Intermediate Aosta Valley Loop Trek 2

From the road in Rhêmes-Notre-Dame, this route follows the river upstream towards wilder ground. You leave chapels, cafés and stone houses behind and quickly step into a valley of forests, waterfalls and broad pastures. High above, the snow and ice of the Gran Paradiso group frame the skyline. By the time you reach the upper basin, cowbells and rushing water are the only sounds and the air feels noticeably cooler and cleaner.

From the bus stop you walk through the village and join a riverside path beside the Dora di Rhêmes. The trail passes chapels, wooden barns and the clear pools near Pellaud before climbing more steeply past a series of waterfalls. Higher up, the valley opens into wide meadows, with views to glaciers and rugged peaks on both sides. A good path continues upstream, crossing bridges and skirting moraines as you gain height.

In the final section, the route stays close to the torrent and gently curves towards the head of the valley. The first buildings of the refuge appear on a grassy rise above the river, surrounded by grazing cows and boulders. Once you arrive, you can drop your pack, refill your bottle at the fountain and sit on the terrace. It is an easy place to linger while the evening light fades from the Gran Rousse and neighbouring summits.

Leaving the wide meadows around the hut, the route heads deeper into the high basin at the head of the Rhêmes valley. You follow tumbling streams towards a rocky wall that hides the next pass, with the snowy ridges of the Grande Sassière group slowly coming into view. By the time you reach the opposite side, the landscape has shifted from soft grass to glacier carved slopes and hanging ice.

From the buildings, the path follows the Dora di Rhêmes upstream past waterfalls and a small lake, then climbs more steeply towards Col Bassac Déré (3,082 m). Zigzags over rubble and smooth slabs bring you onto the narrow crest, where views explode across glaciers and high summits on both sides. The descent starts on rough, sometimes snow patched ground before easing into clearer paths beside a glacial stream.

Lower down, the valley widens into pastures dotted with boulders and summer farms, with the ice of the Glacier de la Tsanteleina hanging above. A final gentle approach along the torrent leads you straight to the stone buildings of Rifugio Bezzi. Once you arrive, you can drop your pack, refill your bottle at the fountain and watch the evening light turn the surrounding glaciers pink.