High-altitude environments of Valgrisenche

An ideal place for lovers of unspoiled nature. Valgrisenche is surrounded by a circle of mountains, wrapped in glaciers and century-old forests, populated by a typical Alpine fauna; it also offers a notable concentration of important botanical species. Close to the Saxe de Ponton Pasture, 4 floristic species have been surveyed and defined as extremely rare in the Valle d’Aosta: Coincya richeri, Pedicularis foliosa, Stemmacantha rhapontica subsp. lamarckii, and Dracocephalum ruyschiana. Recently, a very rare Alpine Sedge has been identified, the Carex atrofusca, of which only two endemic stations are known in all of Italy: the one in the Valle d’Aosta and another in the Valli di Lanzo. If you look up toward the sky, you can admire the Golden Eagle, and during your hike, you can encounter a Chamois or a Marmot.

Activites

  • Hiking

    All itineraries are described in the TRAILS section.

  • Mountain biking

    Due to the presence of a farm road, mountain bike excursions are possible all the way up to the Saxe de Ponton Pasture.

  • Horseback riding

    A trail exists for horseback riding, but it is exclusively meant for expert riders: at the end of the dirt road, the trail is narrow and difficult.

  • Snowshoe trekking

    In spring, it is possible to get to the Bezzi Refuge with snowshoes, but you are requested to consult the regional snow and weather forecasts, as there are risks of avalanches in the area.

Discover the site

The best months to enjoy the beautiful blossoming and the rare floristic species are July, August and the beginning of September. The entire area can easily be discovered on foot, even for school groups and families with children, especially the first part which takes you to the Bezzi Refuge. However, the trail which goes from the Refuge to Lake Verde is recommended only for trained hikers; geomorphology lovers will be thrilled by the morphological and genesis characteristics of the glacial moraines.


Behavioural conduct rules

We remind you that you can contribute to the preservation of these sites by following these simple rules:

visit the site on foot, with skis or snowshoes; avoid using motorized vehicles, boating equipment, hang-gliders, para-gliders or similar; mountain bikes and horseback riding are permitted only in specific authorized areas (external to the site): please respect hikers;

please stay within the marked trails, as trampling can ruin the fragile grass and undergrowth areas; in winter, please follow the recommended trails so as not to disturb animals which are fighting against hunger and cold;

please observe wild animals from a distance, do not capture them, do not disturb them nor feed them, and do not photograph occupied nests;

keep your dog on a leash and on the marked trails;

do not pick minerals or flowers;

do not make fires;

please bring your garbage back to the villages, where you will find many recyclable waste-collection points;

camping is permitted only for nightly bivouacs at an altitude of over 2500 meters; take care not to wash your dishware in springs or stagnant ponds of water; campers and trailers must be parked outside of the park, in specific authorized areas.

How to get there

By car

In order to reach the municipality of Valgrisenche, from the S.S. 26 road at Arvier, you must take the S.R. 25 regional road until the chief-town.
From here, go to the village of Bonne and then continue along the Lake of Beauregard until the hamlet of Usellières. Once you have parked your car, you must climb to the Saxe de Ponton Pasture on a dirt path, and then proceed on a trail to the Bezzi Refuge.
Parking lots are available at the hamlets of Surrier and Usellières.

By bus

A bus service, the Aosta – Valgrisenche line, operates with only 4 daily trips, and its terminus is at the town’s centre.

Accessibility codification of sites

VIVA has chosen to supply everyone – youngsters, adults, the elderly and the disabled – with all the sites’ information so as to allow the visitor to choose a destination in an autonomous way.
An “Accessibility Codification”has thus been defined.


High-altitude environments of Valgrisenche

Information to reach the site 2
Accessibility from main roads 2
Parking for the disabled 1
Accessible restrooms 0
Information panels 0
Slopes (max 8%) 0
Trail width (min 90cm) 0
Road surface 0
Resting areas approx every 10 m 0
Safety and protection of trails 1
Periodic maintenance 1

GENERAL INDICATIONS – ASSESSMENT VALUES (0 ÷ 3):
0 corresponds to ABSENCE of the indicated parameter;
3 corresponds to the PRESENCE of the indicated parameter, in optimal condition;
1 – 2 are INTERMEDIATE VALUES: in general, they indicate the presence of the parameter which must however be improved (1 = sufficient, 2 = close to optimal)

Paths

More paths :

VIVA suggests:

Average path

Rifugio Bezzi

  • Elevation gain : 497 m
  • Travel time: 2h 30 m
  • Signposting: 9A-10-12

What to see:

Period:

Easy trails: routes that present no major technical difficulties or too challenging slopes. They can be covered in full or in small sections, allowing in both cases to come into contact with unspoilt nature, discovering its pace and balance …

Medium difficult trails: routes that can be covered in a day, varying considerably in terms of height differences and technical difficulty; the benefit is in being able to reach wildlife destinations of great impact.

Long trails: excursions lasting several days which provide for stopover places and catering along the route.

cartina High-altitude environments of Valgrisenche

SIC SIC IT1205010

Municipality:

Surface:

Altitude:

Responsible forest station:

VIVA recommends the premises belonging to the network “Saveurs du Val d’Aoste

Saveurs du Val d'Aoste

punti di interesse limitrofi

  • Warehouse of maturity of the fontina
    (Valgrisenche)
  • Dam of Beauregard
  • Permanent exhibition “The woven ones of Valgrisenche: lo drap”, open on reservation for groups
    (Valgrisenche)
  • Museum of the Resistance
    (Valgrisenche)