Itineraries among the vineyards

This circular itinerary starts from Aymavilles, a town at the entrance to the valley of Cogne, in the area of the Gran Paradiso National Park, and runs through various sections of stage 17 (Villeneuve-Aymavilles) of the Cammino Balteo hiking route. Short sections of the ring are on roadways.

Park your car in the parking lot below Saint-Léger church.

Taking the municipal asphalted road that leads from Aymavilles to Villeneuve, you meet and cross the Grand Eyvia stream that flows down from Cogne Valley. Immediately after the bridge, on the left, a path starts off in the direction of Pondel or Pont d’Ael, indicated by the yellow signpost number 2A.

After the first bend you are on an old mule track that gently climbs the hill, crossing vineyards and deciduous woods. The morainic slopes of the Aymavilles area are particularly suited to the growing of grapes. Several wineries grow indigenous grape varieties such as Fumin, Petit Rouge and Cornalin.

The paving of the path leaves room for the ancient rocks, smoothed and worn down by the slow and inexorable passage of the glaciers that in distant times created these valleys. The sheepback rock formation is generally rounded above and on the upstream side, irregular towards the valley and elongated in the direction of the movement of the glacier; their formation is due to the pressure exerted by the glacial mass and the action of the powerful grinding action carried out by large quantities of debris incorporated within it.

Surrounded by a rural environment alternating with natural areas, the path climbs towards the meadows of Eissogne, sometimes frequented by ungulates. After passing a small footbridge suspended in the air, the path returns to climb up a very sunny and arid slope, at first sight inhospitable, but which conceals an interesting area from a naturalistic point of view, populated in particular by orchids and butterflies, and protected as a special area of preservation. This initial part is steep and rocky, an ideal environment for spotting the golden eagle, the peregrine falcon and other birds of prey that find the right conditions for nesting here.

When you reach the highest point of the climb, you are faced with a tunnel that crosses the waterfall which descends from the aqueduct located above and which, depending on the season, opens its inlets. The inside of the tunnel is illuminated thanks to a solar panel.
Once you leave the tunnel, the view is priceless and you are left speechless in front of the spectacle of nature that amazes you here also for the harmony it shows with the anthropic context. In the background, the Grivola dominates the valley and you get a glimpse of the hamlet of Pont d’Ael and its impressive Roman bridge-acqueduct. This single arch connects the 15 metres that divide the two sides from the deep gorge of about 60 meters from the underlying course of water.

Once in the village you can refresh yourself at one of the many fountains before continuing the journey.
After going through the village, follow the asphalted road that leads to the regional road to Cogne. Once you reach the road, continue on downhill for a few minutes before taking path number 3 which starts out on the left and comes across a lovely votive chapel. From there, the path descends gently initially and then becomes steeper towards the end, reaching the beautiful church of Saint-Léger and thus quickly returning to the starting point in Aymavilles.

Via Ferrata delle Peredrette

It climbs up along the rock ridges above the terraced vineyards. Going up, the view opens out onto the entire valley, to reach a spectacular blade of rock overlooking the Dora Baltea. For the more daring, a short variant presents an extra emotion.

Shortly before the end of the Via Ferrata there is the virtual "log book"; by reading the QR code with your smartphone, you can connect to the web page to register your passage.

The iron-cabled path ends on a spectacular natural balcony among small potholes carved into the rock.

On the way back, follow the Preles valley among chestnut trees, large boulders and the characteristic “barme”, agricultural and pastoral shelters close to the rocks.

The iron-cabled path can be covered in about 90 minutes and the descent takes 45 minutes.

The equipped path does not present any particularly technical difficulties (EEA - PD); the most exposed passage is avoidable, but if followed, it must be done with suitable equipment: harness, hooking-up kit and helmet.

Falesia delle Ciliegie (Cliff of Cherries)

This is located at the top of the via ferrata, accessible by following the path along the deep Preles valley in about 50/60 minutes with a charming hike in the woods. The exposure is sunny, ideal to be done in spring and autumn.

The base of the cliff is wide and spacious, ideal for groups and families (however, be careful to keep an eye on the little ones given the presence of steep rock faces nearby).

There are 18 routes from 15 to 22 meters in length with levels of difficulty between 4b and 6a. Climbing on leaning rock faces and on sub-vertical ones.

Pomerou Pyramid

This is a small rocky structure located at the end of the first ridge of the Ferrata delle Peredrette (Iron-cabled route); it can be reached via a short path through the woods of Pomerou (10/15 minutes). The woods is strewn with boulders, which once served as a roof for the “barme” - the characteristic shelters of woodcutters and shepherds - and are now the playground for boulderers.

Eight routes between 12 and 19m in length are equipped, difficulty levels from 4a to 5c.

Climbing on a leaning rock face, facing north; the position still guarantees a good degree of sunshine.

At the base the area is spacious; however, it is necessary to keep an eye on the little ones so that they do not approach the edge of the mountainside below.

Masso di Reisen (Boulder of Reisen)
Surrounded by vineyards, in the Reisen area, this huge block of rock broke away from the walls of Preles years ago, coming to a stop among the vineyards.
The four faces allow for climbs of very different types and difficulties.
The south face has 5 remarkable lines about 10 m high with a difficulty between 5b/6b on a tended sub-vertical wall.
The east face is equipped with three 10/12m lines between 6b and 7a, vertical.
The north face has three lines of 6/7 m with a difficulty of 5b/c on a vertical scaled wall, while the west face is reserved for medium/high difficulty with two lines of grade 7c with rounded slab following the line of the boulder.
The surrounding flat area among the vineyards is ideal for families. Do not park cars in the spaces adjacent to the boulder (they are private).

N.B. – The cliffs and the iron steps are periodically checked and maintained, however, since these are routes on rock in a natural environment exposed to atmospheric and hydrogeological agents, they can undergo alterations in their state leading to dangerous situations.. Pay attention to the condition of the trails, the walls and the on-site equipment.
Those who follow the paths and equipped routes of the Balteo Climbing Park implicitly and consciously accept the risk inherent to the practice of these sports activities in a natural environment.

This circular itinerary covers in part the paths of the Alta Via no. 1, of the Via Francigena and of the Cammino Balteo (part of “stage 4”: /en/database/7/cammino-balteo/-aosta-valley-/donnas-arnad/2951 “Donnas - Arnad” and of “stage 23”: /en/database/7/cammino-balteo/-aosta-valley-/pontboset-pont-saint-martin/2946 “Pontboset - Pont-saint-Martin”). One section is on an asphalted road.

Park your car in Donnas in the square near the Roman road.
After going through the medieval hamlet of Donnas, take the path indicated by the yellow signpost number 7 for Albard (the same indications as the Cammino Balteo- stage 4 - towards Arnad). The first stretch runs alongside the Bellet stream on the main road, but at the first bridge, turn left and the trail crosses a picturesque area of vineyards on dry stone walls.
The wine-growing in Donnas has very ancient traditions. Here the steep slopes are overcome by the secular terraces held back by walls up to 4 meters high. The processing is hand-done and distributed over all the months of the year, and the main grape is Nebbiolo.

Once you arrive in Prèle where, on the right, you come cross a chapel, the path begins to climb steeply to overcome the walls that overlook the plain, frequented by climbing enthusiasts who find the “Climbing Park Balteo” here. This area is very hot and dry, an ideal environment for reptiles such as whip snakes, vipers and lizards, and for the birds of prey that feed on them, such as the short-toed snake eagle, a large migrator similar to an eagle with a wingspan that can reach about 2 meters. Its coat is very light-colored in the lower parts, with wide brown stripes.

In about 30 minutes you climb up in height until you meet the asphalted road again which after a few meters reaches Albard, a charming hamlet of old stone and wooden houses.
From there the vegetation changes and we find ourselves on the uphill side of a small valley, formerly used as a fruit chestnut grove. In the past, chestnuts represented an important food resource for local populations.
Continuing on foot along the roadway you begin to descend into this ancient world, almost frozen in time. Stone hamlets and old farmhouses frame this ancestral landscape: a hidden, forgotten Valle d’Aosta, surrounded by centuries-old chestnut trees and pastures for goats.

At the end of the descent, turn left towards the central valley, always remaining on the paved road, and at the end of this, take the steep path that leads down to Bard at the foot of the fortress of the same name.
The Bard Fort is a fortified complex that was rebuilt in the 19th century by the House of Savoy on the rocky outcropping overlooking the village of Bard. It currently hosts prestigious temporary exhibitions of art and photography and is also the permanent home of interesting museums such as the Museum of the Alps and that of fortifications.

Walking in the cool of the ancient medieval hamlet, you go up in the direction of the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta (following the trail signs for stage 23 of the Cammino Balteo). The walls of the fortress overlook the hamlet and give an idea of the strategic position of this place. Indeed, you pass along ancient trails used in days gone by as they are used today by the pilgrims of the Via Francigena but also by the modern athletes of the Tor des Geants, an epic ultratrail race.

Continuing downhill along the road towards Donnas you return to the Roman road of the Gauls with its stone arch, which once you have passed under it, like a time machine, you are taken back to the starting point.

Watch the videos:

• vineyards of Donnas
• walls of the Balteo Climbing Park
• chestnut groves
• Bard fort in autumn
• Roman road in Donnas

Start from the locality called Rosa (Donnas) and follow the entire vineyard path up to the Mission Cross. While walking, you can enjoy the view of the topie (pergolas) that support the vines and expoe them to the sun’s rays that enhance the scents and colors they offer.

The walk, about half an hour long, is mainly flat and sunny; along the way you can meet the barmet, which are cellars created under a large boulder. In this room, purely underground, in a tank collects rainwater, which is useful to the vigneron (winegrower) for his work. One of the common features is that the temperature is always stable and particularly suitable for storing wine.

Arriving from Aosta, turn right at the roundabout immediately after Pont Suaz and take the road to the roundabout in front of Gressan town hall. Here turn left on SR 40 Pila, after a few hundred meters turn left by the wooden signpost indicating the hamlet Moline.
Leave the car in front of Maison Gargantua, then follow the uphill road that passes behind the Maison, the path starts immediately behind the chapel of Moline with a beautiful donkey-backed stone bridge
Follow the itinerary of Cammino Balteo towards Aymavilles.

The path crosses orchards and vineyards, with a view of the castles (Tour de Villa, Royal castle in Sarre, Saint-Pierre Castle) and Romanesque bell towers (La Magdeleine and Sarre).
Cross the SR 40 regional road at a bend then the path narrows and rises slightly. You arrive at a sign indicating the ru d’Arberioz and from here take the white road until the village Pompiod, eventually it is possible to take a bus for the return to Gressan.

Reach Jovençan village and follow the signs for the church, leave the car in the parking lot in front of the church in the hamlet Les Adam. The itinerary begins on the left of the Maison des anciens rémèdes, an important museum for the discovery of the ancient healing secrets of the flowers and herbs of the Alps.
Take the mule track marked with sign 2A which with a fairly steep climb after about 5 minutes reaches a crossroads of 3 paths. Take the right one which a little further on becomes a dirt road in the middle of the vineyards.

Once you reach the inhabited nucleus of Turille (green house on the right), turn first on the left along the path of the Cammino Balteo and after a few meters on the right (marker Cammino Balteo on a stone) in an area of vineyards. After crossing an asphalted road, continue uphill (trail marker 3B /Cammino Balteo) and enter the wood of wild pine and broadleaf trees until reaching an intersection, follow trail marker 3B and after a few steps there is a panoramic point with benches and tables and with a spectacular view on the mountains . The panel provides some information on the monumental remains of Jovençan that can be seen at the bottom, on the opposite promontory and tells the story of Becca France and the village of Thouraz.

At this point, you have to take the white road in slight descent and go into a thick forest, then, at the first bend, follow the mule track to the left and start climbing again (3A). At the crossroads that you meet immediately after, turn right (3A) along a path that climbs for about fifty meters before turning right and becoming flat again. Reached the dirt road, there is another panel, which describes the flora of the area. Continue until you reach an asphalt road that climbs slightly, go along it on the left for a hundred meters until you reach the parking lot of the Chabloz.
Take the paved road which then becomes a path that climbs up on the left (signpost 1 e) and after passing through the small hamlet and some meadows, it gets back to the wood and comes out on the flat path of the ru d’Arberioz (Illustrative panel with the history of the ru a few meters on the right).
Turn left (signpost 3), the path continues in a wood mainly composed of Scots pines, broad-leaved trees, downy oaks, ash and shrubs, arrives near Pompiod quarry. There is the second panel which illustrates its history. After various ups and downs, you reach another panoramic point on the castle of Sarre and then down until the first panoramic point of the outward journey. Here turn right and retrace the starting path.

The circular itinerary covers in part the route of stage no. 14 of the Cammino Balteo (marked with a 3 inside an inverted triangle) and has short stretches on paved roads.

Starting from the cemetery of La Salle, you enter the main town via Cesare Ollietti which leads to Piazza San Cassiano. After skirting the parish church, you will quickly reach piazza Cavalieri di Vittorio Veneto: the view of Mont Blanc is always fascinating.

Go back a few meters and proceed on along via Chanoux and, following the signpost for the Cammino Balteo, you leave the main town. After crossing the road that leads to the hills, the walk continues on along a level surface, on an asphalted road.
At Croix des Pres, in correspondence to the chapel of Notre Dame de La Guerison, you follow the narrow road on the left which after a few meters leads to the entrance to the “Tsanta Merla” path, following the trail sign for the Cammino Balteo (stage 14 - “La Salle -Avise :/en/database/7/cammino-balteo/-aosta-valley-/la-salle-avise/3011).
The walk continues pleasantly on a flat surface with a nice surprise for the little ones: numerous wooden mushrooms made by a local craftsman.
In correspondence to a bench on the right, looking up you can see the tower of the Châtelard castle. A little further on, at the intersection with a farm road and the crossing of the Ru du Moulin irrigation canal, the woods gives way to meadows frequented by roe deer. In periods of low tourist flow, early in the morning or in the evening at dusk, you are likely to spot them.
Once you arrive at a crossroads, you leave the Cammino Balteo and continue straight on. Here, among the colorful mushrooms, elves, owls, and hearts make their appearance.

At the first intersection, take the path to the right indicated by the yellow signpost number 5A towards Château de Chatelard. You pass through terraces that now are home to vegetable gardens and vineyards. The vineyards of Morgex and La Salle are among the highest in Europe. The vine cultivated is Prié Blanc which is called an “ungrafted vine” because, thanks to the altitude at which they can thrive, at the end of the 19th century this type of vine was not grafted onto American vines due to the plague of phylloxera. This vine is used in the production of the DOC wine Blanc de Morgex et de La Salle.

You climb for the most part outside of the woods; at the intersection with the farm road you go straight on to the next bend where you take the path on the right. The last few steps uphill and the castle comes into view. After crossing the residential area of Château, you take the asphalted road that goes down to the right. A few meters after the intersection, incorporated into the walls of the castle there is the old granary made of wood, dating back to before the 19th century. The granary was used by the whole community to store the cereals which were partly used to make flour and partly preserved for sowing the following year.

Proceed on along the asphalted road and turn right at the intersection. You then enter Châtelard, the first inhabited area on the left, and as you cross it, you can admire the village oven and the carefully restored houses. Once the stone paving has ended, turn right into the alley and follow it until you reach the asphalted road again: another beautiful view of the inhabited center of La Salle, with the Grivola in the background.

At the first bend, take the narrow path on the left that enters the woods. At the end of the path, you cross the La Salle playground until you reach the back of the Maison Gerbollier, the seat of the municipality.
Then go down towards the center of the main town and, before taking via Ollietti again and returning to the starting point, you can make another stop at Maison Plassier, home to a house-museum.

Watch the videos:

• the Mont Blanc from the central square of La Salle
• Châtelard
• vineyards of Morgex

From the locality called Le Balmas, take the flat mule track towards Toffo. In the first part of the itinerary, you can see the route of the Gaules Road, with the typical furrows of the Roman roads clearly visible. The itinerary, which corresponds to that of the Via Francigena, always continues flat among the vineyards. Along the whole route, the panorama on the plain, on the characteristic terraces and on the slope of the envers is remarkable. It is also possible to continue to Vignola in order to admire a sundial from 1815, painted on an old house next to the village fountain and you can choose to continue to the Le Petit-Hoel village. On the way back, you have a nice glance on the castle of Saint-Germain, on the built-up area of the village and on the hydroelectric power station.

Leave the car in front of the Church of Sant’Ilario in Nus, go up the regional road and after a few meters take the large path on the right indicated as the path of the Via Francigena.

The view is pleasant on the imposing peaks including Mont Emilius and Becca di Nona and covers the whole central valley.

The route is characterized by a mixed itinerary, along farm roads, paths, stretches on asphalt. You come across villages and vineyards, in fact the path is also known as the “Chemin des Vignobles”. The whole route is well signposted with indications of the Via Francigena.

This route also partly follows the route of stage 20 (Fénis-Châtillon) of the Cammino Balteo trek.

From the 1° Maggio Square take by car the road to Perloz, which leads to the Baraing Castle, and leave the car a couple of hairpin bends above the castle (Bousc Daré area). Alternatively, you can leave your car in the parking on 1° Maggio Square and take the walking path leading near the Baraing castle. From here take the path numbered 103 A (Chemin des Vignobles) and go all the way through the vineyards until you reach the village of Donnas and the Roman arch.

The mountainside is crossed by an evocative road that runs through the vineyards to the town of Donnas. During the route you can see the topie (pergolas) that support the vines and the barmets (cellars carved under a large boulder).

The itinerary largely follows the route of stage 3 (Fontainemore-Donnas) of the Cammino Balteo.