Sport Itineraries: Champorcher

The symbolic ice climb of Vallone della Legna is definitely the most spectacular. It is generally divided into two parallel solutions: the easier one on the left and the more difficult one on the right, normally with a technical degree of difference. Both lines can be climbed in two lengths belaying on ice halfway (there are old spits that you should avoid using) or – more elegantly – in a 60-metre length (handle the friction of the ropes well).

Level: II/4-5
Length: 60 m
First ascent: F. Conta, F. Scazzoli 1986, left line
Altitude: 1450 m
Exposure: North
Coordinates: Lon.: 7,63 Lat.: 45,60735 - UTM (ED50) - X: 393252,05 Y: 5051534,14

Left line (WI4) : initial stretch of petal and cauliflower texture followed by a short vertical pillar up to an impressive plateau, hence a gradually less inclined ramp from left to right leads to the end of the difficulty.
Right line (WI5) : significant sequence of two big free-standings separated halfway by a ledge where you can belay on ice. The first part is generally more technical due to the large medusas and short overhanging passages.
For both lines, belay at the top to the tree (ropes).

Descent: a 60-metre abseil from the tree on the summit (ropes and maillon).

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

Just beyond the square in Champorcher, the municipal seat, take the road on the right that winds towards the village of Grand Mont Blanc and then continues along the dirt road to Dondena. Park the car near the ‘No entry’ sign in Cort, and then continue along the farm road until you cross the stream and go up to the old royal hunting lodge, built by Victor Emmanuel II, and now in ruins, and to Dondena refuge (2192 m). A caretaker is only present during the summer months.
From here there are a number of mountain walks you can do.

From Chateau de Champorcher, cross a bridge over the Ayasse, and take route 4h in Karlantze, which leads to Alpe Porte in the valley of Legna. From here continue along trail 4 from Outre-Lêve until you reach Ourty. Just before this recently reconstructed pasture, continue along the right branch signposted 4f which goes up the slope to the pasture shoulder and first leads to Alpe Vercoche and then to the lake of the same name.

From the Parc Mont Avic car park, cross the road and take the mule track that enters the woods. The first section is steep but short. After a few hairpin bends, go out the scrub, take the left following trail sign No.10, go up gently until you reach the ford on the Muffé stream, cross it and continue on the orographic right along the paved path that rises decisively. The slope decreases, go past the sign of itinerary 10F for Col Terra Rossa and, continuing along the path, you arrive at a bifurcation where you turn right following the signs 10 and 10C. A few more meters of ascent and the wide plateau that welcomes Muffé Lake opens. From the lake the Col of Lago Bianco is clearly visible and behind it the Barbustel refuge, built in a dominant position between the Lago Bianco and Lago Nero.

Just beyond the square in Champorcher, the municipal seat, take the road on the right that winds towards the village of Grand Mont Blanc and then continues along the dirt road to Dondena. Park the car, cross the stream and go up to the old royal hunting lodge, built by Victor Emmanuel II, and now in ruins, and to Dondena refuge (2192 m). A caretaker is only present during the summer months. From here, continue along the dirt road which, with a long stretch across the hillside gently climbs the wide valley, When the path starts to wind upwards, leave it and take the path on the open terrain leading to Misérin. The refuge is located near Lac Misérin, near the sanctuary of Our Lady of the Snow (Madonna delle Nevi), the site of a traditional procession on 5 August every year. Now the trail runs alongside the lake barrier, crosses the last meadows before going into the stone valley that soon takes you to Col Fenêtre at Champorcher.

From the village of Dondena, 2107 m above sea level, which is reached by car from Champorcher first on the paved road and then along the dirt road, continue on food along the route signposted AV2. The Dondena refuge stands 2185m above sea level in a flat basin. Here, leave the AV2 and take route 8 on the right. From here, cross the Ayasse over a wooden bridge, and follow the path as it winds unevenly upwards. When you come to a fork, ignore signpost 8, which goes left and keep straight on itinerary 8C. You soon come to the trail (mule track) that comes from Col Fénis (2530). From here, continue to the right on the path that winds up the grassy slopes of Mont Delà and reaches Col Fussy, 2910 m. Take route 5A on the right to reach the summit of Mont Glacier, 3185 m above sea level, the highest mountain surrounding the Champorcher valley and famous for its wonderful panoramas from the top.

Tourist excursion itinerary as far as Col Fussy
Excursion itinerary for expert hikers from Col Fussy to Mont Glacier

Once in Champorcher, reach la localité called Grand Rosier and park your car. Go through the hamlet and go up into the woods following the signs for Col Plan Fenêtre. Halfway you meet la localité Chioset and, always continuing along the path in the woods, you reach the Chapel of Sant’Anna and finally Col Plan Fenêtre where you can enjoy a splendid panorama.

From Champorcher, in the hamlet of Chateau, continue along the road for Dondena going past the village of Grand Mont Blanc.

Park the car and when the dirt road begins, take route 10 on the right on foot, which takes you into Mont Avic park.
First go up the steep path which runs along the stream and leads to the wonderful pastures of Alpe Grand Cort (1944 m), then to the lake and pasture of Muffé (2076 m) and lastly to Col Lago Bianco (2300 m) from where you get a view over the Champdepraz valley.
From here, go down trail 5, past two small lakes, down towards Lac Vallette, and finally to Barbustel refuge. Take route 5C on the left after crossing a bridge that connects Lago Bianco to Lago Nero.
The trail continues diagonally up over Lago Cornuto (2172 m), climbing the final steep section to the Gran Lago (2492 m).

A nice easy and panoramic walk to do in just over an hour. Park your car in the hamlet of Mellier and, along the path that climbs into the deciduous forest, cross the wooden bridge and skirt the numerous stone walls: in a short time you will reach the locality Grand Rosier to enjoy the splendid panorama.

From the village of Mellier, a hamlet in the municipality of Champorcher, descend and cross the bridge over the Ayasse and leave the car in a car park just before the village of Outre-Lêve. Go up the mule track signposted 4 until you get to the chapel of Cret (1297 m) and then go into the Vallone della Legna. Go past Alpe Porte and continue to a crossroad, at Ourty. Follow the left-hand branch which continues almost on level ground, crosses the stream and then starts to climb into a wood changing altitude by around 300 metres. Finally, you come to a plateau where you find the chapel of Saint Anthony and the pasture of Case Vecchie. From here, cross another plateau and then you come first to the cabins of Chavanne and then the pasture of Chenessy. Now continue along the path that goes up to the left, cross a brook and in the middle of a vast stone terrain you come to Col Fricolla, on the border of the municipality of Pontboset.

From Dondena, follow the dirt road that passes near the hut of the same name and continues to the Oratory and Lake Miserin. It winds along the edge of the water to the valley upstream. Find the almost concealed path that climbs the gravel rises to the characteristic rocky mountain plateau. Here, a series of posts leads under the slope of ruins that defends Colle della Rosa. Cross it diagonally from right to left to the pass. Continue along the west ridge that it easy until the base of a clear rocky rise. Climb from the left along the ledge that leads under a diagonal crevasse to the right that leads to the ridge (10 meters at II level). Here, return to the easier route that leads to the top.

Descent: down the ascent route.

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

Proceed along the snow-covered road to the start of the path for the Barbustel Refuge: turn right and start the steep climb at the beginning of the path, bordered by wooden hand rails. You will quickly gain altitude reaching the fork for Arcomy in just a few minutes. Cross the larch woods to the small valley you can cross with a series of turns. When climbing, leave a solitary pasture to your right and continue along a wide channel that quickly leads to the Grand building. You’ll soon see the signpost for the Terra Rossa hill. Continue on the left of the peak that slightly flattens and turn right under the rock ledge.
Cross a narrow part of the path to the gentle slope that leads to the Lake Muffé plain. Pass the building near the lake and start climbing towards Col du Lac Blanc. Continue through the sparse larch trees on the easy upward climb to the hill.

From the parking lot, continue along the road for a couple hundred meters to the curve on the right: from here, the road is usually snow-covered and you can start the excursion.
Cross the first segment heading towards the valley floor and then turn 180° to the left entering the Ayasse valley. The route follows the farm road that leads to Dondena in the summer. After walking for several minutes you’ll reach the starting point for the Barbustel Refuge path: ignore the fork on the right for the refuge and continue along the slope under the spurs of Mont Ros and Bec Barmasse. After crossing a few avalanche channels, pay careful attention in unstable snow conditions, continue the slight ascent West until you reach the fork for Lake Raty. Continue along the main slope that soon veers to the right providing a beautiful view of the impressive Bec Raty rock face. The valley slowly opens to view: on the left, the snow-covered Cimetta Rossa cupcake appears and, just under our path, the village of Champlong. After the Tuerie pasture the slope extends, slightly ascending, to the start of the summer path for Lake Miserin: here you’ll find a series of signposts indicating various paths that you can take and a great map of the area. Both Dondena and the refuge located slightly above are well visible from here.
Drop a couple of meters until you pass the Ayasse stream and then ascend, crossing the Alpine hotel ruins to the Dondena Refuge (2193 m).

From the parking lot over Grand Mont Blanc, follow the farm road that cuts the steep rocky slope on the left. Follow the road across the stream to the houses in Dondena. Climb the beautiful peaks heading South-West, going around Mont de Dodena on the right to the wide gap. The last wide peaks lead to the vast Rascias summit.

Descent down the upward itinerary.

Technical difficulty: difficult
Physical difficulty: difficult
Cyclability: 100%
Type of route: mixed asphalt, dirt road, path

Imagine riding through a wild and uncontaminated valley, far from mass tourism, where nature and the landscape are the protagonists: you are on the Ciclovia della Valle di Champorcher, a cycling itinerary of about 22 km that takes you straight to the heart of one of the most authentic and spectacular corners of the Aosta Valley.

The route passes through the municipalities of Pontboset and Champorcher, and then climbs up to 2,593 meters of Col de Laris, where a memorable view opens up over the Piamprato valley, in Piedmont. As you pedal, you will discover that part of the route winds through the Mont Avic Natural Park, a true paradise for nature lovers with unique flora and fauna.

Between a coniferous forest and a narrow valley carved by glaciers, you will pedal on a route ideal for mountain biking where the paths alternate with farm roads and forest tracks, connected by sections of local roads. And if you love nature, prepare to be enchanted by the woods, pastures and alpine meadows, accompanied by the Ayasse stream that flows alongside a good part of the route.

But it is not only nature that tells you a story. Along the way, you will pass through villages that seem to have come from another era, such as Pontboset, famous for its ancient bridges. You will also follow part of the “royal road”, built by order of King Vittorio Emanuele II to reach his hunting reserve. Each pedal stroke will bring you a little closer to that ancient world that survives intertwining with the current warm welcome of this valley.

With a gap of 1,816 metres and high altitudes, this cycle path is a challenge for the most trained, but also a joy for those who choose to tackle it with an e-bike. The best time to experience it is from late spring to autumn, when the climate is more favorable.

So, if you are looking for an adventure between history and nature, jump on your bike and discover the Champorcher Valley!