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Grande Traversata del Gran Paradiso
Of the two main multi-day walking routes across the Gran Paradiso National Park, the GTGP crosses higher passes and remains closer to the watershed ridge than does the Alta Via 2. It also makes a traverse of a lengthy section of the Piedmont flank east of the Nivolet plateau. Until the route crosses to the south side of the range, overnights are spent in manned rifugios or village inns, but the Piedmont flank has a few bivouac huts where, if used, walkers will need to be self-sufficient with regard to food. The walk begins, as does the Alta Via, at La Thuile, a crowded little village on the road between Courmayeur and the Col du Petit St Bernard. The first crossing, however, could cause problems for inexperienced (or unequipped) mountain walkers, so the route should be joined at Planaval in Val Grisenche.
Heading south from La Thuile the trail wanders through the Rutor glen before climbing to Rifugio Deffeyes in four hours. Above the hut the way edges the Ghiacciaio del Rutor and crosses the Pas de Planaval (3010m). This is a glacier crossing, and local information urges the use of rope, ice axe and crampons. But once off ice the route eases down through a hanging valley to reach the hamlet of Planaval in Val Grisenche.
It is at Planaval that the GTGP and Alta Via 2 part company. Our route strikes south-westward along the left-hand mountainside, and after dropping to the valley bed at Surier, heads upvalley to Rifugio Bezzi, and from there crosses Col le Bassac Derè, before descending through the Goletta glen to reach Rifugio Benevolo at the head of Val di Rhêmes.
Continuing the eastward trend the next pass crossing is that of Col di Nivoletta, which brings the trail down to the Savoia and Chivasso huts in that lovely lake-adorned plateau at the head of Val Savarenche, with views to the Gran Paradiso’s glaciers. A minor road twists its way from the south, but the onward route ignores this and, entering Piedmont, makes a long eastward traverse linking numerous alp clusters above the Valle dell’Orco (sometimes known as Valle di Locana) which carries the southernmost limit of the national park. Along this section of the GTGP there are four bivouac huts (Giraudo, Ivrea, Revelli and Davito), and two rifugios (Pontese and Pocchiola-Menghello) – the last-named of which lies just south of the trail by a dammed lake. The trail eventually descends into the Valle di Campiglia, a tributary glen that spills into the larger Valle Soana, itself a tributary of the Orco.
| Day 1: | La Thuile – Rifugio A. Deffeyes |
| Day 2: | Rifugio A. Deffeyes – Pas de Planaval – Planaval |
| Day 3: | Planaval – Surier – Rifugio M. Bezzi |
| Day 4: | Rifugio M. Bezzi – Col le Bassac Derè – Rifugio Benevolo |
| Day 5: | Rifugio Benevolo – Col di Nivoletta – Albergo Savoia (or Rif Citta di Chivasso) |
| Day 6: | Albergo Savoia – Col della Terra – Col della Porta – Rifugio Pontese |
| Day 7: | Rifugio Pontese – Bocchetta di Valsoera – Col le Valletta – Campiglia |
Alta Via della Valle d’Aosta No 2
Unlike the GTGP, Alta Via 2 remains on the Valle d’Aosta flank of the mountains and links one valley after another by way of cols that are mostly situated halfway along the transverse ridges. These crossings actually reveal a better perspective than is sometimes shown from the higher cols, for one can view the larger mountains to the south at a distance, and thereby gain the full visual contrast of summit snows and deep valley greenery without the foreshortening effect occasionally experienced on GTGP crossings. It’s a fine week-long route, with overnights spent in a combination of mountain huts and village hotels. Camping is also a possibility, but it should be borne in mind that within the national park wild camping is forbidden. There are campsites in several villages on the route, and it’s possible to restock with food supplies once or twice along the way.
The first two stages from La Thuile to Planaval are the same as that taken by the GTGP, thereafter the two routes go their separate ways. Alta Via 2 has two options; one follows the valley road south to Valgrisenche village, and is better suited to walkers who arrived in Planaval with plenty of time and energy left and who choose the latter village for their second overnight stay, while the alternative traces a route along the upper forest line on the east side of the valley. The two options merge a little north of the Épée hut where the route then climbs to the narrow Col de la Finestra at 2840 metres. The descent to Rhêmes Notre-Dame is a steep one of about two hours.
Leaving Val di Rhêmes the Alta Via adopts a pleasant route over wooded hillsides and open pastures to gain Col de l’Entrelor (3007m) in about three and a half hours. From this point glaciers of the Herbetet-Paradiso ridge shine across the depths of Val Savarenche, while a few blue tarns sparkle in the Nampio glen just below. An undemanding descent leads to Eaux Rousses (Eau Rousse) on the left bank of the Savara stream, with the next col on the route being visible virtually every step of the way.
At 3296 metres, Col Lauson is the highest crossing by far on this traverse, and with five hours needed for the 1600 metre climb from Eaux Rousses. At the col the landscape changes dramatically and the initial descent is safeguarded with fixed cables and chains. It then eases for the walk down to Rifugio Vittorio Sella which is in view for much of the descent. The alternative is to continue down to Valnontey, but it is better to stay at the hut in order to watch the great herds of ibex at dusk and the following dawn.
There follows a long valley stretch, descending from the Sella hut to Valnontey and Cogne, then on to Lillaz. Beyond this last village the path climbs through the Vallone di Urtier, then after crossing a brow it levels in a fertile upper alp area before climbing again to the final col, the Finestra di Champorcher (2826m). On the east side of this pass and about 250 metres below, stands Rifugio Miserin by the lake of the same name. Champorcher, the end of the route, is a morning’s walk away.
| Day 1: | La Thuile – Rifugio A. Deffeyes |
| Day 2: | Rifugio A. Deffeyes – Pas de Planaval – Planaval (or Valgrisenche) |
| Day 3: | Planaval (or Valgrisenche) – Col de la Finestra – Rhêmes Notre-Dame |
| Day 4: | Rhêmes Notre-Dame – Col de l’Entrelor – Eaux Rousses |
| Day 5: | Eaux Rousses – Col Lauson – Rifugio V. Sella (or Valnontey) |
| Day 6: | Rifugio V. Sella – Cogne – Finestra di Champorcher – Rifugio Miserin |
| Day 7: | Rifugio Miserin – Champorcher |
Finally, before leaving the Graians, mention should be made of an eight- or nine-day route for experienced mountain walkers which links Pralognan in the Vanoise National Park with Cogne at the foot of the Gran Paradiso. This route, described in reverse in Stefano Ardito’s Walking & Climbing in the Alps, has one small glacier section to contend with on the crossing of 3109 metre Col du Carro, and uses huts on all stages bar one, when a village hotel provides overnight accommodation in Eaux Rousses in Val Savarenche. The basic route outline is given on the following page.
A Traverse of the Graian Alps – Route Summary
| Day 1: | Pralognan – Col de la Vanoise – Refuge d’Entre Deux Eaux |
| Day 2: | Refuge d’Entre Deux Eaux – Refuge du Plan du Lac – Refuge du Cuchet |
| Day 3: |
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