Trekking Adventure
in the Italian Alps, explore the Gran Paradiso Massif!

TREKKING TRIP PROGRAMME

DAY 1: SUNDAY
CHAMONIX - AOSTA - ARBOLLE REFUGE

Vertical drop : + 800 m and - 100 m
Walking time: 4 hours
Night: in mountain hut

Meet in front of the Chamonix train station at 9am, your guide will take you by minibus to the start of the trek.

We will leave from Pila for the Col de Plan Fenêtre / Replan / Chamolé. Depending on the weather, we will follow the ridge that passes over these three passes to the Refuge d'Arbolle and its superb lake, we are near the Becca di Nonna.

DAY 2: MONDAY
REFUGE D'ARBOLLE - MONT EMILUIS (3551m) - COL D'ARBOLLE (3154 m) - COL DES LAURES ( 3035 m)- VALLON CREUSON

Vertical drop : +800 m and -1000 m
Walking time: 7 to 8 hours
Night: in mountain hut

Here we go for the first passes at more than 3000 m, we will climb under the Mont Emiluis (3551 m) and will have a break at the Lac Gelé before arriving at the Col d'Arbolle (3154m), then the Col des Laures (3092 m) where we will overlook many lakes! We are now in the Grand Paradis Park! The Grauson valley is a superb and wild area. The descent back to the small village of Cogne is very pretty with superb pastures, the descent is pleasant despite the significant difference in altitude.

DAY 3: TUESDAY
VAL de COGNE - VALLON DE L'HERBETET - UNDER THE EAST FACE OF THE GRAN PARADISIO - REFUGE VITTORIO SELLA

Vertical drop : + 1200 m and - 800m
Walking time: 6 hours
Night: in mountain hut

The village of Cogne is one of the most beautiful in the Alps, this little stop will be very pleasant and we can buy a small item that you forgot before continuing the adventure.
We will go up the valley overlooking the Grand Paradis, the most impressive of its faces, the North-East Face, a superb glacial cirque. On the way we are likely to come across chamois and ibex before arriving at the refuge.

DAY 4: WEDNESDAY
REFUGE VITTORIO SELLA - COL LAUSON (3296m) - EAUX ROUSSES - VALSAVARENCHE

Vertical drop : + 800 m and - 1650 m
Walking time: 6 to 7 hours
Night: in mountain hut

Here we go for the highest pass of the Trek: the Lauson Pass!
The climb is quite technical and we will appreciate the fixed ropes and other equipment in place. At the pass, it's vertiginous and you'll understand why we're doing the tour this way, we'll start a long descent to the Eau Rousse hut, where we'll be happy to rest.

DAY 5 : THURSDAY
EAUX ROUSSES - VALSAVARENCHE - REFUGE CHABOD

Vertical drop : + 1100 m
Walking time: 4 to 5 hours
Night: in mountain hut

We'll leave for a short day to reach the Chabod refuge, today we'll only be climbing! The legs will recover from yesterday's descent, in the afternoon we will be at the foot of the Grand Paradis! If the weather is good and you want to, you can climb the Grand Paradis: tomorrow during the rest day. The afternoon is dedicated to the preparation of the equipment with the guides who will do the ascent of the next day and we will rest for tomorrow.

DAY 6: FRIDAY
CHABOD REFUGE - REST or GRAN PARADISO SUMMIT ( 4061m) - CHABOD REFUGE

Vertical drop : +1400 m and - 1400 m or rest for the day.
Walking time: 8 to 10 hours
Night: in mountain hut

The departure is by night, so we can enjoy the sunrise on the glacier. The ascent to the Gran Paradiso from the Chabod hut is more varied than from the Emanuele hut: we go around some nice crevasses and after a good effort we reach the summit at 4061 meters! The view is superb! We come back down by the same route. At the refuge, we will rest in the afternoon, or all day for those who did not want to climb.

DAY 7: SATURDAY
REFUGE CHABOD - BALCONY UNDER THE GRAN PARADISO - PONT - CHAMONIX

Vertical drop : 4 hours walking
Night: in mountain hut

We'll set off along the balcony paths under the Grand Paradis glacier to reach the Tetra-Lyre refuge and the village of Pont. We will then take a bus back to Aosta where we finish the trek.

The trekking trip ends in Chamonix at 4pm in front of the train station.

How to prepare your backpack for your Hiking Tour in Italy

The hiking backpack

If possible take a light backpack with good carrying, the backpack itself should not exceed 1,5 kilos.

Backpack for 5 days:

• Small size: 45 liters
• Large size: 50 liters

Your backpack must have 10 to 15 liters of space for the food that you will carry for lunch and sometimes for the day after.

Kilos to carry - it is better to wash than to carry:

• Small size: 6/7 kilos max, without water and food
• Large size: 8/9 kilos max, without water and food

Count 2 liters of water and 1 kilo of food for the day.

Covid 19 Special:

• a pair of light shoes or slippers to walk inside the hut
• a light sleeping sheet for the refuge 
• a pillowcase or light inflatable cushion for the refuge
• hydroalcollic gel and masks

Head to toe material for your hiking trip:

• one cap or hat for the sun
• one hat for the cold
• one buff or neck warmer, optional but very pleasant in bad weather
• one type Goretex jacket or equivalent for bad weather
• one pair of gloves, waterproof if possible
• waterproof extra pair of ski gloves for the Gran Paradiso climb
• one warm fleece or thick down to withstand freezing temperatures
• two sweaters: one light and one warmer, if it's cold we will put all layers on
• three technical t-shirts 
• three underwear and 3 or 4 warm socks, you can wash them in the streams near the hut (take a solid soap to the washing)
• one wind and waterproof pant for the Gran Paradiso climb
• a pair of tights
• one lighter pant, some come off to make shorts
• one short pant
• one over-pants in waterproof fabric or Gore tex type for Treks with altitude passes around 3000 meters
• a light rain cape or waterproof bag protector
• a waterproof bag to keep your spare clothes dry
• a plastic or waterproof bag for dirty items
• a change of clothes for the refuge
• a pair of good quality mountain shoes with Vibram type sole or equivalent that will do for the ascent of Gran Paradiso as well (climb at 4061 mt), if possible try them on before starting your hiking trip, beware of old shoes which can deteriorate very quickly in the middle of the mountains.

Do not forget:

• sunscreen index 30 to 50
• a pair of category 3 sunglasses
• one light headlamp
• cash and your identity papers

Toiletries:

• a light, quick-drying hand towel, hiking type
• one body soap
• one toothbrush with small toothpaste or a tube already started
• one small shampoo (small size - specialty stores sell small bottles that you will keep your whole life as a hiker)
• a pair of aarplugs to better sleep at night 

Pharmacy & others:

• your usual or personal treatments
• a light survival blanket
• a nail clipper
• what to make small dressings
• a few compresses and sticking plaster or better Strappal

Your guide will have a more complete pharmacy in the event of a more serious accident.

A small book or card game (less than 150 grams) ... if you want !

Necessary for meals:

• a light Opinel type knife
• a fork and a spoon
• a nice specialty to share with the rest of the team, liquid or solid

The hiker's enemy is weight, but a frozen or wet hiker is a hiker without pleasure! So take the time to properly prepare your backpack.

Physical Level 4/5

SPORT TRAINED
Effort corresponding to approximately 1200 - 1700m of ascent per day.
You like and practice endurance sports at a good level.

Technical Level 4/5

FAIRLY EASY MOUNTAINEERING 
You should be comfortable walking in the mountains and on varied terrain. Easy climbing.
If you have already done a glacier trek, it is better, but not compulsory, if you have a good physical and mental condition.
Learning the techniques of progression in the high mountains, for fairly easy routes and easy rescue techniques.

Useful information for the organisation of the Gran Paradiso trekking trip

HOW TO REACH CHAMONIX MONT BLANC

By train, possible access from France or Switzerland
By car via the motorway on the French side, by Switzerland via the Montets pass.

MEETING ON THE FIRST DAY

Meeting with the Guide

• either in Chamonix Mont Blanc, in front of the train station, at 9.00 am, click here to see the point on the map;
• or directly in Aosta at 10:00 am, at the departure of the cable cars of the Pila station. If you wish to go to Valle d'Aosta by your own means we advise you to go through the Petit St Bernard pass to avoid the toll of the Mont Blanc tunnel (100 euros the return trip for information).

Your guide will be waiting for you to give you a short briefing and check the weight of your bags.

CAR PARKING

in Chamonix, free public parking at the entrance of the town: Parking des Planards, see the point on the map
in Valsavarenche, free public parking, in Pont, the last village in the valley: see the point on the map

DEPARTURE - DISPERSION OF THE GROUP

At the Chamonix train station, around 4pm.
Do not plan to travel before 5.30 pm.

ACCOMMODATION

You will be welcomed in the charming Italian refuges, renowned for their cuisine and warm atmosphere.
Nights in rooms or dormitories depending on availability.

WHERE TO STAY IN CHAMONIX MONT BLANC, BEFORE OR AFTER YOUR WEEK OF TREKKING?

Here is our advice:

• Hôtel La Pointe Isabelle
• Hôtel Plan B
• La Chaumière Lodge

INSURANCE

A cancellation and repatriation insurance is recommended as well as another insurance guaranteeing search and rescue in the mountains, mountain rescue is not free in Italy.

See the insurance contract that Esprit des Guides SA offers.