Sport Itineraries: Pré-Saint-Didier

Da Morgex si seguono le indicazioni per il colle San Carlo – lago d’Arpy. In dieci km si sale di ciirca 1000 metri con una pendenza media del 10%.  Da qui, si rifiata e ci si gode il paesaggio nella discesa verso La Thuile, nota località turistica situata sulla strada che, tramite il valico del Piccolo San Bernardo, porta in Francia. Giunti a Pré-Saint-Didier, località nota per le sue terme,  si chiude il giro ad anello riguadagnando Morgex dove si producono pregiati vini bianchi.

Percorso di una trentina di chilometri (andata e ritorno) nella Valdigne, nell’area turistica del Monte Bianco. Si pedala senza troppo dislivello lungo un itinerario ad anello con partenza da Morgex. Dopo aver raggiunto La Salle si passa da Derby, villaggio ricco di storia con una interessante chiesa. Sa qui il percorso vira e ritorna a La Salle lungo una strada diversa. Poi si pedala verso Pré-Saint-Didier e si prosegue per Courmayeur, famosa ed elegante stazione turistica, da cui si rientra a Pré-Saint-Didier e poi a Morgex.

One of the most beautiful lines of the high Aosta Valley, although it does not form every year. It is a frozen pearl, nestled at the bottom of the ravine of Pré-Saint-Didier, in a very suggestive environment. It ends with a spectacular free-standing made famous by a photograph rather evocative depicting François Damilano in opening. After the first climb, the final column formed much larger in 2003, the year he was made the first repetition by M. Giglio and N. Meli and subsequently by other roped parties. 2009 was finally the last year in which it consolidated perfectly and climbed by other roped parties.
The first climb was initially attributed to E. Marlier and A. Casalegno in 1989 … this is a historical fake, passed on with shallowness over the years.
Attention to suspended fringes of Exercice de style that, in case of falling, will be conveyed in the narrow passage of the first pitch.

Level: II/5
Length: 160 m
First ascent: S. Chappaz, M. Girod, F. Damilano 1996
Altitude: 1100 m
Exposure: West-North-West
Coordinates: Lon.: 6,98572 Lat.: 45,757646 - UTM (ED50) - X: 343433,03 Y: 5069292,61

L1: vertical pillar then gullies embedded between the rocks. 60 metres. Belay on rock to the left (spit).
L2: short snow slope on the right then, non-vertical wall that ends with a very short cauliflower stretch. 60 metres. Belay on rock to the right (spit).
L3: cauliflower stretch followed by a beautiful free-standing consistently vertical. 40 metres. Belay on tree at the top right.

Descent: abseiling down the ice climb via the anchors used during the climb (trees and spits).

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

It is the centre solution of the great Muro di Champex. It had already been climbed almost entirely in 1984 by M. Datrino, E. Pallais and D. Spreafico but who had given up climbing the last few more challenging and delicate metres that allowed exiting on the woods summit. The first ascent was therefore attributed to the French champion ice climber G. Perroux who succeeded in climbing the last few metres of the ice climb during one of his numerous visits to Aosta Valley.

Level: II/5
Length: 80 m
First ascent: C. Fayard, G. Perroux 1996
Altitude: 1250 m
Exposure: North-East
Coordinates: Lon.: 6,97234 Lat.: 45,769805 - UTM (ED50) - X: 342426,55 Y: 5070669,77

It is climbed in two 40-metre pitches, belaying on ice halfway at a grade break. The most challenging pitch is the second one featuring a nice vertical output stretch. Be careful to the final metres before the woods where the ice often does not consolidate perfectly. Belay at the top of the tree.

Descent: with a long abseil on the tree that marks the end of Happy birthday.

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

From the centre of La Balme, a hamlet in Pré-Saint-Didier which can be reached along the SS 26 state road going towards La Thuile, follow the signs for trail 4 which crosses a thick conifer wood, then reaches a private road for the Youlaz pastures near Arp Désot. The trail now follows a number of brief sections of the private road and first leads to the pastures of Arp Damon and Peson, then, continuing along the track, Mayen de la Youla, at the mouth of the valley of the same name. Here, trail 4 takes you into the little valley and, ignoring trails 3B on the right (to Plan Praz), then 4A on the left (towards Lake de la Plate), you come to Lake de la Youla, near which is the former Maggiore Reggiani shelter. Continue along a winding track then go up a slope to reach Col d’Arp.

From Torrent, in the municipality of Pré-Saint-Didier, which can be reached on the road that branches off to the right from the SS 26 in the direction of La Thuile at the village of Elévaz, take route 3 which runs along level ground and comes out of the village and meets a crossroad. Ignore the right-hand branch, and go up on the left as far as Quiedroz. The itinerary continues, crossing the private road several times, until it comes to Chanton and, just after this, it joins a track on the left, and heads for Mialay. From here, continue along the private road until you come to Alpe Plan Praz and, after a few bends, you come back to path 3, which goes off to the right at a left-hand bend, then goes up to Mont-de-Nona. Now, turn left and go up along the grassy slope until you come to the summit of Mont Crammont.

The itinerary begins from Elévaz, an hamlet at 3 km from Pré-Saint-Didier, located along the National Road which leads to La Thuile and the Little Saint-Bernard Pass.
After having parked the car, follow the asphalt road which goes up gently between green meadows at the foot of Crammont mountain (2.748 m) untill reaching the village of Torrent, by this time deserted.

From Elévaz follow the initially tarmac road, which becomes un-made, that turns off from the SS 26 to La Thuile. From Torrent follow the path that leaves the village on level ground and then turns abruptly to the left going uphill firstly as far as Quiedroz Desot, and then to the isolated house of Chamousssin. Here follow the tarmac road for 50 m and then leave it and take the well-marked footpath on the left which leads to Chanton, crossing the tarmac road twice. From Chanton, take the un-made road that leads to Miallay. After a few hairpin bends abandon the farm road and follow a path which goes off to the right going uphill diagonally across the pastureland. Then follow the ridge of Mont-Crammont. Details of the excursion: - DE SAUSSURE AND THE GIANT OF THE ALPS Horace Bénédict de Saussure, the great 18th century naturalist, obsessed with the idea of conquering the peak of the highest mountain in Europe identified the peak of Crammont as the ideal observation point on the southern slopes of Mont Blanc. THE MONT BLANC PANORAMIC OBSERVATION POINT On the summit of Crammont not much remains except the ruins of de Saussure's hut. An orientation plate has been placed there which allows people to pinpoint the main visible peaks. The panorama over Mont Blanc is truly breath-taking but from here you can also see the other "4000s" in Val d'Aosta: the Matterhorn, the Gran Paradiso and Monte Rosa.

The itinerary starts from the characteristic hamlet of Verrand. Following the indication for the ancient mill, you go up first on the asphalted road and then on the path. Reached the first trail marker, turn right and climb gently up to the panoramic point “Belvedere” where you can find an ancient table with bench in stone. Here, you can enjoy a splendid view of Mont Blanc and Verrand.

Continuing halfway up the hill, you cross an ancient slate quarry and from here the path begins to go down gently first and then with more slope in the woods, arriving at the soccer field of the Courmaison residential complex. After crossing the asphalted road you go up towards Verrand.
Once reached the votive chapel “Chapelle Grange”, continue along the road, not busy, which arrives at the playground of Verrand, where the itinerary ends.

The itinerary starts just after the village of Champex, taking a deviation to the left that you meet along the road which leads to Palleusieux.
After having crossed the bridge, the flat dirt road skirts it to the right and it goes up gently through the meadows towards Dolonne. It goes below the highway pillars and gets to Fonte Vittoria.
Fonte Vittoria was one of the four mineral springs which made Courmayeur and Pré-Saint-Didier the first holiday resorts in Aosta Valley.

The path starts behind the swimming pool of Pré-Saint-Didier.
Crossing the bridge over La Thuile river, you climb a coniferous wood. The entire route develops through the green woods also passing near a blockhouse dating back to the Second World War, now partially destroyed, whose underground tunnels are used as a storage room for the Fontina seasoning. The path continues on ups and downs in the wood until coming down just after the campsite and joining up to a dirt road. The road skirts the Baltea river and gets to the sport area of Morgex.