Escursioni guidate in valle d'Aosta

TOUR OF THE GIANTS

From Valgrisenche to Champorcher following the Tor des Géants'steps

The Tor des Géants, the endurance trail of Aosta Valley which in recent years has become an worldwide icon, takes place partially along the track Alta Via n°2, whose most striking places will be covered by our trek, through the territories of the Gran Paradiso National Park and the Mont Avic Regional Park. This is why the Alta Via n°2 is called “Naturalistic High trail”: indeed, we go through wild areas of evocative landscapes, where numerous specimen of alpine flora and fauna live, even some of the rarest species, and through mountain villages where we can breathe an air of old traditions and now forgotten life style.

In short:

• Duration: 6 days/5 nights

• Overnight: 2 nights in a hut + 3 nights in a 2/3-star hotel with half board (dinner and breakfast).

• Elevation gain: about 7.800 m

• Length: about 96 km

• Kind of activity: group trekking in total autonomy with hiking guide and no luggage transport service during the activity

• Altitude of the highest point of the trek: about 3.299 masl (Col Loson)

• Terrain characteristics: mountain trail with some exposed sections (Col Entrelor, Col Loson, Sella hut – Alp Money traverse) equipped with fixed ropes and iron rungs to help the hiker. Scree close to cols ( Fenêtre in Rhêmes, Entrelor, Loson and  Fenêtre in Champorcher).

• Possible unexpected events: possible crossing of snow covered terrain

• Trek confirmed with at least: 6 participants

Strengths:

• High altitude icy environment

• Easy and daily observation of wild animals

• The unforgettable view on the massif of Rutor, on the Granta Parey and on the Gran Paradiso

• Typical villages

• The support of an Aosta Valley hiking guide throughout the whole trek

Scheduled treks:

27 of August

Other treks can be planned on request for groups of at least 6 people

Difficulty of the trek:

An average of about 8 hour walk a day. Elevation gain of 300 to 1670 metres.  An excellent level of fitness and health is required. Consider a good workout before the departure.

Minimum age: 12 years

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Our trek consists of 6 days with an average of 7/8 hours walk per day, through the most evocative landscapes of Alta Via n°2, from Valgriseche to the valley of Champorcher, and a short deviation in Cogne where, after spending the night at Vittorio Sella hut, we follow the route that lets us discover Valnontey, a valley characterized by unique glacial environments at the foot at the Gran Paradiso. During the tour, we spend the nights in alpine huts or in simple and cosy hotels if we get to the valley floor.

TREK ITINERARY

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1st day Valgrisenche

Meeting the guide in Aosta (at 7.00 o'clock) and transfer to Valgrisenche with your own car (transfer NOT provided)

Explanation of the itinerary, check of the equipment and start of the hike

First day: Valgrisenche - Chalet de l’Epée hut - Rhêmes-Notre-Dame

From the hamlet Mondanges, at the foot of the dam, we take the path going into a thick conifer wood and reach the alpine hut of Bennevy first and then the one of Bois. We walk on the farm track until the alpine hut of Praz-Londzet and then take the right path going up to the Chalet de l'Epée hut (2.370 masl). From here we climb a short grassy slope and get to a large plain where the trail runs along the creek; we reach Col  Fênetre (2.840 masl) climbing the last stretch up on a scree. We take a tortuous trail descending a steep slope made of scree and mountain pastures and get to the Torrent alpine hut. We walk down a slight slope, go into a sparse  conifer wood and then zigzag down a grassy slope leading to the valley floor, close to the car park preceding the main village of Rhêmes-Notre-Dame (1.720 masl).

• 7/8 hour walk

• Elevation gain: 1320 m

• Elevation loss: 1250 m

• Kind of accommodation: in  two-star hotel Galisia with half board (dinner and breakfast)

View in Google earth

2nd day Rhêmes-Notre-Dame

Breakfast in hotel

Second day: Rhêmes-Notre-Dame – Col Entrelor - L’Eau-Rousse

From the residential area of Rhêmes-Notre-Dame (1.720 masl) we cross the bridge on the Dora di Rhêmes and take the path going up to the alpine hut of Pré-du-Bois. After the hut, we walk into a thick conifer wood, we take altitude and get out of the wood going through a long plain where the alpine hut of Entrelor is situated. We walk on the plain and then go up again, to the alpine hut of Plan de Feye, going through mountain pastures and walking on the scree until we reach the col of Entrelor (3.005 masl). From the col the trail descends diagonally with some turns across pastures and some alpine lakes, it reaches the alpine hut of Djouan and, a little further, the hunting hut of King Victor Emmanuel II, now used by the Park rangers, where we can see the first larch woods. We go down a grassy cliff that leads to the last mountain pasture, after which, going down a slight slope still in the wood, we get to the meadows above the village of Eau-Rousse (1.670 masl).

• 7/8 hour walk

• Elevation gain: 1.340 m

• Elevation loss: 1.290 m

• Kind of accommodation: half board at 3 star hotel Hostellerie du Paradis (dinner and breakfast)

View in Google earth

3rd day  L’Eau-Rousse

Breakfast in the hotel

Third day: L’Eau-Rousse – Col Loson - Vittorio Sella hut

After the village of Eau-Rousse (1.670 masl), we cross the bridge on the creek Savara and follow the trail across the meadows before going into the wood and up along the wide turns. We walk on the flat and get out of the wood, where the alpine hut of Levionaz Inferiore (2.289 masl) and the hut of Park rangers are situated. We  keep going into the valley on a long plateau, then go up and cross the creek Levionaz on a small bridge; we climb a stretch of rocky ground until we get to the highest point of the trails Alte Vie: the Col Loson, at almost 3.300 masl. 

From the col, we descend following a traverse on the left and then, after some turns, we walk through a large stony slope to reach a grassy basin; we go down a steep slope and then walk down a slighter slope on a long diagonal line running along the creek; we walk through mountain pastures until we reach the Vittorio Sella hut (2.584 masl).

• 7 hours

• Elevation gain: 1.670 m

• Elevation loss: 760 m

• Kind of accommodation: half board at Sella hut (dinner and breakfast)

View in Google earth

4thday Sella hut

Breakfast in the hut

Fourth day: Sella hut – Casolari Herbetet - Alpe Money - Valnontey

From the Vittorio Sella hut we take the track going south towards the head of Valnontey. After we leave behind the small lake of Loson, the path leading to the cabins of Herbetet (2.441 masl) becomes more demanding and exposed (we need to overcome some stretches equipped with fixed ropes and iron rungs set into the rock). We then go down the old hunting road until the floor of Valnontey at 1.240 masl; we go up along the large morainic amphitheatre characterising the head of the valley, cross the impetuous creeks of glacial origins flowing towards the valley floor, and reach the Alpe Money, situated at 2.334 masl. The last stretch of the trek is along a narrow winding path running down to the valley floor of Valnontey at 1.790 masl. We walk on an easy flat trail and get to the village of Valnontey (1.666 masl).

• 8 hour walk

• Elevation gain: 630 m

• Elevation loss: 1.550 m

• Kind of accommodation: half board at 2 star hotel La Barme (dinner and breakfast

View in Google earth

5th day  Valnontey

Breakfast in the hotel

Fith day: Valnontey – Cogne – Lillaz - Sogno di Berdzé hut

From Valnontey (1.666 masl) we go to the main village of Cogne (1.540 masl) following the path which runs along the municipal road. From the residential area of Cogne, we follow the paved road leading to Lillaz and, close to a roundabout, we take the farm track on the right, going up gently through the woods. After we reach the village of Champlong, we walk on the pavement (along the paved road) to the car park of Lillaz (1.611 masl), where we take the path on the left going up across meadows and woods until it gets to a plain and then to the alpine hut of Goilles Inferiore. Shortly after the hut, we turn right crossing the creek of Urtier and go into the conifer wood gaining a lot of altitude: we cross several little creeks and get to the hut of the Park rangers. The trail then becomes flatter, leaves the wood and leads into a farm track going to the Sogno di Berdzé hut (2.530 masl).

• 8 hour walk

• Elevation gain: 1.115 m

• Elevation loss: 250 m

• Kind of accommodation: half board at Sogno di Berdzé hut (dinner and breakfast)

View in Google earth

6th day  Sogno di Berdzé hut

Breakfast in the hut

Sixth day: Sogno di Berdzé  hut – Col Fenêtre de Champorcher – Lac Miserin –  Dondena hut - Champorcher

From the Sogno di Berdzé hut, we go along the path winding up through the scree and reach Col the Fênetre of Champorcher (2.827 masl).  We are now in the territory of the Mont Avic Regional Park and follow the trail descending to the evocative lake Miserin (2.588 masl) and its hut with the same name. The trail continues downhill crossing the farm track several times and leads to the Dondena hut (2.192 msl). After the village of Dondena, we cross the creek and take the path below the road going across the mountain pastures and the alpine huts of Champlong and Créton, then we go into the wood and reach the bridge crossing the creek Ayasse. We go on, first into the wood, then through the meadows until we get into a large stony road leading to the hamlet of Chardonney  (1.444 m s.l.m.) in Champorcher, final goal of our trek.

• 7/8 hours walk

• Elevation gain: 300 m

• Elevation loss: 1380 m

• Transfer to Aosta

View in Google earth

N.B.

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The above mentioned programmes are  given for guidance  and can be modified for reasons not attributable to the organization (bad weather conditions, technical level of the participants, etc.). The guide reserves the right to change the itinerary according to weather conditions or for the safety of the group.

Cost per person:

23rd of August  - 500 €

The enrolment fee includes:

• The technical support of a hiking guide throughout the excursion

• A third-party liability insurance for accidents due to the negligent behaviour of the guide

• 5 overnights (2 in a hut + 3 in a hotel) with half board (dinner and breakfast)

• Kind of rooms: 2 nights in a hut (dormitory of 6 to 15 people according to the hut) + 3 nights in a hotel (family room for 4 tor 5 people or double room according to availability)

• Last day transfer from Champorcher to Valgrisenche

The enrolment fee does NOT include:

• personal equipment and gear

• travel costs to get to the meeting point on the first day

• not mentioned food and drinks (packed lunch bought in the hut)

• extra drinks in the hut

• local tourist tax

• anything not mentioned at “the enrollment fee includes”

• in case of change of itinerary for reasons not attributable to the organization (bad weather conditions, technical level of the participants, etc.) the unforeseen expenses will be charged to the participants.

Equipment list for multi-day treks

Backpack of 40-50 litres

Clothes to wear:

Hiking boots

Mountain shorts

T-shirt (preferably of breathable fabric, like microfibre)

Hiking socks (not short socks)

Sun cap/bandana

Sunglasses

Wind stopper jacket

Inside the backpack:

Mountain trousers (Schoeller, soft shell fabric)

3 Spare t-shirts

Spare socks

Spare underwear

Long sleeved t-shirt

Tights to use if it is cold and to wear as night clothes

Waterproof shell jacket (Gore-tex, pac-lite fabric)

Rain cape

Backpack rain cover if not integrated in the backpack itself

Personal hygiene products (toothpaste, shower gel, etc.)

Towel

Wool hat

Gloves

Water bottle/thermos + snack (like cereal bars, chocolate)

Sleeping bag liner for the hut

Sandals or trainers (for the hut)

Sunscreen

Multipurpose boxcutter

Trekking poles

Personal pharmacy kit (painkillers, compeed, aspirin)

Headlamp

Camera

Sign up: within 15 days before the starting date of the hike you have chosen, by email sending a 30% deposit of the total cost for each participant (if the minimum number of participants is reached (n°6 participants)

Useful links:

Download schedule of the trekking