La Léchère - Prarayer Refuge

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

This walk is part of a multi-day hike: Tour of the Matterhorn

Details

n°109921
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 2.77 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 515 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 472 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 6,591 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 6,437 ft
  • ⚐ Country: Italy
  • ⚐
    Area: Alps
  • ⚐ City: Bionaz 
  • ⚑
    Start: N 45.899788° / E 7.490252°
  • ⚑
    End: N 45.921137° / E 7.533039°
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Photos

The dam at Lake Place Moulin
Refuge de Prarayer
Place à Moulin lake

Description of the walk

Park in the large car park at Lake Place à Moulin (S).
Take the wide track that runs along the left bank of the lake.

(1) This track leads to the Prarayer refuge and is called Itinerario 9 Rifugio Prarayer. It is a route used by the inhabitants of this village, so you need to be careful of the many cars that drive along it. The refuge is also a popular walking destination for the inhabitants of the Aosta Valley, and we come across many of them.

Continue north-east to reach the entrance to the hamlet of Prarayer (E), where the refuge is clearly visible.

Waypoints

  1. S : mi 0 - alt. 6,526 ft - Car park at Lake Place à Moulin
  2. 1 : mi 1.46 - alt. 6,483 ft - Track along the edge of the lake
  3. E : mi 2.77 - alt. 6,585 ft - Prarayer refuge

Notes

No problems, the path is obvious and is particularly popular with tourists going to or returning from the refuge.

Worth a visit

Aosta, capital of the Aosta Valley region.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 1 review
Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
Elanatol
Elanatol

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely, easy walk along Lake Place Moulin, with beautiful views of the lake itself and the mountains. At the end of the path, you come to a mountain refuge where you can have a bite to eat. You then have to retrace your steps (there’s no circular path around the lake), but it’s not boring. The path is wide and relatively flat (with a few gentle inclines and declines). Do make sure you wear trainers, though.
There’s a car park near the starting point where you can leave your car.

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Other walks in the area

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