Col de Ballalanaz, from the Valle di Clavalité car park
Edited by:
Massimo Martini
Updated at: 22/06/2026
Access
Road directions
Leave the [A5] motorway at the Nus junction and continue for 220m (0.22km). At the roundabout, take the second exit and join the towards Fénis, continuing for 500m (0.72km) until you reach the next roundabout, where you should again take the second exit. Keep right towards Località Chez Sapin and turn into it after 199m (0.92km). Continue along Località Chez Croiset for 500m (1.42km) and along Località Chez Machet for 300m (1.72km). After 160m (1.88km), turn right onto Frazione Cors, continue straight on for 99m (1.98km), then continue along Barche for 240m (2.22km) and along Località Miseregne for 400m (2.62km). Turn right to stay on the ‘Località Miseregne’ road and continue for 220m (2.84km). Turn left and drive the remaining 9.6km (12.4km) to the car park, situated on the right.
Car park
At the end of the road is the free 🅿️ car park in the Clavalité Valley, the starting point of the route.
Access by public transport
To reach the starting point of the route, you will need a private vehicle, as the Clavalité Valley is not served by public transport.
Distance and walking time
🕒 Walking time: 24 minutes
📏 Distance: 12.4 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
Ascent to Col de Bellalanaz (2,495 m), starting from the car park at the end of the Clavalité Valley road, in the municipality of Fénis. The route passes successively through the larch forest of the lower valley, the grasslands and expanses of rhododendrons and junipers in the middle section, up to the open, stony terrain just before the pass; the return journey follows the same route.
The pass is a little-visited destination, offering views stretching from Mont Blanc to Monte Rosa and featuring the remains of former mining activity. It is one of the waypoints on the Tour del Mont Avic, an orange-marked route on the Giroparchi network: those traversing it should bear in mind that the descent towards the Vallone di Ponton is more challenging than the ascent. The route can also be combined with the ascent to Punta Charmontane (2,680m), the junction for which is reached along the route before the pass.
The total elevation gain exceeds 1,000m, with sections of steep gradient through the woodland and as the route transitions to alpine altitudes. The best time of year is early summer, from late June onwards, when the snow has receded from the pass and the terrain is passable in stable conditions.
Description
0h00' 0.00km From the Valle di Clavalité car park, take the dirt track that climbs up the valley. The first section winds through a cool larch forest (Larix decidua), with a few barely noticeable ups and downs. Next, a left-hand bend leads to a short downhill stretch to a vantage point offering views of Punta Tersiva, Becca di Vio, Mont Rafray, the plateau and the small lake below. A little further on, after passing a small votive chapel on the left, you come to a fork marked by a signpost (1,513m), in the hamlet of Robioz.
0h05' 0.30km Take the dirt track on the left which, after a gentle climb, passes through the houses of Robioz until it reaches a beautiful meadow, a prelude to the hamlet of Le Chapieux (1,545m), where a signpost marks thejunction with path coming from the Marqueron car park.
0h15' 0.79km Keep to the right, passing along the edge of the houses, and, near a wooden drinking trough 💧, take the path which immediately leads into the dense larch forest. The gradient becomes steep almost immediately and you gain altitude quickly, whilst sporadic panoramic views of the central valley open up through the trees. Continue the ascent, keeping to the left, until you reach the junction with paths and coming from Marqueron.
0h50' 1.84 km Keep to the right, heading east-south-east, until the woodland begins to thin out, giving way to a mosaic of pasture, rhododendrons (Rhododendron ferrugineum), junipers (Juniperus communis subsp. nana) and scattered larch trees (Larix decidua) and Swiss stone pines (Pinus cembra) and a few solitary birch trees (Betula pendula). The ascent alternates between steeper and gentler sections; in the background, the distant peaks of the Alps can be seen. After a left-hand bend, the path continues in a fairly straight line, alternating between short wooded sections and grassy stretches, with a brief flat section, until it reaches the small valley that precedes a scree slope and the fork leading to the Petit Ballalanaz mountain pasture.
[1h50’T2] 3.41km Descend to the left, reaching the lowest point of a grassy basin, then head towards the nearby Petit Ballalanaz mountain pasture (2,246m). Continue along the path, which climbs gently at first and then becomes steeper, until you reach the barely visible junction for Punta Charmontane (2,341m).
2h15' 4.07km Keep to the right and follow a steep diagonal ascent to reach the cairn at Col de Bellalanaz (2,495m) [2h30’T3] 4.55km (1,003mD+) .
The return journey follows the same route taken on the ascent. 1h25' 4.55km
Points of Interest
Collections
Riferimenti Bibliografici
- Emilius Rosa dei Banchi Parco del M. Avic - Giulio Berutto e Lino Fornelli - CAI-TCI, Milano, 2005