Gravel biking in the Aosta Valley

Technical difficulty: medium
Physical difficulty: difficult
Bike-friendly: 100%
Type of route: mixed asphalt, dirt, path

After reaching the neighbourhood of Arpuilles in the Municipality of Aosta, take the road called “dei Salassi” indicated by a signpost and continue to a crossroads located on a hairpin bend.

Leaving the car near Casa Zaccheo (formerly the La Baita colony), the Ru Neuf runs towards the north until it reaches the asphalt road.
On abandoning the dirt path, you take the road that soon becomes a farm track and leads to a crossroads after passing through a couple of villages; veering to the right, you descend for around a km until you reach the road coming from Planet and leading to a few of the hamlets and mountain pastures above. On reaching this point, start to ascend again, past the Romparmé and Ronc villages where you can stop to fill up your flask and admire the panoramic view over the central valley and the mountains that surround the city of Aosta.

Following the road until you reach a signpost of paths indicating the crossroads between the Pointe Chaligne and the Alp Arsy, continue further until reaching a crossroads located on a hairpin bend. Veering to the right you enter a larch wood with a stunning landscape via a grassy path. After widening, the grassy trail is replaced by a steeply sloping farm track. After travelling along this for a few dozen metres, you catch sight of a road on the right that, following the yellow arrow which indicates the path, reaches a little stream. After crossing this, you come out of the wood and go along a path that reaches the stunning Alp Arolla from where you can enjoy a breathtaking view over the Grand Combin and Valpelline. Going beyond this you reach the farm track that comes from the neighbourhood of Buthier and leads to the Alp Chaligne. Here, after a few km, you reach the Chaligne Mountain Hut where you can stop, refresh yourself and sleep, if necessary.

Once again on the excursion, you go back down along a short stretch of the road taken for the ascent until you come to a level farm track that follows the now underground Ru Colet. Ru Collet continues on level ground through the woods and turning around the Tardiva peak reaches the comba d’Arsy (valley) and the pasture of the same name from where you can enjoy a fantastic view over the large opposite valley of Menouves. The exertion is over. A small, slightly sloping white road sets off from the pasture. Following the white road and taking care over the water collection ducts, you reach the military road of Condemine Gran Testa. Continuing along this road towards the east until you reach the hairpin bend in the road that takes you to Buthier, you will be able to see the milestones with progressive kilometre markers.

Continuing on the asphalt, take the crossroads for Petit-Buthier and once the road ends, follow the farm track, turning to the left and crossing the fields until you reach the Moré-Buthier village where the Lo-Couis farm company is located. Continuing further towards the south, you take the first path on the left that, via a number of spectacular rises and descents in the wood, reaches the ru Neuf near an asphalt hairpin bend where there is a signpost indicating the Via Francigena route. After crossing the hairpin bend, you come upon the farm track overlooking the ru that soon re-emerges, running alongside the woody path and indicating a picture postcard landscape. Continuing beyond the climbing centre, you pass a few municipal roads at several points before returning to the point of departure.

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

The "Ciclovia dello Zerbion" mountain bike or e-bike route winds along paths, country roads, forest tracks and the characteristic ru, ancient irrigation channels. It connects the high-altitude panoramas to the valley villages of Saint-Vincent and Châtillon, with refreshment points along the way for a break.

Start from the Promiod hamlet of Châtillon, at 1,521 metres above sea level. You start pedaling, reaching, after about 3.5 km, the highest point of the route at 1,773 metres. You then descend towards the village of Perrière, then climb back up towards Amay and reach the panoramic Col di Joux.
From here, descend towards Sommarèse and Eresaz. If you have time, take a short detour and walk to the geosite “Borna da ghiasa,” a cavity in the rock from which a constant flow of cold air blows.

Continue towards Emarèse, and from there descend to Saint-Vincent. Pedal through the town, passing by the parish church and the archaeological site below and near the tourist office.

Finally, head towards Châtillon, where your mountain bike ride ends at the train station, with the satisfaction of having admired, along the way, enchanting views and traditional villages.

Technical difficulty: medium
Physical difficulty: medium
Bike-friendly: 100%
Type of Route: unpaved farm road (initial asphalt section)
Footpath signposts: 10 – 13

Before the village of Lillaz, take the asphalt farm road to your left that leads up to Urtier valley.

Once you’ve passed the village of Les Goilles Dessus, Crêt chapel and the Tsavanis mountain pasture, continue until you come to the end of the unpaved road arriving at the hamlet of Peradzà (2580 m) where you’ll find Sogno di Berdzé hut (no longer active) .

From here, you descend retracing the same section down to your starting point.

Detour: along the farm road after the Tsavanis mountain pasture: cross the small bridge to your left and continue along the country road until you reach Ponton lake; descend along the same route.

The trail from Lake Ponton to the refuge is not suitable for bikes: poorly rideable and quite exposed.

For expert riders: potential climb (technical) from the lodge up to Fenêtre di Champorcher pass and descent towards Miserin lake, Miserin and Dondena lodges and the village of Champorcher.

Technical difficulty: medium/difficult
Physical difficulty: medium
Bike-friendly: 100%
Type of Route: dirt road, path

You can reach Zerotta in Val Veny by car, coach and also by bike following directions for Val Veny from Courmayeur.

From the Zerotta hamlet, follow the asphalt road towards Courmayeur for around half a kilometre. On reaching the sign for Purtud cross the bridge on the left and follow the farm track until you reach a crossroads and then turn left (yellow road signs no. 7). After having crossed the stream (yellow road signs), following the path that goes beyond the Peuterey wood and passing from Freney, you reach the main road at the bottom of the valley.
You go uphill on the right for around 800 metres on asphalt until the first sharp bend towards the right where you then turn left in order to reach the dirt road that stretches from Les Zergnes to reach the restaurant La Fodze. Forty metres before the restaurant, turn left onto the large path that descends across the steep field until the village, after which you veer to the right. The descent is beautiful and fast but take care, after around 500 metres there is a crossroads. You have to turn to the right and follow the short path that ends at a small neighbourhood; after having followed the wall surrounding the house at the top of the ascent, follow the small but beautiful ledge that takes you back onto asphalt. From this point you can reach la Zerotta or Comayeur by following the municipal road of Val Vény.

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

The Becca d’Aver monutain bike trail crosses the high-altitude landscapes of three municipalities, from Saint-Barthélemy (Nus), to Verrayes to end up in front of the Matterhorn overlooking the Chavacourt valley in the territory of Torgnon.

The route takes you through coniferous forests, grazing meadows and large open spaces. Each pedal stroke lets you discover villages, mountain pastures, uncontaminated nature and traces of an ancient world that still lives.

Along the route, you can stop for a regenerating break at the refreshment points and in the local restaurants, and if you are in Lignan, you will find a convenient vending machine for food products, perfect for cyclists leaving or arriving.

The start is from the church of Saint-Barthélemy in Lignan, then you pedal to the village of Vencorère, in the municipality of Verrayes. From there, on an asphalt road, you cross the hamlet of Grand Villa to the picnic area of ​​Champlong. The road then continues towards the Col de Bornel, from which a dirt road takes you to the picnic area of ​​Chantorné and to Plan Prorion, in the municipality of Torgnon.

Beyond, the route embraces the wetland area of ​​the Lo Ditor pond, then passes through Tellinod and arrives to Gilliarey. It is possible to continue to the Lake Cignana and the Barmasse refuge. A mountain bike or e-bike experience that lets you breathe the true essence of the mountains!

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!

The bike route starts from the Roisan sports area in the Moulin hamlet.
The trail follows the historic irrigation channels Ru Champapon and Ru Pompillard, gently crossing the municipality of Roisan.
You’ll enjoy scenic viewpoints over the central valley and see the Grand Arvou medieval aqueduct bridge.
The path is shared by hikers and runs through part of the stage 10 of the Cammino Balteo, so caution is advised.

Technical difficulty: medium/difficult
Physical difficulty: medium
Bike-friendly: 100%
Type of route: mixed asphalt, dirt, path

Follow the A5 Torino-Aosta motorway , taking the “Châtillon-Saint Vincent” exit. Continue along the regional road no. 46 for around 7km until you reach Antey-Saint-André where you take the regional road no. 9. After around 6km you reaches the major town of Torgnon. Afterwards, you arrive at the centre of the town and follow the signs to the Plan Prorion sports and picnic area.

From a geological point of view, it is worth noting that the first stage of the route involves crossing the Mesozoic rocks of the metamorphic calcareous schists complex with green stones that were once part of the old lost ocean and form the area of Mount Meabé to the west of the route. Once at Mount Miracolo you can see the Arollo Gneiss rocks that were part of the old African continent while the Cima Bianca is covered by sediments made mainly of marble. The presence of chalky rock can be noted from a hydrogeological point of view.

The area of lake Tsan is made up of karst while the marshy area of Loditor has an important system of wet zones.
From a fauna point of view, you can catch sight of lots of marmots along the proposed route, particularly between the waterlogged basin of Loditor and the area of the Gilliarey mountain pastures. In the red fir and larch woods upstream of Champtorné and Loditor, you can glimpse the occasional squirrel, hare and deer or use a telescope to look at the mountain goats and chamois in the sparse woods and pastures at high altitude overlooking Monte Meabé and beneath the Punta Tsan. Y
ou can easily spot different types of bird in the sky such as partridges and various species of birds of prey including the eagle.
From a botanical point of view, the wood is made up of patches of red fir and larch while the undergrowth is characterised by the presence of fern, blueberry, dog rose and blackberry bushes.

Starting on a stretch of asphalt around 700 metres long that goes uphill towards the Chantorné cable car facilities until reaching the first mountain huts where you leave the road and continue to the right along the stretch of the cross-country ski slope.
Continuing via the dirt road you reach the Alp Chavannes, Arpeille followed by Alp Brusoney and Alp Bedsoloz. Next you come to a crossroads with an asphalt road. Instead of taking this road, go straight on to a slope with a grassy bottom that becomes gradually narrower. Continue into the shade of the larches and firs, following a stretch with manmade wooden walkways created to prevent damage when passing over the marshy areas below.
After having crossed over a wooden bridge in an area that allows you to admire the beauty of the rocky Punta Tsan, there is a brief uphill stretch allowing you to reach the wetlands of Loditor (1950 metres above sea level).

From Loditor, going uphill on the right via the dirt road takes you to Gilliarey, at 9.250 km and 2180 metres altitude. This represents the first leg of our trip but you should also stop to admire the panoramic views over Cervino, the Plateau Rosa glacier and Valtournenche. If you wish, continue along the dirt road for around another 7km and reach the Lake of Cignana and the Barmasse mountain hut (refreshment point).

Returning to the “Tour of the alpine pastures with views over Cervino” you should trace back along the road taken for the outward journey and descend until you reach Alp Tellinod (at 11.350 km) where you turn right to continue along the dirt road and go beyond Alp Palud until you reach Alp Château. There remains of the Chavacour Hospice can be found on this pasture, located on the road that connects the area of Torgnon to nearby Vallese, crossing the hills of Chavacour, For, Collomb and Théodule. These roads were used for trading cattle and the Muscat wine from Chambave.

Continuing the journey, turn left along the large and flat dirt road that partly retraces the course of the Chavacour irrigation canal, and important manmade construction that allows the cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock in some of the municipalities located on the “adret” (left side of the river), such as Verrayes, Saint-Denis, Chambave.
You continue past the mountain huts of Cortod and Tronchaney, from this very panoramic point we can admire almost the entire basin of the Torgnon pastures and the wetlands of Loditor from below.

Continuing our journey between woods of firs and larches, after a slight descent you arrive at the area of Chantorné where the ski slopes are located. Going beyond these, you come to a short and steep downhill stretch (around 150 m) with an uneven, stony path which should be undertaken on foot. Back in the saddle, you go down a slightly sloping path again that follows the cross-country ski slope. This is extremely scenic because looking backwards over the tops of the trees you are able to make out Matterhorn(Monte Cervino) and a few peaks of the Monte Rosa range. Then continue to the Col des Bornes (at 28.800 km) a panoramic view over the central valley of the Valle d’Aosta where the vegetation changes, making way for Scots pine given the drier environment caused by exposure to the south.

Turning right while still on cross-country ski slope, continue along an alternating flat stretch with a slight climb (around 2km) until you reach a crossroads where you should turn left and follow a steep descent (around 1.5km) that leads to the picnic area of Champlong (at 31.450 km). This marks the second leg of our trip where a refreshment point can be found. Moreover, in Champlong you can also visit a pasture where, between June and September, milk is worked on a daily basis to produce typical dairy products (fontina, butter, ricotta etc.) which can be tasted on site.

From Champlong (1625 metres above sea level) you gain altitude again until reaching Col des Bornes (1770 metres above sea level), following the road taken on the outwards journey for the first leg of the stretch before veering off to the right on a less demanding path until you reach to hill. From Col des Bornes, continue for around a kilometre on the road taken on the outwards journey and at the second crossroads, take a right in order to descend towards the Plan Prorion picnic area where the tour ends.