Trek around Monte Viso in 5 days

Trek around Monte Viso in 5 stages.

A beautiful high mountain hike.

Hike over a 5 day period.
An exquisite high mountain trek.

Technical sheet

18058
Creation:
Last update:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 59.91 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5 days 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 4,484 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 4,477 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,943 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,695 m

Photos

Step by step walk

This route needs several days, find the details below:

  1. S
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. E

Practical information

Bring good shoes and warm clothes as you'll be heading up over 2900 M altitude. At this altitude, snow showers in August are commonplace. Don't pack your back pack with heavy or unnecessary gear. You'll be carrying it for 5 days.
Neves last until mid-July in the northern parts of the trek. If you're hiking earlier in the season, cleats and an ice axe are advised.

In the nearby area

The black pearl of Monte Viso.
During your trek around Monte Viso, you might come across a black salamander. It's the Lanza's alpine salamander. It's an endemic species of Viso massif found nowhere else but here.
The current population is decreasing and in danger of becoming extinct.
Don't tread on it, don't pick it up. If you come across one in the middle of a trail move it slightly so it doesn't get walked on.

 Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during this route.

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 10 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
bernardino
bernardino ★

Hello
In your previous message, you mentioned having done the Tour de la Vanoise with a competent guide from La Vie Sauvage. This organisation undoubtedly offers the Tour du Viso, and the guide who accompanied you last year is certainly in the best position to answer this question.
Have a good day

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VisoRando*JMG*
VisoRando*JMG*

Hello
I'm 70 years old and my physical abilities for hiking in medium and high mountains are still relatively good. But I just want to know if this tour is as difficult as the Vanoise tour I did at the beginning of last September.
Please reassure me.

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VisoRando*JMG*
VisoRando*JMG*
• Last modified:

Hello

I've downloaded a few hikes in the Queyras and the Viso, but I haven't tried them out yet (maybe in September). However, I tried out the Tour de la Vanoise last September with a competent guide and a very good group by registering on the "la vie sauvage" website. This beautiful itinerant hike (6 days-5 nights) allowed me to test my physical abilities and to realise that I am capable of hiking in the mountains at altitudes of 2500-3000m. For a first hike in the Alps, I'm reassured and I invite hikers of a certain age (over 65) to do this tour, provided, of course, that they have a minimum level of physical fitness.

Stay tuned!

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randogym
randogym

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 08, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Hello Coxcox,
I published this hike after doing it 3 times.
I did it the first time in the opposite direction in mid-June, just as all the refuges were opening.
We were a team of a dozen or so experienced hikers in the snow.
Everyone had a pair of crampons and an ice axe, plus a rope for the group.
This equipment is essential until early July or mid-July, depending on the year.
We did 2/3 of the route on névés, which meant we had to put on crampons in the mornings on frozen snow.
The other 2 times I did it after 14 July and at the end of August in the direction described without any special equipment.

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bernardino
bernardino ★

Good evening
This tour is entirely possible, but you'll have to wait until July, and more likely mid-July, as there is a lot of snow at the moment. You should also be aware that in July you will also have to pass some snow in places.
But this tour is particularly pleasant.
Have a nice evening!

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Coxcox
Coxcox

Hello everyone,
We would like to find a nice 5-day itinerary to do in the Queyras at the end of June, and this itinerary appeals to me greatly
Do you think it's still too early and that there will be a lot of névé on the route or is the proposed itinerary largely feasible at this time of year?
Thanks in advance!

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Verotif
Verotif

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 13, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Thank you for this itinerary, which we didn't follow to the letter but which really helped us with our route and thanks to the many comments. We did the tour in 7 days, to make the most of these magnificent landscapes. We set off from Echalp and spent the first night at the Jervis hut. The second stage was to the Barbara hut (a haven of peace on the banks of a river), via the Barant hut (where the view is breathtaking) - before arriving we took the time to visit the alpine botanical park, where young Italian students are each staying for a week to show us around. 3rd day: Pian del Rei refuge via the Prossera pass, Giana pass. 4th stage: we walked along lakes to the Sella al Monviso refuge. 5th stage, a little long and a lot of ascent, the Vallenta hut. 6th stage, after a good climb, arrival at the Viso pass and crossing a névé, descent to the Viso hut and return to France (watch out for the markings, which are no longer very effective at this point - take the left-most path in the scree to avoid a very steep descent before the lake, where a swim was in order. The last stage back to Echalp via the collapsed rock following the Guil. Our stages were moderately long, 5/6 hours a day except for Vallenta (7 hours), to allow us to enjoy the scenery, observe the wildlife and swim. The average daily vertical drop was a regular 600 to 700, both positive and negative (except for stage 2 - 900). The welcome in the itatlian refuges was as pleasant as ever, despite the constraints imposed by the Covid 19, which prevented us from enjoying the friendly moments that are so important in the mountains. A special mention goes to the Viso refuge, which doesn't have the same Italian constraints and where we had a wonderful musical evening, with a hiker warming up the piano in the main hall. Above all, we salute the charter signed and followed by the refuge for its commitment to organic fair trade (the jams at breakfast are absolutely delicious).
Each day was magical, with different views of the Monviso every time. We enjoyed great, clear weather and panoramic views of Monte Rosa, the Po valley and other peaks. Due to the dry weather, we didn't see any salamanders, which like humidity, but we did see a red-legged frog. Flowers are abundant. The Italian marmots are more discreet than our French ones, but we saw some all the same and were lucky enough to observe a family of ibexes teaching the young newcomers the art of climbing.
We wish all those who follow us a good and enjoyable hike... and as far as we're concerned, we'd love to go back...

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ojeannot
ojeannot

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 18, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

I wasn't able to do enough training because of the confinement, so I did a reduced version. First stage to the Jervis hut, second to the Granero hut, third to the Viso hut and back to Echalp.

This was a perfectly acceptable version, with stages lasting around 3 or 4 hours.

I quite agree with a previous opinion: the Italian map may prove useful.

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denis.mourigal
denis.mourigal

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 13, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Perfect description...superb hike...one point for improvement would be to use less frequented refuges, for example Granero and Giacoletti...great dinner at Jervis.

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Vianney P.
Vianney P.

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 07, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hike from 8 to 12 July 2019.
Superb route with a wide variety of landscapes: forests, mountain pastures, scree slopes, névés, lakes, streams and tunnels! Impossible to get bored! It's a really rich hike.

I also liked the way the difficulty was managed, with days 1 and 5 being the easiest and day 3 the hardest. And that's just fine.

Last but not least, we crossed paths with a Lanza salamander (the region's emblem) and a bunch of Edelweiss 100 m from the Vallanta refuge. A magical sight!

A final word of advice: buy the Italian hiking map and not the French IGN map 3637OT, which only has the title Mont Viso! A real rip-off! It's only present in an insert in the top right-hand corner with very little information on the Italian section, which represents 3/4 of the route (e.g. the Postman's path on day 3 is not indicated). The Italian map is much more complete, centred on Mont Viso, and doesn't worry about borders.

Finally, thank you to the creator of this itinerary!
We had a fabulous 5 days!

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baboudidou@live.fr
baboudidou@live.fr

hello,

no advice at the moment, the tour is scheduled for the end of August.

Sincerely

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randonantais
randonantais

Hello,
Magnifique photos, ça donne envie de repartir...Bravo
Cdlt,

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Gerard BERTHOUD
Gerard BERTHOUD

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 24, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We used all the information in your proposal and interpreted it, i.e. we set off from pian del Re, Quintino Sella, Vallente, l'Echalp and Granero.
Your description enabled us to hike safely and was very useful in planning our trek! Thank you very much.

http://berthoudphoto.ch/index.php/Report...

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randonantais
randonantais

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 08, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Superb hike in the high mountains between Queyras and Piemond in Italy. We set off on a Wednesday after a severe heatwave and thunderstorms. We had originally planned to leave on Monday the 7th, but the weather forced us to change our route and our hut bookings. In fact, we did it the other way round, starting at La Roche Ecroulée, heading for the Col Valante and sleeping at the Valanta hut. After analysing the five stages, we think it was easier than the normal way. What's more, after talking to various mountain guides on the spot, there are several variants for touring Mont Viso. The Italians prefer to leave from the Po valley at Pian Melze (beware of paying parking) to cross the Col de la Traversette and arrive at the Viso refuge. Others will do it in 3 or 4 days from the Col Agnel or Castello on the Italian side. In short, there's something for everyone, depending on availability, desires and passion. We even met up with some Swiss people with whom we did the Grand Paradis tour last year, who were leaving for 7 days. As for the refuges we visited, we can guarantee you an excellent welcome in Italy and the flexibility to always find a solution in the event of overcrowding (I'm thinking of Q.Sella). The food is excellent at the Viso, Jervis and Q.Sella huts. The Valanta hut was a little disappointing, however, where there is still room for improvement. We were lucky enough to come across lots of animal species (marmots, ibexes, salamanders, etc.) and beautiful scenery. We're working on our next destination (the Dolomites) but haven't decided yet, so we're thinking of you to advise us on a route as beautiful as the tour of Mont Viso.

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bernardino
bernardino ★

Hello
Well, as far as the beacon is concerned, that's up to you, but mobile phones do get through (well, almost everywhere).
However, what's a bit awkward about your question is that it implies that you're going alone. And that's absolutely not advisable.
But it's true that there are a lot of people on this circuit.
Bon courage

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