An Alpine Summer Adventure | Aosta Valley Travel Guide
In June, we headed on our summer holiday to the Aosta Valley in Italy where we spent a week hiking in the mountains, eating fresh and delicious pasta, visiting mountain refuges and finding the thickest and most delicious hot chocolate in Europe. In this guide Iâm going to share the trails we hiked and the places we visited to inspire your trip to the Aosta Valley.
But first, I wanted to start by explaining how we ended up here. Europe is full of beautiful mountains; from the famous and popular Haute-Savoie range in the French Alps to further flung corners of Slovenia and beyond. Weâd love to visit all of them, but on this trip we decided to head to the Aosta Valley in Italy which is actually somewhere I had been before. Nine years ago, I spent a couple of months over the summer working as an au pair for an Italian family. During my time with them, we spent some time in Cervinia, the Aosta Valley, where I have wonderful memories of picnics in Alpine fields, views of the Matterhorn and the abundance of wildflower.
Probably what has stuck with me the most from this trip was a three-day trek we did with three kids (aged 9, 7 and 3) between mountain refuges. We did this hike actually before I really got into hiking, and I do think this is part of the reason why I started to fall in love with mountains. I remember the beautiful views, the feeling of freedom and solitude (despite having three kids to look after!), the incredible mountain food and friendly people. I also remember how amazing it was doing all this with three kids in tow, and it really inspired me for the future.
Having welcomed our own daughter who would be 8 months old on this trip, we wanted to go somewhere relatively accessible and family-friendly; where we could access beautiful views without any snow or glaciers, without too many crowds and without spending a fortune. The Aosta Valley was perfect for us. We based ourselves near Cervinia (which is where I travelled when I was au pairing), in a beautiful chalet half way up the mountain and had so much to see, do, eat, hike and experience over our 10 days there.
When we visited
We visited the Aosta Valley in June, which was a beautiful time of year as the wildflower are incredible and the temperatures arenât too hot â with cool mornings and evenings, and the occasional thunderstorm or rainy day that we timed with more relaxed days or rest days. June is also quite quiet as Italians usually head on holiday from July and August. If you canât visit in June, any time in summer is incredibly beautiful and in my opinion this is a much quieter area than other parts of the Alps. If you want to use cable cars regularly, perhaps think about visiting from July onwards as this is when they generally open. You can check the Cervinia website here for opening dates and times.
How we travelled
We flew direct from Manchester to Milan (other UK airports also fly to Milan or you could fly to Turin), then hired a car and drove the two hours to Cervinia. You could do this trip without a car by getting the train to Chatillon and then using the bus service â we chose to hire a car due to the remoteness of our accommodation and to have a bit more flexibility with a baby.
Where we stayed
We stayed in a beautiful apartment in Promondoz called La casa dei nonni. It was half way up the mountain between Valtournenche and Cheneil; with views onto the Matterhorn and surrounded by the most incredible wildflower meadows. The location was great for accessing Cheneil where many walking trails start, while only being 20 minutes from Cervinia. We were also only a 20 minute walk from a great little restaurant and play area, ideal for kids, called Lo Baraquien.
what we did
Hike to Lago di Cignana & Rifugio Barmasse
Our first big hike during our time in the Aosta Valley was from Crepin just outside Valtournenche up to the Lago di Cignana and Rifugio Barmasse. Heading up through the forest to the top of the treeline, we then hiked across wildflower meadows with spectacular Alpine views before reaching a col and then dropping down to the Lago di Cignana.
At the other side of the lake youâll reach the Rifugio Barmasse where they serve delicious hot chocolate and homemade cake. From there, we descended back through the forest to Valtournenche making a 12km circular route.
There are many variations of this route, but we did this one here. This route involved a lot of climbing and was fairly strenuous, but a brilliant day out.
Hike from Salette to Chamois via Cheneil for lunch
If the cable cars are open during your visit, this is a great 10km hike that features spectacular views the whole route thanks to the quick height gain via the cable car. We started by driving to Buisson which would be at the end of our hiking route. There was a large car park that ended up being free all day. From there, we caught the bus to Cime Bianche Funivie Valtournenche where we then took the cable car up the mountain to Salette.
From Salette, itâs a straightforward route following signposted trails to Cheneil, where weâd recommend trying the Panorama al Bich restaurant. From Cheneil, there are two tracks that lead to Chamois. The lower track heads through the woodland and is the easier trail, or you can head to Punta Fontana Fredda to take in a peak with stunning views before dropping to Lago Lod and Chamois.
Cycle to Lac de Goillet
We hired E-mountain bikes (and a trailer!) from Cervinia and headed from Cervinia to Lac de Goillet, a beautiful blue lake at the foot of the Matterhorn. We did a circular route from here, but really if you take a map you can just play it by ear and decide where you want to go and what you want to do. Hiring bikes was loads of fun and being electric meant we could go further than with normal bikes.
Stay at the Grand Tournalin Mountain Refuge and Hike Becca Treccare
This was our favourite adventure of our trip and one we will remember for years to come! We parked at the car park beneath Cheneil and took the lift up to Cheneil (free and always open, not like a cable car but a mountain elevator). From here, we began our hike firstly to Col des Fontaines and then Col de Nannaz before dropping down to the refuge, which sits in a wild and beautiful valley.
We enjoyed a delicious 3-course dinner and cosy night in the refuge before hiking out the same way the next day, but with a diversion up to Becca Treccare at 3033m which is accessed on a path from Col de Nannaz. The hike to Becca Treccare was really straightforward until the end where it becomes a little exposed on one side and then there is an easy scramble to reach the summit.
A few other things we lovedâŚ
Eating at Lo Baraquien â great play area and animals for kids
Having a picnic in the hills above Cheneil â would also recommend the Panorama al Bich restaurant for lunch, hot chocolate and apple cake!
Exploring Cervinia â lots of shops, cafes and restaurants and some great parks for kids
Visit Lac Blue â beautiful blue lake just outside Cervinia
All in all, we loved our time in the Aosta Valley and would love to return in the winter one year, where there is some excellent skiing that is also very family-friendly for learning. We hope this blogpost inspires your next summer Alpine adventure!