Chalet de l'Epée mountain hut, from Mondanges
Edited by:
Massimo Martini
Updated at: 24/07/2026
Access
Road directions
From the Aosta Ovest motorway junction, take the slip road towards Aosta – Saint-Pierre for approximately 1.0 km (1.0 km). At the roundabout, turn left onto the and follow it for 8.5 km (9.5 km) to the Leverogne roundabout, where you continue straight on along Via Corrado Gex for 1.0 km (10.5 km). At the fork, turn left and join the Valgrisenche road, travelling up the valley for 14.2 km (24.7 km) to the hamlet of Mondanges. Carry on straight ahead, turn right and then left for the final 400 metres or so (25.1 km in total) to the rest area.
Car park
In the hamlet of Mondanges there is a free 🅿️ car park, near the chapel next to the sports ground, which is the starting point of the route.
Access by public transport
The main town of Valgrisenche is served by Arriva on the Villeneuve–Valgrisenche; from the bus stop, walk 550 metres to Mondanges, the starting point of the route.
Distance and journey time
🕒 Journey time: 36 minutes
📏 Distance: 25.0 km
GPS navigation
Important information
The directions provided were verified on the date the route was mapped. Before setting off, we recommend checking for any changes to the route or road conditions. For up-to-date information, please consult Google Maps or Apple Maps.
Introduction
A round-trip route that climbs from Mondanges, a hamlet of the main town of Valgrisenche, to the Chalet de l’Epée mountain hut, following the Alta Via 2 of the Aosta Valley for the first sectionAosta before continuing along Trail 9 alone. The route passes through fir and larch woods, alpine meadows and high-altitude pastures, until it overlooks the Bouc valley, with a view of the Rutor massif. Near the refuge stands the Cristo dell’Epée, a wooden crucifix by the Aosta Valley sculptor Franco Crestani. This same stretch, from Mondanges to the refuge, coincides with a section of the Tor des Géants route, theultra-trail that passes through Valgrisenche every September as part of its first stage. The best time for this hike is July; August remains a good option for those combining it with a longer route on the Alta Via 2.
Description
[0h00'] 0.00km /2,\g From Mondanges, a hamlet about a hundred metres from the main village of Valgrisenche, set off opposite the chapel next to the sports ground, taking a dirt track that runs alongside the meadows and turns into a footpath as it enters the coniferous woodland. Follow the path uphill until you quickly reach a hairpin bend on the road to Usellières and take it uphill. After a few metres, rejoin the path on the left, passing the carriage road twice more, with views of the Beauregard Lake dam, and cross a small stream from which a canal branches off. Climb the slope via a series of numerous bends, crossing several small streams in a dense fir forest. Pass a concrete building on your right and continue along a path with gentle ups and downs, running parallel to the lake at the valley floor. Cross another stream and climb to the left until you reach the junction at the edge of the woodland, near a large boulder.
[1h15'] 2.53 km (435 m ascent) (5 m descent) /2,\g Keep to the left and, after passing theBénévy mountain pasture (2,076m), cross the pasture on a short diagonal ascent until you reach the Bois mountain pasture (2,138m) and the farm track once more. Rejoin the path to cross the farm track once more just before Praz-Londzet, continuing to the junction for Col Cussunaz (2,220m).
[1h40'] 3.65km /2,\g Ignore the path to the right and continue across a carpet of rusty rhododendron (Rhododendron ferrugineum), bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) and juniper (Juniperus communis): alternating between uphill sections and flatter stretches, leave the larch forest (Larix decidua) before reaching a plateau strewn with boulders, across which the path continues without any particular difficulty, until you reach the Cristo dell’Epée and, a little further on, the Chalet de l’Epée mountain hut (2,373m), with views of the Rutor massif [2h30’] 5.75km .
The return journey follows the same route [1h20'] 5.75km .
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