshment in Nus is a must!

This is a fairly wild hike starting from Saint-Jacques-des-Allemands, a village after Champoluc. The trail begins with a continuous climb towards the Ferraro Refuge and then joins the Palon de Résy. There is a beautiful cross and a beautiful view of Mont Rose, its moraine, and Lac Bleu. Trail 8D then leads to several small mountain lakes called Résy. The trail continues to the "basin" of Alpe della Forca Supériore. From here, the trail descends to the refuge and then Saint-Jacques-des-Allemands.

Facing Cervinio, then superb landscapes after Cime Blanche. We will now spend five days on the Tour du Mont Rose. Hike with a brief description, to be followed with the Visorando app.