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

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 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 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.

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.

Hike up the magnificent glacial valley, which marks the end of the Val Grisenche, overlooking the imposing Glariettez Glacier. Access to the Val de Rhême via the Col de Bassac-Déré (3,082 m), then a descent through a high-mountain landscape to Lac de Golettaz, where the seracs are reflected in the water. The route then descends through the mountain pastures to the Refuge Benevolo (2,285 m).

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.

A truly magnificent mountain route. Ascent, crossing the Col du Grand Small Pass, then descent. A fairly classic circuit where you are likely to see animals such as chamois and marmots. This circuit can be done in either direction, but the direction indicated allows you to enjoy impressive views on arrival at the Col du Grand Small Pass.

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.

A family walk along the shores of the Place Moulin reservoir. A route skirting this emerald-green lake as you stroll beneath the conifers. At the far end of the lake, the Prarayer Refuge is situated on the Tour du Cervin route; make the most of it to have a bite to eat before retracing your steps. With a bit of luck, you’ll spot some marmots.

A magnificent, fairly challenging circular route. This route follows the Alta Via No. 2 from the Aosta Valley to the Rifugio Deffeyes. A path, almost like a balcony, will take you into the Bella Comba valley, home to two superb lakes. During the ascent to the refuge, you’ll discover numerous viewpoints over the Mont Blanc massif on the Italian side. The scenery changes at the refuge, where the Ruitor Glacier will accompany you all the way to Lago dei Seracchi.

This pleasant route offers spectacular views of the Gran Paradiso massif. You’ll be able to see numerous ice waterfalls, which attract ice climbers from all over the world.

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.

From Valsavaranche to Val de Cogne in the middle of a herd of chamois.

Cross the mountain pastures along a descending path, from where there is a magnificent view of Lake Agniel and Lake Serru (2,240 m). A path leads to Lago Delle Rocc Grandi and the high-altitude path over the Col du Carro (3,122 m). The pass marks the French-Italian border and the entrance to the Vanoise National Park. A steep descent leads to the Refuge du Carro (2,759 m) for a well-deserved rest. Please note: Just before Lac du Caro, the glacier tongue has swept away the landmarks (markings, cairns), makingnavigation and progress very difficult(see notice dated 7 September 2026).

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

A warm-up walk along the right bank of the lake to reach the Prarayer refuge.

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

The ascent takes you through very wild, virtually off-trail terrain up to the Nivoletta Alpine Pass (3,152 m), followed by a descent via the gullies overlooking the magnificent Leitz and Rosset Lakes in the Valsavarenche. You then make your way towards the Chivasso Refuge through splendid flower-filled mountain pastures, renowned for their delicious fontina cheese.

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

A very beautiful walk with varied scenery and fairly accessible (between Aosta and the Great St Bernard Pass), offering three stages – two long and one short – with two nights in comfortable mountain huts. Once you’ve left the forest zone, the views of all the surrounding mountain ranges are magnificent.

The final day of the Tour du Mont Fallere. The first part of the day involves climbing to the Col Fenêtre, followed by a bonus ascent to the summit of Monte di Vertosan (3,821 m) for an exceptional 360° panorama (Mont Blanc – Grand Combin – Matterhorn – Gran Paradiso). This is followed by a long descent, with a fairly steep, winding first section, then a fast, rolling track through the forest to round off the circular tour.

The second stage of the Tour du Mont Fallere promises a day of stunning views. Once you’ve completed the climb up to the ridges, the path alternates between descents and ascents, offering panoramic views of the Matterhorn to begin with, followed by the entire Aosta Valley and the peaks along the border.

First day of the Tour du Mont Fallere. It’s a fairly quick day’s climb, mainly through woodland, to reach the Chaligne refuge. The route alternates between quiet forest tracks and some good, steeper sections of climb, with no technical difficulties.

The final day of the Tour de l’Archeboc features a long, beautiful climb to the Col du Rocher Blanc, followed by a descent on the French side back to our starting point at Chenal. Views of the Italian and then French glaciers throughout today’s route.

This circular route, which passes over two mountain passes, allows you to explore the Frudière lakes in the Ayas Valley and to admire magnificent views of the Monte Rosa massif throughout the walk. This route is very difficult and is reserved for experienced walkers. Indeed, the ascent to Colletto de Taf from the Col de Frudière follows a narrow, vertiginous path where sure-footedness is essential. This climb also requires you to use your hands in certain sections. The route follows paths nos. 3A, 9B and 1A (EE) in succession.

This circular walk takes you up to the little-visited lakes of Siaua and allows you to explore a historic valley associated with Walser settlement, featuring numerous old stone and timber dwellings from that period. The route is well signposted and follows paths nos. 1, 1F, 1A and GSW in succession.

This circular walk, starting from the hamlet of Niel, passes through the Mologna Grande and Lazouney passes, offering views of the Piedmont and the Loo mountain pasture. It takes you past the lakes of Grekij and Suckie. The stretch between the two passes also offers a superb view of the Lys valley between Gaby and Issime. This route, which is very well signposted, follows trails nos. 6B, 6A and 6 (GSW) in succession.

A day-long circular route taking you round the Truc de Tsanteleina and close to the foot of the Granta Parey, set in a rocky landscape that is home to Lake Tsanteleina, also known as Lago di Santa Elena.

Starting from the charming La Pineta campsite, this walk takes you on a journey of discovery through the region, combining history, nature and quaint little hamlets. The route alternates between country lanes, nature trails and sections through villages. Some sections may be more challenging, with paths that are occasionally steep, narrow or rugged. A good level of fitness and suitable footwear are therefore recommended. The route favours quiet paths and tracks as much as possible to avoid roads. However, a few road crossings are unavoidable during the walk. A wonderful way to discover the region in a different light, whilst making the most of its landscapes and heritage.

This walk, starting from Plan de Coumarial, takes in five superb lakes in the Mont Mars Nature Reserve: the Vargno reservoir, the upper and lower Lounc lakes, and the Barma lakes. The suggested route follows the signposted paths No. 2D and 2C and the Via Alta No. 1. Path 2C, which overlooks Lake Vargno, is rated EE and is reserved for walkers accustomed to mountain walking. It is fully equipped with rope descents and via ferrata-style fixings at sections deemed difficult.

This circular route, starting from Plan de Coumarial, above the village of Fontainemore, offers the chance to explore the varied mid- and high-mountain landscapes of the Mont Mars Nature Reserve and the lakes of Gaudin, Montagnet and Carisey. The section along the ridge between the Sella and Carisey passes, which marks the border between the Aosta Valley and Piedmont, is well worth a detour. This very well-signposted route follows, in turn, path no. 3A, the Via Alta no. 1 and then path no. 3. The ascent to the Sella Pass has been well maintained and presents no particular difficulty for a walker accustomed to mountain walking.

The third stage of the Tour de l’Archeboc, between France and Italy. A day offering panoramic views of several French and Italian glaciers. Shorter in distance and elevation gain than the other days of the tour, but with a few slightly more technical sections (scree slopes).

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.