Sport Itineraries: Pila

When you get to the main car park in Pila, near the telecabin lift departure point, take the dirt road (14I) that goes under the Pila-Chamolé cables, then takes you comfortable to the Saint-Grat hermitage. Now continue along the private road (19A) until you come to the pasture of Chamolé. Just before the pasture, take route 20A on the left, which goes up the hillside to Col Plan-Fenêtre. Now descent along the route signposted 20, inside the vast valley of Comboé, to reach the pastures of the same name. Go past these until you come to a crossroad, where you ignore branch 14 on the right, and take the left-hand path 16 which goes up to Plan-Valé. Now, continue first across meadows and then over debris until you come to Le Grand Sex. At the crossroad the itinerary bends left, and heads for the crest. Follow this to the summit, which can be recognised by the statue of the Madonna.

Go up to Pila from Aosta using the telecabin lift (about 20 minutes). At the arrival station, turn left and go down just below the Lo Yeti restaurant, until you get to the Chamolé ski-lift which takes you to 2303 m altitude. Now take route 19c (well signposted) to get to Lac Chamolé. The lake is enclosed within a green basin which provides a excellent panorama of Mont Blanc, the Gran San Bernardo valley and Gran Combin.

From Pila, in the municipality of Gressan, take the Chamolé chair-lift (open in the summer only) or take one of the trails to the Chamolé lake starting from Pila (1.30hrs).
When you arrive, take route 19C on the left, which soon takes you to the banks of Lac Chamolé. Here, when you get to a crossroad, take path102, which goes up, quite steep, to Col Chamolé. Go down the opposite side, cross the Comboé stream and go up to the Arbolle refuge, near the lake.

After passing the tunnel in Pila leave your car in the parking lot and reach the ski school, opposite are the signs, follow path n. 16. The path climbs a little steep, then crosses the track of the ski slope and after a while you enter a stretch of wood. After a few minutes you cross again a section of the winter ski slope. Continue on the path in the woods that leads to Alpe Chamolé. Passing next to the stables and the house, proceed on a flatter path that goes into the wood again. You reach then Col Fenêtre, from that point is a descent untill Comboé.

When you get to the main car park in Pila, near the cable car cabin, take the dirt road that goes under the Pila-Chamolé cables, then takes you comfortable to the Saint-Grat hermitage.

Day one
Leave your car in the square at the upper station of the Aosta-Pila cable-car and head up to Chamolé on foot following the chairlift track or - even better - by taking the chairlift.
From the upper chairlift station you can then take the easy path that heads across level ground eastwards and leads to the Chamolé Lake (2311m) in a short time. From here follow the right path that starts to head upwards along the grassy slope winding around numerous turns until you come onto the Chamolé Pass (2641 m). With a steep, short descent you will reach the plain below where the Arbolle Lake is to be found and, slightly to the side, the refuge of the same name at 2510 m.

Day two
From Arbolle follow the path that runs alongside the lake and river inlet. Then steer to the left, heading into a stony valley - but with the occasional snowfield at the start of the season - and head up the steps until you come to Lake Gelato (2956 m).
A steep climb up stony ground starts from the lake shores, aided by the presence of stone figures that indicate the route. Once you emerge on the plain, head to the left to avoid a ridge and face the stony slope that ends with the Tre Cappuccini Pass (3241 m). From here, heading northwards, there is an easy slope of blocks and debris that leads to the summit, where you will find a statue of the Madonna and a visitor’s book.
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 Pila, 2,000 m, climb, keeping to the edge, the first part of the Leissè slope and turn left along the road that leads to the La Nouva chalet, 2,300 m. Keep to the centre of the valley heading for the Tza Sèche rise, 2,820 m, on beautiful slopes. Reach the rise after the steeper last segment. Turn left on the wide ridge to the Punta Valleta forepeak.

From the upper parking area take the cartway towards the left that leads to the winter skiing facilities. You pass right in front of the skiing school until you arrive at the “Chalet du Soleil”. Continue to the right for a couple of meters and you will find a path that goes up to the left near a pole with signs (Rifugio Arbolle). Follow the trail that intersects a farm that goes up to the left, towards the slopes, then cut again to the left until you reach a little house. From the house there is a trail to the left. Take it into the woods being careful to intersect the Down Hill slope. The path then joins with the trail that leaves from the lower parking area. Continue to the left, goind uphill, reaching the mountain pastures of Chamolé. Continue to the right following the directions, (trailmarker 102) passing the last ramp in the middle of the woods that leads to the lake with the same name. Continue on the sloping plain to the right that takes to the facilities. Continue to the right passing the Cristo di Mario Stüffer (bronze replica), on a downhil dirt road and pass the fountain. Continue onwards until you reach a fork to the left for colle Tsa Sètse (trailmarker 22 on a rock). Take the new route to the left, goind uphill, passing a few mountain pastures and continue on a trail that first bends to the left and then to the right. You cross a grassy plain and then continue on a trail until you reach colle Tsa Sètse (2815 m) marked by a sign nailed to a rock. Continue to the left (sign indicating “Punta Valletta”), passing a grassy sloping crest. Follow a few wooden posts that indicate the way and avoid staying too much to the left. Once passed the peak of the first grassy gendarme you reach the equipped trail. Continue to the left on an easy path with handrails and safety downhill wire. You will then find a sloping plain and a few I level passages with only one isolated II level passage, to the left of the gendarme, a bit aerial. You continue alternately or on the edge of the crest or on the path, on a more basic land. The last part is made up of huge morainic rocks with only one passage on the “athletic” gendarme until you reach the peak. To go back down you take the morainic path that follows the southern ridge towards the Cresta Nera (to the left towards Aosta). You pass a buttress and arrive at a grassy plain near the metal cross. Go down to the left in the morainic canyon where you will find a few tracks that soon become a path that takes you back to Mario Stüffer’s cross and the facilities. From there follow the path that leads to the starting point.