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Gressoney and around

Places we go to as well.

This is not a complete guide to the valley. These are simply a few ideas we happily recommend to friends: easy, beautiful or just a little unusual. For the high mountains, good judgement always matters.

Walk from the house5 minutes on foot

Walser Ecomuseum

It is very close and worth visiting near the start of your stay. Afterwards, you tend to look at many of the houses in the valley differently.

Half a day8 minutes by car

Castel Savoia

Queen Margherita’s castle and its park. Easy to reach, beautiful in every season and a good option when you do not feel like walking too much.

High altitudeBy lift

Punta Indren

Coming up here completely changes the scale of the valley. Even if you do not continue onto mountaineering terrain, the lift journey alone is worth the day.

Real mountaineeringUsually two days

Capanna Margherita

One of Monte Rosa’s iconic destinations, but definitely not a walk. You need acclimatisation, suitable conditions and the right skills; if you are not experienced mountaineers, go with a guide.

Something unusualBy lift

Angelo Mosso Institute

A piece of scientific history at high altitude. We like it because it tells a side of Monte Rosa that is not only about sport.

Further down the valley30 minutes by car

Fontainemore

A village to combine with a walk in the woods or, with children, the adventure park.

When the weather is poor up high50 minutes by car

Fort of Bard

The fortress at the entrance to the Aosta Valley. Museums, exhibitions and architecture: a good alternative to the mountains on cloudy days.

A quieter summer dayA few minutes by car

Horse riding

A slower way to spend time among meadows and woods. A lovely alternative for a less sporty day.

On foot, around Gressoney

Walks and hikes we recommend

From easy walks along the Lys to routes above 3,000 metres. These are the hikes worth knowing around Gressoney-La-Trinité and, for a few outings, lower down the Lys Valley.

Times are generally one way unless stated otherwise. Weather, snow, fitness and trail conditions can change both duration and difficulty.

Easy & panoramic

Good walks when you want the landscape without a full mountain day.

01
T / E

Piazza Tache → Biel

Start: Piazza Tache, Gressoney-La-Trinité

Time: ~1 h one way

Difficulty: T / E

Huts / shelters: No staffed hut; bar e servizi in paese

Easy walk along the Lys through Bätt to the chapel of Biel, with a fine view over the upper valley.

Trail details →
02
E

Alpenzu Piccolo e Grande

Start: Lysbalma / Gressoney-La-Trinité

Time: 1 h 30 one way

Difficulty: E

Huts / shelters: Rifugio Alpenzu Grande

Forest, pastures and two historic Walser hamlets: one of the best walks for understanding the Gressoney landscape.

Trail details →
03
T

Passeggiata della Regina

Start: Tschemenoal, Gressoney-Saint-Jean

Time: 1 h one way · 2 h 30 about ad anello

Difficulty: T

Huts / shelters: No staffed hut; servizi a Gressoney-Saint-Jean

Easy woodland path linking Lake Gover, Castel Savoia and Tschemenoal, with frequent Monte Rosa views.

Trail details →
04
E

Punta Jolanda

Start: Edelboden Inferiore

Time: 1 h 50 one way

Difficulty: E

Huts / shelters: Ristoro / Ristorante Punta Jolanda, if open

Panoramic climb from the valley floor. From Punta Jolanda you can continue towards Lake Gabiet.

Trail details →
05
E

Sant’Anna

Start: Staffal

Time: ~1 h one way

Difficulty: E

Huts / shelters: Ristorante Jutz e Ristoro Sitten, if open

Wide path to the Sant’Anna plateau; when the cable car is running you can shorten the walk.

Trail details →
06
T

Gressoney-Saint-Jean → Gressoney-La-Trinité

Start: Gressoney-Saint-Jean

Time: 2 h 17 one way

Difficulty: T

Huts / shelters: Bar e ristoranti nei due paesi

Long but easy valley walk, often close to the Lys, linking the two villages.

Trail details →

Mountain hikes

Proper hiking shoes and reasonable fitness recommended.

07
E

Lago Gabiet

Start: Edelboden Inferiore

Time: 2 h 50 one way

Difficulty: E

Huts / shelters: Rifugio Gabiet, Adler’s Nest, Albergo del Ponte e altri ristori al Gabiet

Full climb from the village to the Gabiet basin and lake. With the Staffal–Gabiet gondola the lake is only a short walk away.

Trail details →
08
E

Gabiet → Orestes Hütte

Start: Gabiet

Time: ~1 h one way

Difficulty: E

Huts / shelters: Orestes Hütte

Short high-altitude hike to one of the valley’s most distinctive huts, with vegan cuisine and Monte Rosa views.

Trail details →
09
T / E

Lago Blu e Lago Verde

Start: Gabiet

Time: ~1 h one way · ~3 h per l’itinerario completo

Difficulty: T / E

Huts / shelters: Orestes Hütte raggiungibile con una variante

Small alpine lakes formed after glacial retreat, in an open basin above Gabiet.

Trail details →
10
E

Colle Salza

Start: Gabiet / Rifugio Adler’s Nest

Time: 1 h 57 one way

Difficulty: E

Huts / shelters: Orestes Hütte lungo il percorso; Adler’s Nest alla partenza

Panoramic climb from Gabiet via Orestes Hütte. From the pass you can continue to Alta Luce or Rifugio Mantova.

Trail details →
11
E

Sant’Anna → Colle Bettaforca

Start: Sant’Anna

Time: 1 h 55 one way

Difficulty: E

Huts / shelters: Jutz, Ristoro Sitten e Ristoro Colle Betta, depending on opening

Steady climb to the pass between Gressoney and Ayas. From Staffal on foot, allow about 2 h 40.

Trail details →
12
EE

Laghetti del Salero (inferiore e superiore) → Passo del Rothorn

Start: Staffal

Time: 2 h 40 one way al passo

Difficulty: EE

Huts / shelters: Ristoro Sitten sul primo tratto, depending on opening

High-valley route passing the Salero lakes before reaching the Rothorn Pass.

Trail details →
13
EE

Bivacco Gastaldi

Start: Edelboden Inferiore

Time: 3 h one way

Difficulty: EE

Huts / shelters: Bivacco Gastaldi, non custodito; ufficialmente sempre aperto

A proper mountain hike starting almost from Casalpina and climbing the Nétscio valley to the small bivouac.

Trail details →
14
EE

Sorgenti del Lys

Start: Staffal

Time: 1 h 45 one way

Difficulty: EE

Huts / shelters: No staffed hut sul tracciato diretto

Climb towards the glacier moraine to where the Lys emerges and forms a small lake.

Trail details →
15
E

Valle di Loo → Passo di Loo

Start: Steina, Gressoney-Saint-Jean

Time: 3 h 40 one way

Difficulty: E

Huts / shelters: No staffed hut custodito certo sul tracciato; verificare eventuali ristori stagionali a Loo Superiore

A long, quiet hanging valley through alpine pastures to the pass.

Trail details →
16
E

Valle dei Principi

Start: Ondrò Verdebio, Gressoney-Saint-Jean

Time: 2 h 30 one way

Difficulty: E

Huts / shelters: No staffed hut custodito sul percorso

A secluded hanging valley with wetlands and a small lake.

Trail details →
17
E

Colle della Ranzola

Start: Strada per Tschalvrino, Gressoney-Saint-Jean

Time: 2 h 15 one way

Difficulty: E

Huts / shelters: Vecchio ricovero militare al colle, non rifugio custodito

Classic climb above Gressoney-Saint-Jean to the panoramic Ranzola pass.

Trail details →
18
E

Vallone di San Grato

Start: Issime, strada del Vallone di San Grato

Time: ~3 h 15 ad anello

Difficulty: E

Huts / shelters: No staffed hut o ristoro sul percorso

One of the best-preserved Walser valleys, rich in landscape and rural architecture.

Trail details →
19
E

Colle della Vecchia

Start: Tzendelabò, Gaby

Time: 3 h 30 up · 2 h 20 down

Difficulty: E

Huts / shelters: Rifugio della Vecchia appena oltre il colle sul versante biellese, if open

Historic 19th-century mule track, spectacular where it is cut into the rock near the pass.

Trail details →

Demanding & high altitude

For experienced hikers only. Some routes are equipped or enter serious high-mountain terrain.

20
E, ma molto lunga e d’alta quota

Alta Luce / Hochliecht

Start: Staffal

Time: 4 h one way

Difficulty: E, ma molto lunga e d’alta quota

Huts / shelters: Bivacco Remo Passera vicino alla cima; Orestes Hütte con variante dal Gabiet

Big climb to 3,184 m with exceptional Monte Rosa views; fitness and stable conditions are essential.

Trail details →
21
E

Col d’Olen / Passo dei Salati

Start: Orsia

Time: 3 h 30 about one way al Col d’Olen

Difficulty: E

Huts / shelters: Morgenrot, Bedemie, Adler’s Nest, Albergo del Ponte, Rifugio Gabiet; Stolemberg in zona Salati

The official hiking trail reaches Col d’Olen just before Passo dei Salati. The pass can also be reached by lifts.

Trail details →
22
E

Passo inferiore della Bettolina

Start: Staffal

Time: 3 h 15 one way

Difficulty: E

Huts / shelters: No staffed hut custodito sul tratto diretto; il percorso si collega alla via del Rifugio Quintino Sella

Increasingly rocky and panoramic terrain on the Bettaforca side.

Trail details →
23
E

Passo Zube

Start: Edelboden Inferiore

Time: 4 h 30 about one way

Difficulty: E

Huts / shelters: No staffed hut custodito sul percorso diretto

Long, secluded route to a remote pass above the Gabiet area.

Trail details →
24
EEA

Testa Grigia

Start: Gressoney-La-Trinité, capoluogo

Time: 5 h one way

Difficulty: EEA

Huts / shelters: No staffed hut attivo; l’ex Bivacco Cozzi non è più utilizzabile

Very long and demanding route to 3,315 m, with an equipped and exposed section. Experienced hikers only.

Trail details →
25
EEA

Rifugio Quintino Sella

Start: Colle Bettaforca con impianti, oppure Biel a piedi

Time: 2 h 30–4 h dal Colle Bettaforca · oltre 5 h da Biel

Difficulty: EEA

Huts / shelters: Rifugio Quintino Sella, at the destination

Serious high mountain terrain: the final ridge is equipped and exposed. Helmet and suitable equipment are strongly recommended.

Trail details →
26
EE

Rifugio Città di Mantova

Start: Gabiet

Time: 3 h 30 about one way

Difficulty: EE

Huts / shelters: Rifugio Città di Mantova; Rifugio Gnifetti più in alto

High-altitude hike to around 3,500 m. Snowfields and fast-changing conditions are possible even in summer.

Trail details →
Mountain huts, shelters, restaurants and lifts are seasonal and may close because of weather, maintenance or the end of the season. Always check openings, trail conditions and the forecast online before leaving. For equipped or high-altitude routes, use a mountain guide if you are not experienced.
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