Gran Paradiso/Vanoise
Duration: 14 Days
Difficulty: Difficult
The Tour of Gran Paradiso in Italy and the Tour of the Vanoise Glaciers in France are two different hiking routes so why combine them into one? The Gran Paradiso and Vanoise are national parks which are adjoined and are thus geologic sisters. They are the oldest and among the finest national parks of each country. Together they constitute the largest protected natural area in the western Alps. Each national park tour by itself takes only five or six days which, for me, is a little less than satisfying as a long-distance hike. There is a symmetry and an elegance though in combining the two and the result is a terrific 14-day hiking tour which connects the two national park segments with a section of the Grande Randonnee 55, a beautiful route in its own right. The Gran Paradiso National Park has a particularly interesting history. During the 1800’s it was a private and protected hunting ground for the King of Italy. Fortunately for Italy and all who enjoy the outdoors, in 1922 the grandson of the original “Hunter King” renounced his hunting rights and declared it Italy’s first national park. The mountains in this region, known as the Graian Alps, are grand and the alpine country is rugged. The Gran Paradiso, for example, at over 4000 meters is the tallest peak entirely situated in Italian territory. You will stay in far more refuges than villages but most of the refuges are inviting and pleasant. And you get to experience both Italian and French food and culture. Guide books by Marcia Lieberman and Gillian Price are your best resources for this tour. You will also need to use the Via Alpina website in the Links section at the bottom of this tour description (stages R119 through R122 of the Red Trail) for information on the connecting hikes.
Alpine ibex near the Gran Paradiso
Day 0 Aosta
This is a wonderful northern Italian town from which to start a hiking tour. It has a large, striking town square filled with shops and outdoor cafes. There are many traffic-free streets on which to wander, wondering which cheese or wine or vegetable shop you want to choose for your next indulgence. It was once a Roman town and there are still a few ruins to visit if you have the interest. And there is an appealing medieval church, Sant’ Orso, which is worth a stop. Stay at Le Reve Charmant in the center of town. Eleanora, the proprietor, gets TripAdvisor reviews that other B&Bs would kill for. A good restaurant to try is Giuliani Ristorante.
Day 1 Aosta to Cogne
I am never one to shy away from a convenient lift when it serves a good purpose. The first thing you do today is grab the gondola out of Aosta to the Pila ski resort. The station is located just on the other side of the river and main A5 highway. You hike today over the Col di Chomole from where you have fantastic views of the Mont Blanc massif. Your destination is Cogne, the only resort which is actually in the Gran Paradiso Park. It is a small and pleasant town with all the services you need. The best thing of all is that it still retains some of its “realness” and has not been totally transformed into a tourist trap.
Ibex
Day 2 Cogne to Rifugio Vittorio Sella
Today’s hike starts with a bus ride up the Valnontey to the tiny hamlet of Valnontey. Buses leave Cogne every 30 minutes in the summer season and the ride takes a grand total of 10 minutes. Of course, you can walk the path to Valnontey if you prefer as it is only 3 kilometers away. The ascent to the hut is not long or difficult. Be glad because the next day is one of the most challenging of the tour. This trail can get quite busy in August so leave early if you want to avoid other people. One of the largest colonies of ibex in the Alps lives in this area and can be seen at times in the high meadows behind the hut. Take advantage of your free time in the afternoon to hike the trail behind the hut which leads to the Col Rossa. This is not your pass for tomorrow’s hike to the Valsavarenche but one a bit farther north. Late afternoon will be your best chance to see these magnificent animals and you don’t need to hike all the way to the col. Even if you don’t see them, the views are grand. Rifugio Sella is pretty austere for an Italian hut. In fact, there are no showers. But as is often the case in Italy, the hut guardians take pride in their place. They run a clean and comfortable establishment with very tasty food.
Val di Cogne
Day 3 Rifugio Sella to Eaux Rousses
Today is long and hard. The good news is that you will be rewarded with outstanding panoramas throughout the day. You pass over the Col Lauson which is the highest of the tour at 3300 meters. This hike is not recommended in bad weather and attention should be paid to conditions during early summer if snow and ice are still found at the pass. Check with the hut guardian before you head out. The difficulty of today’s route is due to two factors. The path very close to the pass is steep and somewhat loose with slippery black shale. It is not a technical path, just challenging. The other factor that makes today hard is the length of the descent. It is a real knee-cruncher at over 1600 meters of elevation loss. This is when you hope you have followed everyone’s advice and have packed a very light pack. You finally reach the valley floor, cross a bridge over the Savara Torrent, and reach the hamlet of Eaux Rousses (Red Waters). The name refers to the red rock behind the hamlet, stained by the water from a ferruginous spring. Stay at very inviting Hostellerie du Paradis. Half-board is the way to go here as the food is good and you won’t want to have to stroll far from your room tonight for dinner. They offer dormitory accommodation in an annex if you’d like something less expensive.
Col del Nivolet
Day 4 Eaux Rousses to Rifugio Savoia
As is often the case with long distance hiking in the Alps, there are numerous routes to choose from to compile your itinerary. One of the main traverses of the Gran Paradiso called the Alta Via 2 takes a different path today over the Col di Entrelor and down to the hamlet of Bruil in the Val di Rhemes. Our route instead heads farther south and higher up in the valleys which I believe leads to more interesting terrain. You start with 2.5 kilometers of flat hiking up the valley to Pont where there is a car park and hotel. You start your ascent here and climb steadily toward the Col del Nivolet. If you are here at the right time of year you will be delighted to see the meadows filled with white and yellow flowers. Your path later joins a road which leads to the first of two refuges. The first is Rifugio Savoia, the more luxurious of the two. It was originally one of the king’s hunting lodges and now offers many of the creature comforts you would find at a mountain inn. If you desire a quieter and more authentic mountain hut experience, continue walking another 15-20 minutes to reach Rifugio Chivasso. A small and very basic hut but warm and inviting nonetheless.
Day 5 Rifugio Savoia to Rifugio Benevolo
Today takes you into another valley, the upper Val di Rhemes. You leave the Col del Nivolet (2600 meters), the road pass where the rifugio is located, and cross over the Col della Nivoletta (3100 meters) which is accessed by foot path only. Confusing at first glance. Nivoletta is another high pass and actually requires a glacier crossing. Don’t picture anything technical as it is truly just a gradually sloping snow field without crevasses. If you have any trepidation or if the weather is bad, the Col Rosset farther north makes a good alternative route. Weather permitting, you will have some of the best views of the Gran Paradiso of the trip. Rifugio Benevolo is a wonderful old hut that was originally opened in 1930 by the Italian Alpine Club. It has thankfully been updated since then and provides all that great Italian comfort and hospitality that I so appreciate. There is one other option today for you to consider, especially if you want to shorten this tour by a few days but still want to connect up with the Vanoise. From Rifugio Savoia you can hike southwest over the Col de la Lose and cross over the border into France. The path up to the col does involve an exposed section but all of it is secured with cable. I can get a little freaked out when I encounter too much exposure and this path did not bother me. The one time we hiked this route, we joined a French couple that we had met at the hut. They were both experienced hikers but he suffered from vertigo. It was an amazing and heartwarming experience to watch her lead him up the pass slowly, slowly, small step by small step. From the pass it is a very straightforward descent to Refuge de Prariond and le Lac de Tignes and the continuation of your tour. This alternative would shorten your 14-day itinerary to 10 days. The reason I don’t suggest it as the primary route is that it necessitates skipping the stages to Rifugios Benevolo and Bezzi which I think are too good to miss.
Rifugio Benevolo
Day 6 Rifugio Benevolo to Rifugio Mario Bezzi
Today is a very long day indeed so get yourself up early for coffee and breakfast. That is one of the side benefits of the huts. The guardians have all wisely established early morning deadlines by which you must be up and out of the huts so that they can clean up and have a little time to themselves. Today is not a day where you will see green pastures filled with flowers or long stretches of friendly forests. You will find yourself in wild, desolate country, close to the mountains and at the edge of the glaciers. It is a rare and exhilarating hike. If your feet are getting tired and sore toward the end of the day, divert your thoughts to the terrific hut that awaits you. Rifugio Bezzi is about as luxurious as it gets for an alpine refuge. When I describe some Italian huts as inns in the mountains, this is one of the places I picture. Good beds, hot showers, and a full-service restaurant.
Valgrisenche
Day 7 Rifugio Bezzi to Valgrisenche
You have completed six days of this tour, some of which have been quite demanding. I think you have earned the right to an easy hiking day. Today’s route is a nice easy walk along a stream that feeds Lac de Beauregard. You reach the hamlet of Useleres from where you catch a bus farther down valley to the village of Valgrisenche, your starting point for tomorrow’s hike. The Valgrisenche valley (the valley and one of its villages have the same name) is the most peaceful and unspoiled of the valleys in the Gran Paradiso. The town has a small store where you can restock on provisions. This makes for a great place to take a rest day should you so choose. There is no lack of good places to stay. The two best are Maison Bovard and Le Vieux Quartier.
Day 8 Valgrisenche to Refuge de l’Archeboc
You are again looking at another long, hard hike. 1600 meters of ascent and 1200 meters of descent will have you arriving at the Refuge de l’Archeboc. You are now in France. Thanks to the Euro you no longer have to give a second thought to having multiple currencies on hand. It seems like eons ago that European borders and different currencies had to be a part of your planning process. This is a privately owned refuge with 40 places. It is nothing fancy but quite comfortable.
Day 9 Refuge de l’Archeboc to le Lac de Tignes
The main Via Alpina route would have you hike first to Refuge du Monal and then to the village of le Lac de Tignes. The Refuge du Monal is a lovely place to stay so don’t hesitate to take this option if you want to enjoy some lower elevation hiking which contours across and through the Val Tarentaise. I find that route to be too low and close to development for my tastes. I recommend instead hiking down from Refuge de l’Archeboc to the town of Sainte Foy Tarentaise where you can catch one of several buses which go up the valley to Tignes (about a one hour ride). You are right in the middle of French ski country and it unfortunately comes with all the unappealing characteristics that ski terrain often has. The mountain landscape is fantastic but the ski towns have row upon row of condos, fast-food restaurants, and lifts scarring the hillsides. On the upside, ski towns often bring in tourists with money and that can help support an excellent restaurant or two. That’s certainly the case here with La Ferme des Trois Capucines. This is a restaurant on the edge of town that is also a real working farm where they make their own cheese. The restaurant is heavenly. Stay at Hotel Le Refuge.
La Grande Casse
Day 10 Le Lac de Tignes to Refuge du Col de la Vanoise
You experience a great hike today along the GR55 long-distance trail. The day is long but not too difficult. Not far out of le Lac de Tignes you leave the ski lifts behind and enter the Vanoise National Park. I find the Vanoise to be striking and somewhat rare among regions of the Alps. The terrain here is more varied, meaning that the jagged peaks and glaciers exist among large sections of vast, gentle, open meadows with meandering streams. You again, as in the Gran Paradiso, have the opportunity to spot ibex and chamois. Just remember that they aren’t easy to spot and you will be among the lucky if you come across them. On the other hand, odds are high that you’ll see marmots as you hike along. These cute little fat mountain squirrels are ubiquitous just like in the mountains of the United States. Three to four hours of walking brings you to Refuge de la Leisse. Don’t get too excited about taking off your boots yet because this is not your hut for the night. You still have to gradually lose more elevation and then regain it with a series of switchbacks as you head to the Col de la Vanoise. The stunning La Grande Casse peak is just off to your right. Your hut tonight is large and functional and handles a tremendous number of hikers throughout the summer season.
Day 11 Refuge du Col de la Vanoise to Refuge de l’Arpont
The first question you should be asking today is why am I taking you in a direction which retraces the last couple of kilometers you hiked yesterday? The answer is that the Vanoise hut is well positioned to make for a good stage from Tignes. And hiking the circuit of the Vanoise from the Vanoise hut needs to be done in a clockwise direction in order to finish the tour at Pralognan, the largest town of the area and the one with good transportation connections. The vast majority of today’s hike will be entirely new terrain. On the map you may notice that the end of our circuit misses out on a small segment of trail northeast from Pralognan and back to the Refuge du Col de la Vanoise. That is a segment that will have to be done as a day hike from Pralognan or saved for another trip. Your refuge tonight is another large and functional hut. Refuge de l’Arpont was closed for 18 months for renovation and just reopened in 2014. I don’t find it to be architecturally appealing but the designers did a good job of making it fit within its natural surroundings and at making it energy efficient. If you have the energy, there is an uphill hike you can take from the hut to the Lac de l’Arpont, from which you have fantastic views of the glacier above.
National Park of the Vanoise
Day 12 Refuge de l’Arpont to Refuge du Plan Sec
Today’s stage is an unusual find for hikes in the Alps. It doesn’t have much elevation gain or loss at all and is instead what is called a balcony route (in French, un sentier balcon). This sounds totally wonderful, and it is. The only thing to be wary of with balcony routes is exposure. Fortunatley, the path today is not bad and the short sections that are exposed have a fixed chain that you can grab onto for security. Refuge du Plan Sec is comprised of three little old stone and wooden buildings, totally restored, situated in the middle of summer grazing pastures. It is much more pleasant and inviting than your previous two huts.
Marmot
Day 13 Refuge du Plan Sec to Refuge du Roc de la Peche
Marcia Lieberman, author of Walking the Alpine Parks of France and Northwest Italy, rates this hike as “Very Strenuous.” She is right. It is not a technical challenge, just one requiring stamina and good knees. The day is long and sections of the trail are steep. It’s nice after a hard day to be rewarded with a nice hut. Privately owned Refuge du Roc de la Peche is wonderful. You can even request a double room and they will try to accommodate if it’s outside the busy season. Views are stupendous and the food is very tasty.
Day 14 Refuge du Roc de la Peche to Pralognan
It’s almost time to celebrate. This is the last day of this tour and you’ll be enjoying a gradually-descending hike into the village of Pralognan. You’ll be close to a small road at times but it shouldn’t take away from the pleasure of the day. Pralognan is a pleasant enough place and worth staying in an extra day. It gets very busy in the high season so you must book ahead. Stay at Hotel l’Edelweiss. Sometimes the best food in France is Italian food. La Ripaille is your best bet for dinner.
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