Punta Leretta
Resorts: Fontainemore
This route, nestled in the Mont Mars Nature Reserve, provides an enjoyable contact with a diversified natural environment. The climb to Punta Leretta leads to a point with a privileged view of the lower Valle d’Aosta.
Technical information
How to get here
Pont-Saint-Martin highway exit. Turn right and continue to the fork for Gressoney. Take SR 44 for the Gressoney valley until Fontainemore. A few kilometers after the town, turn right to Pian Courmarial.
Description of the route
Proceed along the snow-covered road prohibited to traffic for a couple of turns until you reach a few typical houses: turn right, ignoring the nature path that continues straight. Continue along the slope that crosses a thick larch wood. You’ll reach the fork for Cour de Ry after a slight ascent: leave the descent on your right and continue along the slope until you exit the woods. The Vercosa houses are just a few minutes from here.
After Vercosa, the slope turns slightly to the left to climb to a ledge under the Crotal alps. The road, with a series of small turns, crosses the pasture and leads to the Gressoney valley side: there are interesting views of the Dames de Challand. After a straightaway, turn right to the village of Leretta.
Without descending to the houses below, turn left and climb the short field near the stone house. Just beyond you’ll enter a larch woods and, moving to your left, the base of the Leretta ridge: this part is rather steep (be careful of frozen snow) and leads to the Punta Leretta ridge peak.