Loop hike in the San Grato valley
Resorts: Issime
Very interesting itinerary in one of the best preserved sites of the Gressoney Valley, the San Grato Valley, which is known for its beautiful landscape and in particular for the valuable rural architecture.
Technical information
Description of the route
Starting from the centre of Issime, drive on the road to the San Grato valley and park your car (unfortunately there’s little space available) near the prohibition sign that you meet before the start of the dirt road. Walk for about 350 metres until you reach path no. 1, the starting point of the itinerary.
The path goes uphill in the middle of a forest, then crosses a series of clearings and pastures rich in rural buildings. Once you reach the San Grato chapel, you will find yourself immersed in a place where people had been living since ancient times, in perfect harmony with the surrounding nature. These characteristic elements of the valley will follow the hiker along the entire route. From there, the path leading to Col Dondeuil (2342 m) passes by various rural buildings and gradually becomes less steep. Among larch woods and meadows, the trail ends up reaching the Mühni huts (2021 m) which mark the highest point of the itinerary. Near the chapel of Mühni, take path no. 1F starting the long descent to the other side of the valley. Go past the various junctions that you will come across while remaining on path no. 1F, until almost reaching the end of the route, near the main stream of the valley. Here take the almost flat path no. 1 that allows you to reach the starting point of the trail and the dirt road that leads back to the place where the paved road begins.