Sport Itineraries: Breuil-Cervinia

Beautiful line representing the flagship of the high Valtournenche area. It forms practically every year but the periods I which it can be climb it are few because of high avalanche hazard. It is a sure high-mountain environment to yet another masterpiece signed by Gian Carlo Grassi. Assess very carefully the snowpack stability upstream of the ice climb … consideration that applies to all lines of this area!

Level: IV/5
Length: 400 m
First ascent: G.C. Grassi, M. Rossi 1986
Altitude: 2450 m
Exposure: West
Coordinates: Lon.: 7,59596 Lat.: 45,922828 - UTM (ED50) - X: 391213,7 Y: 5086630,39

It is usually climbed in even long pitches, always belaying to the right (going up). The first five belays are equipped with fixes, the last two are done on ice.

Descent: abseiling back down the ice climb stopping on the belays used to climb. The first two abseils from the top are to be equipped on abalakov, the following five are on 12 mm fixes and quick maillon. Use of 60metre ropes is mandatory.

Text and photos taken from Effimeri barbagli (M. Giglio, 2014), the complete guide to ice climbs in Aosta Valley.

From the car-park along the golf course fence, you take the road marked no. 11 near the underpass of the avalanche barrier deflector. Once across the stream follow the un-made road until you reach Morces. Here you take the path on the right with the same number, which goes uphill, touching the same road several times until you reach a junction, where you ignore the right branch and continue along the one on the left towards the ruins of the Maberge mountain pastures. You continue uphill on the path which crosses meadows and areas of waste and rocks until you reach the last junction, where you turn right onto trail no. 10 from Avouil, which takes you to the Bobba bivouac. It does not have a caretaker and can sleep 10 people. There are splendid views over the valley and the Plateau Rosa glacier.

The last section of the route is difficult and has some parts equipped with ropes.

When you get to the Plan Maison arrival station, take the dirt road signposted 15 which crosses the alpine meadows, over the winter ski slopes and goes up to Bontadini Chapel. Continue along this trail, over moraine terrain and spots of snow, until you come to the Teodulo refuge on the hill of the same name.

When you get to the Plan Maison departure station, continue along the paved road, itinerary 16, which runs alongside it on the right. At the end of the paving, take the left dirt road and continue for a further hundred metres or so, then take the trail on the right, still no. 16, which goes up to Chavanon. Now continue for a short time along the dirt road until you reach a right bend, where you return to the trail on the left. After crossing the road of Goillet, it goes along the usual private road that runs along the banks of the artificial lake. The itinerary then bends right towards the Cime Bianche departure station, from where, as you go up the stony ground, you reach northern hill of the same name.

Leave your car in the Plain Maison cable-car car-park and follow the tarmac road (marked no. 15) that goes under the sports centre gallery and when you reach a hairpin bend to the left, you go onto a right-hand path with the same number. After a short distance on tarmac near the Cime Bianche hotel, you again go right onto the path which winds its way uphill above the Vieille mountain pasture and reaches the Tsa with the same name. From here you soon come to a bar, where you turn left onto a farm road that goes back downhill to the cable-car station.

When you get to the Plan Maison arrival station, continue on dirt road no. 15 until you get to a crossroad. Take the left branch, formerly trail AV3, first along the road and then a path, among high-altitude meadows. Go over several humps and an area littered with large rocks and numerous springs. The hike continues upwards towards the glacial moraines of the southern side of Mount Cervino, until you reach a pretty deep blue lake a short distance from the refuge. Now take the path, the usual ascent passage of Mount Cervino, which goes up towards the west, above the refuge and then goes over a rocky spur. Continue northwards until you get to Croce Carrel, in memory of the glorious Valdostan guide.

Hiking itinerary to the refuge (outward journey: approx. 1 hour, 45 min)
Itinerary for expert hikers from the refuge to Croce Carrel

Mont Pancherot is one of the best panoramic viewpoints in the whole of Valtournenche. As you stand on the top, the view sweeps from Cervino to Mont Rosa up and down the valley. When you get to the hamlet of Perrères (within the municipality of Valtournenche, 4 km before getting to Breuil-Cervinia), leave the car in the car park and take the private road (trail sign 8) which crosses the Marmore stream. Cross it, and ignoring the sloping path going up to the pastures, take trail 107 on the right that goes up to meet the private road that you left beforehand and continue along it for a few hundred metres until you get to Olucs. From here, the trail rises in long diagonal slopes, and goes through Grillon, Tsa de Grillon and Colle Finestra di Cignana. Now follow route 7 on the left (sections of which are rather exposed), which goes up the steep grassy slopes of the western side, and leads to the highest peak of Mont Pancherot, near which you will also find the Giuseppe Osella forest bivouac.

The lake and its artificial dam can be seen on the right-hand side as soon as you leave the cable-car station. Follow trail no.65 until you reach a rocky outcrop on the Barmaz Creek and go down along the path. After passing the creek, where there is a water supply intake structure, you can choose one of two itineraries if you want to reach Breuil-Cervinia by foot. One goes along the foot of the dam and back up along the opposite slope, and the other one goes uphill from the lake. To get back to Breuil-Cervinia, we recommend itinerary no 16, wich brings you into town after about a 45 minute descent.

Technical difficulty: difficult
Physical difficulty: difficult
Bike-friendly: 90%
Type of route: mixed asphalt, dirt, path

Follow the A5 Torino-Aosta motorway taking the “Châtillon-Saint Vincent” exit and continue along the Regional Road 46 until reaching the neighbourhood of Breuil-Cervinia (2000 metres).

From the square of the Breuil cable car facilities, go uphill along the dirt road located on the orographic right side of the valley and a sequence of ascents that are steep but never impossible brings you close to the artificial lake of Goillet before arriving at the station of the facilities called Cime Bianche Laghi, 2831 metres above sea level (alternatively, you can use the facilities for ascending in Breuil).

From Cime Bianche Laghi, continue along the dirt road which leads upwards towards the Cime Bianche hill. On reaching 200 metres altitude above the cable car arrival station, you can look out over the valley to admire the Rollin basin and the Gran Lago. After having descended towards the Cime Bianche lower pass, you rise again for around 500 metres (almost completely bike-friendly) along the Du Col cable car line. On reaching the summit, the long descent to the mountain station of the Salette Du Col cable car begins. After taking path 107, continue (an uphill stretch where you need to carry your bike) towards the higher Manda to then descend again towards the former bobsleigh slope in Cervinia.

Day one
From Breuil follow the unsurfaced road that leads to Oriondé where the Duca degli Abruzzi Refuge (taxi service available) is located. At the end of the road take the pathway that leads to the Croce Carrel that marks the end of the regional signposting. Carry on, following the red signs and stone figures that indicate the route to the Leone Pass, going across a stream that provides access to the steep slopes under the Testa del Leone. From the pass, the route is marked out by a series of fixed ropes that lead to Capanna Carrel (3835m).

Day two
From the refuge pass a narrow stretch of the ridge that instantly leads to the first fixed rope (Corda della Sveglia) that allows you to pass a beautiful face with horizontal overhang. This takes you onto the southern slope of the Gran Torre, avoiding the edge, heading along the high, smooth rock faces and overhangs on the right; head back up a rocky carving and cross the Vallon des Glaçons recess that will take you, still following the fixed ropes on the left, onto the overhanging terrace. At the end of the fixed ropes move horizontally to the right, in the direction of a narrow horizontal passage between two rocks, that provides access to an attractive walk of 25 metres that can be climbed with the aid of a fixed rope. Follow a horizontal stretch to the right, on crags protected by some fixes. You will then come to the Mauvais Pas ledge, that provides access to the so called Rocher des Ecritures. Once you come to a snowfield, the Linceul, head back up along the left side. Just a little above is the Gran Corda running for about thirty metres that allows you to pass a sheer rock face. Follow the ridge line that leads onto the Pic Tyndall. A horizontal stretch finishes with a deep carving (the Enjambée): cross this fork and put your foot on the summit pyramided of the Cervino where the ridge is once again wide and easy. Once you come to the Testa del Cervino base, follow the fixed rope that leads to the famous Scala Jordan. This rope ladder allows you to pass a cliff rock face that still follows a stretch of fixed rope and comes out just a few metres from the crossing of the Italian peak.

Descent down the upward itinerary.

This itinerary requires experience of high mountains and it is recommended that you get a mountain guide to accompany you.

From the Cervino Guide Refuge to the Rosà Plateau - accessible from Cervinia via the cable car - you can follow the ski-lift trail on the glacier and, at the end of it, you can continue on the ski slope until you come to the large Breithorn Plateau. From here, turn northwards heading towards the clear glacier slide and keeping an eye on the cervasses. Head up the steep slope, normally moving diagonally from right to left, to reach the snowy ridge trimmed with views on the Swiss side. Finally, turning right, you will touch on the vast peak, excellent panoramic point on the entire group of Mount Rosa, Cervino and Vallese mountains.

Descent: down the upward itinerary.

This itinerary requires experience of high mountains and it is recommended that you get a mountain guide to accompany you.

From the Vofrède Cava 1950 m, head eastwards and with a non-obligatory route, head towards the clearly visible channel located at the bottom of Mont Blanc du Créton. Head back up until it starts to narrow, then turn left climbing over the moraine. Head up the second channel as far as the base of the Mont Rous rocky face, then turn left and, walking along the ridge, you will come to the bottom of the narrow channel where skis can be left. Head up onto the ridge and follow the trail northwards until you come to the top.

Leave the car in the Plain Maison ski-lift car park, and follow the paved road (signposted 15) into the sports centre tunnel. At a left-hand bend, take the path, still marked 15, which goes off to the right. After a short section on the paved road, at the Cime Bianche hotel, turn right again onto the path that leads up, and, after a few bends, goes past Alpe Vieille and comes to Tsa Vieille. From here you soon come to a bar, from where you turn left into the private road and go down to the ski-lift arrival station.