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ISBN  978-88-96634-27-1E 27,80

Charruaz Fabrizio, was born in Aosta on the 22nd January, 1975, and from a young age has always had a great passion for mountain biking. In 1997 he becomes a level 1 MTB instructor (Italian cycling federation), in 2001 he gets his regional qualification and becomes a registered member of mountain bike instructors in Val d’Aoste and in 2008 gets his specialization in F.C.I., teaching downhill. He is one of the founders of Val d’Aoste MTB instructors. He has collaborated with various local council administrations setting up mountain biking itineraries and he organizes MTB courses and excursions for children and adults. His passion for freeriding and downhill have brought him to take part in many competitions especially on the French circuit of Maxi and Mega Avalanche.

Sappa Gianfranco was born in Ormea (CN) on the 1st September 1958. From a young age his passion for mountains brings him to climb his first Maritime summits. He becomes a Mountain Guide in 1983 making his passion a true profession which he still carries out full time. With the new millennium he approaches mountain biking and in 2005 becomes a MTB instructor and guide, accompanying his clients up mountains not only on foot but also by bike. He is currently the owner of www.bikeandmountain.com organizing travels by mountain bike around Mont Blanc, Grand Combin and all around the Val d’Aoste region as well as the Maritime Alps and in Sardinia.

Herin Daniele was born in Aosta in 1969, and becomes a mountain bike instructor in 2003 with the Italian Cycling Federation. He has a passion for sport and with a few friends in 2004 founds the Cervino mountain bike school with the aim of promoting off road cycling around the Matterhorn’s territory. In 2004 he organizes, for the first time in Italy, the Maxi Avalanche, a free ride marathon which is unique in its kind, giving cyclists the opportunity to enjoy a descent which starts off from the 3500 metres of the Plateau Rosa glacier. From then on he studies and collaborates in creating mountain biking routes and itineraries all over the region’s territory.

Borbey Sergio, born in Aosta in 1968, loves sport, especially trail running, cross-country skiing, and cycling. He currently works at the ski resort of Pila as a Pisteur Secouriste (safety and rescue). After becoming a mountain bike instructor with the Italian Cycling Federation, since 2001 he has spent his time sharing his experience in the youth sector. From 2002 he manages the Bike Park of Pila. In 2005 he obtains his professional qualification as a mountain bike instructor.

A choice of 61 mountain biking itineraries at the foot of the most beautiful mountains of the alpine arc will help you discover the hidden corners of this beautiful region: Val d’Aoste.Through woods, pastures and cols, from valley bottoms to the heights of the the mountains, following single track or farm roads, the itineraries offered will satisfy both beginners starting off as well as seasoned mountain bikers looking for a thrill.The guide book finishes off with a description of the tours of Fallère, Mont Blanc and Gran Combin offering the possibility of undertaking a real mountain bike journey around these magnificent 4.000 metre peaks.All you have to do is jump on to your saddle and set off to discover this extraordinary region and its beautiful paths!

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Fabrizio CharruazGianfranco SappaDaniele Herin Sergio Borbey

MOUNTAIN BIKINGIN THE AOSTA VALLEY61 Itineraries below its 4,000 metre peaks

NoteMountain biking is a potentially dangerous sport in which participation is entirely at your own risk. All the in-formation in this guide has been updated based upon information at the time of publication, however it is vital to evaluate every situation yourself before placing yourself in a life threatening situation or to seek the advice of experienced and qualified individuals.

First edition: September 2011

ISBN: 978-88-96634-27-1

Copyright © 2011 VERSANTE SUD Milano via Longhi, 10, phone 027490163www.versantesud.it

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by anymeans, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, withoutthe prior permission of the publishers.

Cover The path leading towards Bertone Hut, a view of Mont Blanc (ph. VisaMultimedia, Paolo Rey)

Texts Fabrizio Charruaz, Gianfranco Sappa, Daniele Herin, Sergio Borbey, Chantal Pasquettaz mtbvda@versantesud.it

Photos Paolo Rey, Fabrizio Charruaz, Gianfranco Sappa, Daniele Herin, Sergio Borbey

English translation Alexandra Ercolani

Maps Francesco Favero, Carolina Quaresima The backgrounds come from the maps Carte dei sentieri 1:25000 Published by Escursionista

Editing Chiara Benedetto

Symbols Iacopo Leardini, Chiara Benedetto

Printed by Monotipia Cremonese snc (CR)

EDIZIONI VERSANTE SUD

ROCKMAP

Fabrizio CharruazGianfranco SappaDaniele HerinSergio Borbey

MOUNTAIN BIKINGIN THE AOSTA VALLEY61 Itineraries below its 4,000 metre peaks

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Foreword

A guide book on mountain bike itineraries in Val d’Aoste has been missing, so after various meetings with the publishing house Versante Sud, we enthusiastically decided to venture into the writing of this guide book. Both for passion and for work, we have been doing this sport for years and this has led us to explore on our mountain bikes the many paths and roads around Val d’Aoste. With this guide book we would like to reveal a few chosen itineraries, taking into con-sideration their interest and their difficulty in order to satisfy everyone; from beginners to expert bikers.We worked on this volume which we named “Eight wheels and four heads” and it has been an extremely positive and motivating experience! The continuous exchange of ideas, opinions and recommendations has allowed each one of us to describe the parts of the region which we know best and for the others to develop a better knowledge of these areas.This edition does not claim to be a detailed list of all of the region’s mountain biking itineraries, instead it is a choice of the best routes that can be tackled on two wheels, helping you to discover the special corners in terms of its landscape, nature, history and culture. We have favoured all round itineraries where possible, in this way the cyclist throughout the trip can enjoy landscapes and sensations which are always new.We hope this guide book will accompany you with a touch of curiosity as you discover this special region which is rich in history, traditions and breathtaking views and wish you some unforgettable excursions!

The Authors

The authors: (from left) Daniele, Fabrizio, Sergio and Gianfranco (ph. VisaMultimedia, Paolo Rey)On the right, the authors (clockwise): Daniele, Gianfranco, Fabrizio and Sergio (ph. VisaMultimedia, Paolo Rey)

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Champorcher Valley1 Lake Miserin and le Chemin du Roi 42

Cogne Valley2 On the tracks of the Marcia Gran Paradiso 463 From Urtier to Grauson 50

Valsavarenche 4 The houses of Orvieille 54

Rhêmes Valley 5 Verrogne and Le Petit Mont Blanc 586 Towards Granta Parey 62

Valgrisenche7 Discovering Valgrisa 66

La Thuile Valley 8 Rutor’s Waterfalls 709 The valley of flowers 7410 La Thuile and surroundings 78

Val Veny 11 Celtica 8212 The Val Veny Balcony 86

Val Ferret13 Val Ferret’s cycle path 9014 Val Ferret’s Balcony 94

Great St Bernard Valley 15 Rifugio Chaligne and Vallone di Arsy 9816 The smuggler’s valley 10017 Cycling over Ru Neuf 104

Valpelline and Valley of Ollomont 18 The By Basin 10819 Cycling round the Place Moulin dam 112

Valley of Saint-Barthélemy 20 Cycling with the stars 116

Valtournenche 21 Antey the plain of apples 12022 Mountain pastures and the lake of Cignana 12423 The enchanted woods 12824 Tour of Chamois and Cheneil 13025 Chamois and the lakes of Champlong 13426 Petit tour of the Valtournenche woods 13827 Magical glimpses of Promoron 14228 Conquering the Duke of Abruzzi 14629 Tour of the Breuil glacial lakes 150

Valle d’Ayas 30 Brusson and the magical Ru d’Arlaz 15431 Rifugio Arp and its lakes 15832 Ru Courtod rediscovered 16233 Champoluc and the valley of Mascognaz 16634 Conquering the Piani di Verra 17035 The valley of Nana 174

Gressoney Valley 36 The natural reserve of Mont Mars 178

Central Valley37 L’Arpettaz 18238 Tour of the villages 18639 The kingdom of the wind 19040 Coal 194

Map 8Thanks 10An introduction to Val d’Aoste 14Technical introduction to mountain biking 20High mountain itineraries on mountain bikes: preparation and safety 22How to consult the guide 28Useful addresses and web references 32Bibliography 33

The cycle paths down in the valley 34The cycling path around Aosta 36The Fénis cycle path 37Ru Pompillard 38

Bike parks in Val d’Aoste 40

Index

7Amongst meadows and glaciers (photo VisaMultimedia, Paolo Rey)

41 Grazing 19842 The kingdom of solitude 20243 The flight of the herons 20644 Charvaz 21045 The highest vineyards in Europe 21446 Valley of Vertosan 21847 Porta Ponton 22248 The woods of Saint-Nicolas 22649 Tour of Vetan 23050 Petit Poignon 23451 Through woods and vineyards 23852 A short cycle ride through vineyards and orchards 24253 The Pila Basin 24654 A view over Aosta 25055 Tour of the castle of Quart 25456 At the foot of Mount Emilius 25857 The Natural Reserve of Les Iles 26258 L’Envers 26659 Col Des Bornes and the Chavacour hospice 27060 Saint-Vincent - Moulin D’Arlaz 27461 Ancien Arnad 278

TF Tour of Mont Fallère 282

The longer tours on the borders of Vald’Aoste 288TMB Mont Blanc tour 290TDC Grand Combin tour 296

Summary of the Itineraries 300

La Visaille 41

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THE FÉNIS CYCLE PATH

Matterhorn

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Thanks

Thanks go to the following for the use of their equipment: Acerbis Italia spa and Ivano Camozzi for the mountain bikes and SCOTT sportswear; Pila spa for supplying sunglasses Salice; Cervino spa for the back packs, Pella Sportwear for supplying soprtswe-ar; Garmin. Thanks also go to those who came with us on some excursions and acted as models:Paolo Lavy, Luigi Pellissier, Christine Pasquettaz, Aldo Charruaz, Matteo Alberti, Stefano Susanna, Denis Lanaro, Laurent Nicoletta, Christian Armaroli.

A special thank you to Chantal Pasquettaz for her patience and effort in revising our work and for having accompanied us on some of the itineraries.

11A section of the Mont Blanc Tour: descending from the Elena hut into Val Ferret

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An introduction to Val d’Aoste

The aim of this guide book is to illustrate the itineraries which will lead you to discover various corners of the Val d’Aoste. For this reason, we have decided not to go into too much detail regarding historical-cultural information which can be found, depending on personal interest, on the spot or in the many tourist information centres spread all over the territory. It is important to remember that the Val d’Aoste’s charm comes not only from its obvious natural attraction to visitors but also from the interest derived from its numerous historic remains. We would therefore have to write pages and pages of history and still not be sufficiently exhaustive, so we are happy to present a short panorama of the context in which our itineraries take place so that you can enjoy and appreciate the significance of your surroundings.

Historical notes.Val d’Aoste, on account of its geographical posi-tion, a major intersection of routes crossing throu-gh Italy, France and Switzerland, has played a strategic role in communications ever since ancient times between northern and southern Europe. The importance of this transalpine crossroads was alre-ady appreciated by the Romans in the first century B.C. when they built one of the first transalpine ro-ads. A hundred years later, in 25 B.C they founded the Roman colony of Augusta Praetoria, present day Aosta, at the intersection of the roads across the Alps, which still today goes over the Little and Great St. Bernard Passes.The region underwent various climatic and ge-ological changes making it suitable for human settlement as can be seen from the archaeological remains of the first communities which date back to Neolithic times. From then on Val d’Aoste was crossed and inhabited by numerous populations, from Ligurians to Celts, to Salassi who were de-feated by the Romans after various attempted invasions, to the Barbarians who in their turn de-feated the Romans, to the arrival of the Empire of Charlemagne and the rule of the House of Savoy.Every period and population leaves its own traces enriching the history and culture of this region. Relics of every age have come down to us today, from Neolithic to Roman which can be found scattered over the whole territory of Val d’Aoste. In particular along the transalpine roads of com-munication which at the beginning of the second millennium were travelled over by thousands of

pilgrims on their way from Canterbury to Rome, along the Via Francigena, in search of the “Perduta Patria Celeste” (Lost Heavenly Home).

Geography.The region Val d’Aoste is situated in the north west of Italy, bordering on the north with Switzerland (district of Entremont, in the canton of Valais), on the west with France (Haute Savoie and Savoie départements in the Rhône-Alps) and on the south and east with the Piedmont region (Provinces of Turin, Biella and Vercelli.) Situated in the heart of the Alps it is joined up with France and Switzerland along the Great St. Bernard Pass and the Little St. Bernard Pass and from the sixties with the alpine tunnels of Great Saint Bernard and Mont Blanc. It is surrounded by five of the highest European mountains: Mont Blanc (4810 m), Matterhorn (4478 m), Monte Rosa (4634m, Dufour Peak), Grand Combin (4314 m) and Gran Paradis (4061 m) which surround the central val-ley which sees the river Dora Baltea run through it. Val d’Aoste is made up of a central valley and thirteen lateral valleys with many valleys carved out by the slow movement of glaciers during the glacial period which covered these alpine val-leys. With its 3200 km2, it is the smallest Italian region. 96,3% of its territory extends into the mountain zone and only 7% of its territory is suitable for intensive cultivation and permanent human settlement. According to the statistics of the “Ufficio idrografico del Po” (Po Hydrographic Office), averaging the heights of the mountains in this region you would obtain an average height of approx. 2100 m. As well as the highest mountain in Europe, the region counts among its natural ri-ches the Gran Paradis National Park. In 1919 King Victor Emanuel III decided to give his large hun-ting reserve which was situated in this area to the Italian State which instituted in 1922 the National Park to safeguard some species of flora and fauna facing extinction including the ibex, which was disappearing due to hunting. Today, inside the Park, there are 400km of paths, several thousand ibex, chamois, numerous marmots, hares, foxes and some eagles.In this territory rich in beauty and natural rarities, over the years other protected areas have been created to protect these fragile ecosystems. In 1989 the Mont Avic Natural Park was founded which has the biggest forest of “hook” pine in the

1515Sergio, with Mont Blanc in the background (photo VisaMultimedia, Paolo Rey)

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region and over the years another nine reserves have been created allowing the protection of areas of high naturalistic value like peat bogs, alpine lakes and ponds.

The population.Due to its mountainous territory the Val d’Aoste, with roughly 125.000 inhabitants is the least po-pulated region in Italy with the lowest population density of only 36 inhabitants per km compared to the 190 in other Italian regions. More than a third of the population is concentrated in the bottom of the valley around the city of Aosta while in the smaller valleys, where roughly 60% of the population was distributed in 1861, there has be-en a remarkable depopulation from the first years of the Industrial revolution when the mountain population saw industrial work as an opportunity to improve their social conditions. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, Val d’Aoste suffered an exodus towards the francophone countries lasting for roughly 30 years due to the strong econo-mic crisis which hit the whole of Italy. From the Second World War to the seventies things started to change and many people started coming back to the region following the installation of the first iron works in Aosta. The Piedmontese arrived first and were then followed by the Venetians (pushed by the fascist dictatorship to Italianize the Val d’Ao-ste population), then the southerners followed, specifically from the commune of San Giorgio Morgeto which still to this day make up 4% of the current population.

Bilingualism.Before the arrival of industrialisation in the 1920s, most of the population of Val d’Aoste, apart from the Lys Valley, spoke Franco-Provencal in common with the bordering Savoy and Valais. This dialect of neo-Latin origin has a lot in common with the “langue d’oc” and d’oïl language from which the French language descends, and is still very widely used amongst those born in this valley. It is preser-ved, promoted and encouraged by the Regional Administration and in fact they have established the Centre d’études Franco-Provençales “René Willien” and the Bureau Régional pour l’Ethnologie et la Linguistique. These are devoted to socio-linguistic and anthropological studies and promote literary and theatrical events as well as the study of the language through courses held throughout the territory.Instead, the inhabitants of the Lys Valley are of

Germanic origin and have inherited the Walser culture which reached this area between the 12th and 16th centuries when there was frequent con-tact with the population of the upper Rhone val-ley. From Gressoney-Saint-Jean and Gressoney-La-Trinité, this culture spread also to the lower valley where the Walser language was influenced by the Piedmontese.From around 1200, Franco-Provencal was substi-tuted in its written form by French which was then the sole official language from 1561 to 1861. In 1860 with the annexation of Savoy to France, the Valley was the only Francophone territory in Italy and so the Italian language spread and culminated with the prohibition of the teaching or use of the French language during the Fascist era. In 1948, the Special Statute of Autonomy granted parity to the Italian and French languages in Val d’Aoste and today they are the two official languages.

Climate.Due to its geographical structure, Val d’Aoste has six climatic sectors and two sub regions which are different from each other due to the climate, vegetation and the opportunity to exploit the land by man. The two sub regions are named adret and envers, the first defines the side facing south, on the orographic right hand side, sunny and ideal for cultivation and human exploitation, while envers means the opposite side which is less sunny and covered by forests and pastures. The climatic zones can be distinguished by the climate and the type of vegetation which creates different passages compared to the cultivation at the base of the valley with the mountain woods which leave space for other pastures and finally the glaciers. Depending on the altitude, the sun’s exposure and the wind, in Val d’Aoste there are very different climatic zones, but all in all this region has a mo-derate climate which is mainly dry and to combat this from ancient times irrigation canals were built (Ru in the local patois language) to irrigate the fields.

From the above, it is therefore best to cycle along itineraries situated on the envers side when it is hot, and along the adret side on sunny spring days and the cool autumn days.

comunicazione METRÒ STUDIO ASSOCIATO | foto P. CELESIA

LA STAGIONE ESTIVA DI PILA SI SPOSTA SEMPRE PIÙ SULLE

DUE RUOTE, PRESENTANDO AGLI AMANTI DEL CICLISMO “OFF ROAD”

UN’OFFERTA SEMPRE PIÙ RICCA E ALLETTANTE.

PER CHI AMA LANCIARSI IN EMOZIONANTI DISCESE E IMPERDIBILI PANORAMI,

IL BIKE STADIUM OFFRE 4 PISTE PERMANENTI DI DOWNHILL

E FREE RIDE CON 3 VARIANTI PERMANENTI DI DISCESA

CON DIVERSI GRADI DI DIFFICOLTÀ.

PER CHI NON FOSSE ANCORA STANCO DELLA DISCESA,

IL PERCORSO PILA-AOSTA FREE RIDE PROPONE 8 KM DI LUNGHEZZA SU UN DISLIVELLO DI 1.170 M,

CHE POSSONO AUMENTARE FINO A 11 SU UN DISLIVELLO DI 1.730 M, SE SI PARTE DAI TRACCIATI A MONTE CHE

CARATTERIZZANO LA DESARPA BIKE.

AGLI AMANTI DEL CROSS COUNTRY IL COMPRENSORIO OFFRE

12 PERCORSI PER UN TOTALE DI 185 KM CHE SPAZIANO

DA 2300 A 600 M DI QUOTA.

OLTRE AL SERVIZIO DI TRASPORTO IN TELECABINA E SEGGIOVIA, PILA

DISPONE DI UN BIKE CENTER PER IL NOLEGGIO, LA MANUTENZIONE

E LA RIPARAZIONE DI BICI PER IL DOWNHILL, IL FREE RIDE

E IL CROSS COUNTRY.

P I L A T U R I S M O . I T

D I S C O V E R I N G

ADV_guida_MTB_DEF.indd 1 2-07-2011 9:59:21

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Interesting areas.Roman RuinsThe Val d’Aoste regions is covered in remains which date back to the Roman Empire testifying the importance of this historic period which used this region as an important communication route with the rest of the European continent. Val d’Ao-ste was crossed by the Via Consolare delle Gallie, which came from Eporedia (Ivrea) to Augusta Prætoria (Aosta), to then fork off towards Alpis Pœnina (Great St. Bernard) and then to the col of Alpis Graia (Petit St.Bernard). In 25 B.C. the city of Augusta Praetoria had probably 70/80,000 inhabi-tants compared to the current 35,000. Among the many Roman remains which are still in excellent condition you will see the arch of Augustus, the Praetorian Gates, the theatre which held 4000 spectators, the amphitheatre, the remains of a villa, the sewage system and the city’s map with several relics of the city wall. Spread along the ancient Via delle Gallie there are bits of the old road with ancient paving near Donnas, a few aqueduct-bridges which transported water from the glaciers to the fields which were cultivated and various archaeological finds giving evidence of life in those times when the region acted as a corridor through the Alps.

CastlesThe region is covered in castles and towers, testi-mony of its past. As an obligatory route through the Alps, the collection of tolls was an important way of exerting their power for the local lords who expanded their rule by building castles all over the territory. Mainly functioning as defence, the castles at the beginning of the XI and XII century were simple towers fortified with walls, just like the castles of Graines at Brusson, and Cly at Saint-Denis. During the successive centuries they became proof of the owner’s power to finally become luxurious residences. What remains of some are only ruins, while others have been left in excellent condition, and have often been restored thus becoming a popular tourist destination. The castles which are open to the public, as you head up the main valley, are Fort Bard, with its museum on the Alps, the castles of Verrès, Issogne, Ussel, Fénis, the royal castle of Sarre, the Sarriod of la Tour, Saint-Pierre and Introd as well as the Savoie castle in Gressoney.

SanctuariesThere are many sanctuaries along the valley, a few

of which are destinations for religious processions, giving evidence of the Christian faith of the people of Val d’Aoste.

Notre-Dame de la Guérison in the commune of Courmayeur Sanctuary of Machaby in the commune of Arnad Sanctuary of Vourry in the commune of Gaby Sanctuary of Miserin in the commune of Champorcher Sanctuary of Cunéy in the Valley of Saint-Barthélemy Sanctuary of Verdonaz (pron. Verdonà) in Valpelline Sanctuary of San Grato in the commune of Valgrisenche Sanctuary of Fonteinte in the commune of Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses

ROCKMAP ProjectDue to the remarkable inter-est and the extensive use of GPS mapping even in the mountain bike world, Ver-sante Sud and Garmin have started to collaborate on an important mapping project of all the routes appearing

in their guidebooks. The second on the list of projects is this guide-book on Mountain Biking in the Aosta Valley.

It will be possible to download the maps of the itinerar-ies from the website www.versantesud.it. All you have to do is follow the link shown on the page dedicated to the guide book and insert the code with 16 digits printed on the label on the third page. To visualize the itinerary on your computer, download the software free of charge, from the Garmin website.

19Descent from the Bertone hut towards Val Ferret (photo VisaMultimedia, Paolo Rey)

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Technical introduction to mountain biking

Some advice to help you choose your mountain bike correctly.There has been a huge evolution from the first mountain bikes built in the late 60’s both in terms of the material used to their design and components. From heavy frames, rigid forks and rudimentary gears, nowadays bikes have beco-me accurate, refined, light and resistant. At first glance, mountain bikes may all look the same but instead it is very difficult and complex to make an informed choice. The more comfortable the bike is, ideal for one’s height, build and the type of speciality one chooses, fewer technical and physical problems will be encountered. Let your shop assistant give you advice on the bike which is ideal for your requirements.Below we will list a few details on the different types of mountain bikes, components and mate-rials used to make things a little clearer.Recent mountain bikes are all made with a su-spension fork, this does not mean you cannot use a completely rigid bike for excursions, but the comfort and safety given to you by a mountain bike are preferred. Mountain Bikes can be divi-ded into two large categories: front suspended, which have a suspension fork and full suspended, which have front forks and a rear shock absorber.

In short: a front bike has the advantage of being more rigid and easier to handle while cycling, a full bike guarantees increased comfort on difficult terrain reducing vibrations and allowing the cycli-st to handle difficult passages more safely.Another factor which should not be underestima-ted is the price difference between a front and a full. A good level front will cost less than a full of the same level. There are full suspended models which are very cheap but with mediocre compo-nents and performance. A piece of advice: if you do not have a high budget to buy a good full it is best to head for a front, which at the same price will be a lot better. This can only be said for mountain bikes dedicated to cross country and to all hybrid and touring bikes. If you want to practice more extreme activities such as freeride and downhill, you will have to choose a bike for this speciality.

Bike frames can be built with various materials, geometries, densities and weights depending on the chosen activity: cross country, all mountain,

freeride, downhill. The type of rigidity, geometry, thickness and prices vary. The most common are made in aluminium, which is preferred to steel frames used on the first mountain bikes ever, due to its light weight and rigidity. Steel, thanks to new technologies has been used again using frames which weigh as much as aluminium ones but with steel’s elasticity and strength.Carbon, is characterised by its light-weight and it can be formed into almost any shape desired, it is used in building high-performance mountain bikes. Some frames, which are hand crafted, are made in titanium which concentrates in one single material all the best characteristics: light weight, elasticity and resistance. Due to its pro-duction costs and the difficulty in construction its costs can put bikes made out of titanium out of reach for many cyclists.

Forks are usually made of two fork ends and they vary in their structure and how they function. In rigid forks the material, shape, weight, and design of the forks can noticeably affect the feel and handling of the bicycle. They can be made of elastomer for the cheaper models or else with springs, and the fork’s compression range varies depending on the speciality, on average it varies from 80-120 mm for cross-country, to 120-140 for all mountain bikes, from 140-180 for freeri-ding to over 200 mm for downhill forks.

The way rear shocks work, depends on their ge-ometry and the leverages used on the different types of full suspension mountain bikes. Just as for the forks there are different types depending on what they are needed for. The brakes can be v-brakes which have a braking effect on the rim, or else through a disc where the braking action is transferred onto the disc. On new mountain bikes (medium-high level bikes) only hydraulic disc brakes are mounted, they are definitely mo-re performing, safe and easy to modulate. For mountain bikes which are destined to a “softer” use mechanical disk brakes are used; this means using a cable which operates through a wire ca-ble and not by oil pressure.

The wheels can be constructed with different diameters and materials. The sizes vary from 16 inch for children and up to 26/29 inch for adults.

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Technical introduction to mountain biking

A curious encounter … (photo VisaMultimedia, Paolo Rey)

The rims can be made of aluminium, scandium or carbon. The tires can be tubeless type or the traditional tubed tire. There are different widths, treads and strength. Varying from super light to smooth to knobbed and reinforced tires: each terrain type has its ideal tire. A tire which has an average tread is a good compromise for covering all types of itineraries.

There are many types of gears: Shimano and Sram have the monopoly. The most widespread type use the grip shift system which is characterized by a rotating grip shifter on the handle-bar. Both types use a rear and/or front derailer system, varying their pressure and the metric distance on the pedaling depending on the slope gradient and the type of terrain.

Pedals can be free or with toe-clips. The first kind can be used with any shoe and usually are used by beginners or in downhill and acrobatic disciplines. Toe-clips keep your shoe fixed to the pedal and guarantee additional power on the up-

stroke and need shoes with cleats. For a beginner this may seem difficult and problematic but once you start to trust them you will not be able to cycle without them.

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High mountain itineraries on mountain bikes: preparation and safety

Considering that the majority of the itineraries described in this guide reach altitudes above 2000 metres and they are often situated in isolated envi-ronments, it is necessary to highlight how to beha-ve along the route, for your safety and for rescue in case of emergency.

Preparing a trip:Clothing: above 2000 metres, even in summer, it is possible to find very cold temperatures (just above zero degrees), it can snow anytime, July and August included! Therefore anticipate the weather by bringing a pair of gloves, a hat, a wind stopper, a bike jacket with long sleeves or a fleece without forgetting sun glasses and protective cream.

Back pack: this is absolutely indispensable when you are cycling in the mountains. As well as the above mentioned clothing, it will have to con-tain the necessary tools to fix any mechanical problems. You must never forget a spare tube, a pump, a patching kit for tire punctures, some spare nuts and bolts. There are many multi use tools which in one instrument enclose all the necessary keys. Remember also a detailed map of the area and some food like energy bars, chocolate or biscuits.

Your mountain bike: before setting off for an excursion it is important to check that your bike functions correctly. Check the brakes, the suspensions and the gears. Check the tire pres-sue and the air shocks. Check screws and your toe-clips. Finally, a good chain lubrification will help you against useless mishaps.

Protections: many ascents are tackled on dirt roads which even if steep, are not dangerous. While descents, on the other hand, if we cycle along the beautiful paths which cover our terri-tory, are often very technical and therefore the use of protections such as shin guards, elbow and knee pads can be useful. A helmet is in-dispensable.

Information on the itinerary and weather fo-recast: every year, during winter and spring, avalanches, snow melt and rain can cause some paths to be shut down. It is important to check out the state of each itinerary to avoid finding

yourself on residual snowfields or landslides thus making their crossing very dangerous. We recommend you check this at the Commune, Tourist Offices and organizations which deal with mountains and paths. Before setting off check the up to date weather forecast, on in-ternet, at your hotel, the Tourist Office, the Mountain Guiding and Excursion societies. Safety and emergency: often itineraries are un-dertaken in isolated and wild environments, far from inhabited centres, therefore it is important to be indepdendent as much as possible and to deal with unexpected accidents. Remember to carry with you a good first aid kit, with addi-tional personal medicines as well as a survival blanket which can be useful in case of an acci-dent when waiting for rescue. An injured person should never be left on his/her own while wai-ting for rescue. The presence of an efficient helicopter rescue service which covers the Val d’Aoste territory means that even serious accidents can be dealt with very well. The number to contact is 118 this gets you in touch with the central unit of the rescue service which is able to deal with any type of emergency.A few suggestions in case of a heli-rescue: when the helicopter reaches the area position yourself in an open space (you must be visible) keeping your arms up high in the shape of a “V” or else waving something coloured in the air. Keep any object still so the strong wind formed by the helicopter does not blow anything away. While the helicopter is landing keep still, kneeling down and wait for instructions by part of the crew. Remember that it is not possible to put the bike in the helicopter together with the rescued person!Beware: it is always useful to carry a cell phone with you, even if we have purposefully not indicated cell phone reception since it varies de-pending on the operator. Remember that there often is no reception in mountain environments, therefore if you head out on your own, always inform someone of where you will be going.

Tel. +39.0165.883049www.lathuile.itinfo@lathuile.it in

fo:

Tel. +39.0165.883049www.lathuile.itinfo@lathuile.it

In quota:18 percorsi segnalatidi downhill e freeride,punti ristoroe piscina riscaldata.

In paese:NOVITÀ ESTATE 2011Apertura di unnuovissimo BIKE PARK e della scuola di MTBcon maestridella FederazioneCiclistica Italiana.Per informazioni:scuoladimtb@lathuile.it

Possibilitàdi acquistare pacchetticomprensivi di:

bikepass• noleggio bici standard • o biammortizzatemenù bikers• ingresso in piscina•

seggiovieaperte

tutta l’estatecon possibilità

di trasportopedoni e MTB

Tel. +39.0165.884150www.lathuile.netinfo@lathuile.net

Funivie Piccolo San Bernardo SpA

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Breathtaking views (photo VisaMultimedia, Paolo Rey)

RULES AND RECOMMENDATIONSWe would love that our mountains continue being visited without limits, trusting in people’s common sense and in hikers, horse riders or bi-kers to respect the territory they are in and the activities connected to the land.Currently in all Val d’Aoste mountain biking is not prohibited. Let us work hard to keep it this way!Cycle carefully and use maximum respect when overtaking or when you meet other excursio-nists and when we encounter-people and/or animals- in our paths.Control your speed. Your speed should depend on the terrain, on your cycling experience and on your bike.Keep on marked trails to not damage meadows and other delicate ecosystems. Do not take shortcuts along the hair pin bends along steep slopes and do not skid without reasons since this can accelerate the terrain’s erosion.Respect flora and do not disturb wild animals and cattle.If you bump into cattle give them the time to move out of your way, calmly. Do not leave rubbish; bring it back with you and if possible pick up what has been left by others.Respect public and private property and cultiva-tions. Do not climb over closed gates. Always wear a helmet, check your mountain bike and make sure you carry with you sup-plies, adequate clothing for the altitude and accessories for emergency repairs. Try to be self sufficient. Keep in mind that the weather might change quickly and be equipped accordingly. Be informed on the weather forecast.

Avoid cycling alone in isolated areas, bring a cell phone or leave info on your itinerary. In case of emergency dial 118. Try and leave very little tracks of your passage. The only thing that should be taken of nature is a good photo! Do not tackle itineraries which are too difficult for you. Be objective about your technical and physical preparation. Plan the excursion and be informed on the chosen itinerary, bring a detailed topographic map and remember the regional Law n.1 of 21/01/2003 article. 2 bis which states: “Mountain biking on paths and roads which are not listed as state, regional or communal is undertaken at one’s own personal risk and danger.”Beware of electric fences which delimit the va-rious grazing zones and remember that on pa-sture land the torrent’s water could be polluted by animals’ excrements.

25Before leaving … always check your mtb (photo VisaMultimedia, Paolo Rey)

TREKMAP ITALIA, THE RESULT OF THE PART-NERSHIP BETWEEN GARMIN AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES

TrekMap Italia is the new national digital topogra-phic map system, developed by Garmin and avai-lable for outdoor handhelds.

The world’s leading mobile navigation device com-pany continues with its development program for the Italian region, or more precisely the topographical maps of the national area.TrekMap Italia covers footpaths and trails, as well as having lots of tourist and outdoor information, and Garmin will release continually updated versions than-ks to the new data from other local organizations. At the moment TrekMap Italia makes available 73,000 kilometres of footpaths, bike trails and cycle paths, and over 50,000 tourist or trekking landmarks. It is the result of the collaboration with four Regions, two Pro-vinces and three sections of the Club Alpino Italiano (CAI) that have contributed to enhancing TrekMap with the information in their possession on local footpaths.In the TrekMap Italia package there are two DVDs and a memory stick. On one DVD the maps, that can be installed on your computer complete with the softwa-re indispensable for their use. On the second DVD all the tourist information required for “life out in the open air” are made available by the local authorities that are partners in this project: information cards on itineraries and landmarks, road-book, pictures, printable maps, actual “books” in pdf form, films, MP3 audio guides… and much, much more.On the memory stick you will find the maps ready to be used Garmin handhelds.

BirdsEyeTM: THE DATABASE OF THE BEST SA-TELLITE IMAGES COMPATIBLE WITH GARMIN HANDHELDS

The agreement signed between Garmin and Di-gitalGlobe means that owners of Garmin han-dhelds can access BirdsEyeTM Satellite Imagery, the new worldwide database of satellite images, from which you can download the best high re-solution “shots” and use them on your Garmin handheld.

The world of satellite navigation is making giant steps and new products often take even the most devoted fans of GPS by surprise.DigitalGlobe® is the owner of BirdsEyeTM Satellite Imagery, the most important photographic data-base of satellite images: all the photos are geo-referenced and images depict actual buildings, ve-hicles, roads, trails, mountains and land features. A real life representation of the surroundings, exactly as the user of the handheld sees it.With BirdsEyeTM Garmin users can download high definition aerial and satellite images onto compati-ble handhelds, using Garmin’s Base Camp software.Outdoor enthusiasts can also overlay Garmin vector maps onto compatible handhelds to be able to bet-ter assess the terrain. The data from Garmin’s topo-graphic products, like terrain contours, rivers and roads remain visible above the satellite image, uni-ting the intuitive “real” image from the satellite with the advanced features of automatic route planning and search for landmarks, characteristic of Garmin vector maps.This imagery is compatible with all the handhelds from Garmin’s Outdoor Series of navigators: Ore-gon, Dakota, and Colorado.

DVD cover TrekMap Italia Display with satellite image

GARMIN “CUSTOM MAPS”: THE MARRIAGE BETWEEN ELECTRONIC AND PRINTED MAPS

On last generation Garmin handhelds from the outdoor series it is also possible to use printed maps and integrate the scanning of these with digital maps. A Garmin exclusive that gives va-lue to the paper map resources of all outdoors enthusiasts.

The world’s leading mobile navigation device com-pany introduces the new feature “Custom Maps” that allows you to integrate on your outdoor han-dheld paper maps with digital maps. Thanks to the Custom Maps process developed by Garmin, it is possible to convert maps that everyone owns in pa-per form into maps that can be downloaded onto Garmin Outdoor handhelds.With a few simple operations, it is in fact possible to transfer the details of paper or non-Garmin di-gital maps onto the Oregon, Dakota and Colorado models. This service is free and works with both PC and Mac.The new Custom Maps feature opens up the field to until now un-thought of applications. In fact, asi-de from the traditional uses aimed at outdoor navi-gation, potentially Custom Maps could be used to “explore” your neighbourhood park or by someone who needs to find a restaurant and only has direc-tions drawn on a piece of paper, or by a progressive tourist who wants to visit an archaeological site de-scribed in a magazine.

BASECAMP: EASY AND FUN TO PLAN ADVEN-TURE

Garmin presents BaseCamp, the evolution of the original map software MapSource that will allow you to prepare trips and manage topographic map data and the route in 3-D.

Hiking is a natural and simple discipline: walking on footpaths, through valleys and woods is in itself a priceless emotion, but with the last generation tech-nology it has become safer and even more fun.Garmin is the leading company in this revolution and the latest new product by the world leader in satellite navigation is called BaseCamp, software that allows outdoor enthusiasts to prepare trips by creating waypoints and routes on your computer and then load them onto your Garmin GPS han-dheld and vice versa.There are many features that BaseCamp offers to users, like the display of topographic maps in 2-D or 3-D. It is also possible to view elevation profiles in the context of a route at every step.Also, thanks to the Track Draw feature, hikers can trace their intended path and obtain an immediate estimate of the difficulty of the route.The revolutionary software BaseCamp manages the maps and route data through a simple interface that can be rotated and viewed from any angle, as well as the “playback” feature that guarantees the ex-perience of virtual navigation in 3-D along routes.

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Display with Custom Map Screenshot of computer BaseCamp

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Reading the itineraries: The special characteristics of the Val d’Aoste territory, make it particularly attractive for mountain biking. As mentioned in the paragra-ph on geography, there are some areas which are less adapted on account of their formation, the high zones or the man made obstacles, and it is for this reason that there are areas which have a greater or smaller concentration of iti-neraries.Every itinerary has been cycled and checked personally by us, although this does not mean that some information and data may not be subject to change following particular climatic or geological conditions or other unforeseen external events.Every itinerary, with the exception of the grand tours, is made up of five parts: an explanatory legend, a general description, a technical de-scription, am altimetric profile and a map of the itinerary. All the technical data like distances, heights and vertical height gain relative to the itineraries have been established with the use of GPS, cyclo-computer and topographical maps.

The legend summarises in detail the most im-portant characteristics of each itinerary. In parti-cular the following:

Type of terrain: the itinerary is broken up according to the kind of terrain. Approximate percentages of data are furnished in order to give an idea of the kind of ground we shall be cycling over. A colour representing each type of terrain will be found on the altimetric profile and on the map. In some case where the terrain changes in continuation for short periods, the predominant one will be indicated.

Cycling path: blue;Asphalt road: black;Dirt or farm road: brown;Path and/or mule trail: green;Possible variant of the indicated route: red.

Any particularly exposed parts are indicated with the following symbol

Best period: indicates the period nor-mally considered the best for cycling on the itinerary taking into consideration temperature and snow conditions.

Starting point: indicates the starting place, with relative GPS coordinates ta-king into account, where possible, avai-lability of parking and bars or restaurants nearby.

Maximum height reached: indicates the maximum height reached along the itinerary, this can be very useful as re-gards type of clothing. In case of un-certain weather in spring or autumn, it is preferable to choose low altitude itineraries.

Positive height gain: the data refers to the approximate total of the positive height gains present in the itinerary. The real vertical height gain, together with the average time taken, is important for evaluating the effec-tive physical effort required for the itinerary.

Distance: indicates the distance of the whole itinerary. If the itinerary foresees variants then the difference is later indica-ted separately.

Time required: indicates an indicative time within which it is possible to ter-minate the itinerary. This period of time takes into consideration the medium ca-pacity of bikers as well as allowing time to admire the scenery......take time to enjoy it.

Technical difficulty: gives an evaluation of technical difficulty during the whole itine-rary according to the following scale: easy, medium, difficult, very difficult. This eva-luation takes into account the type of trail, type of terrain, slopes, exposed sections and every other difficulty you can meet throughout an itinerary. Be careful in case of damp or wet ground which can increase the technical difficulty considerably.

29View over the Grandes Jorasses (photo VisaMultimedia, Paolo Rey)

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Checking tyre pressure (photo VisaMultimedia, Paolo Rey)

Physical effort: evaluates the physical effort required during the itinerary according to the following scale: easy, medium, demanding, very deman-ding.

Cyclable: indicates the percentage of time for actual cycling during the itinerary if some sections, either because they are too steep or the surface is uneven, make it necessary to get off your mountain bike.

Huts: indicates the mountain huts which can be met on the way. In some ca-ses we also indicate bars or restaurants which can only be reached by bike or on foot. Always check beforehand the opening dates of the huts. We have deliberately omitted to mention bars, restaurants and shops which can be re-ached by car.

Water sources: information is indicated on where to find fountains along the rou-te to fill up with water.

Places passed en route: are listed chro-nologically with their relevant altitude. Every place corresponds to a number on the altimetric profile, on the map and in the text in order to clarify the description of the route. In some cases as well as the place, junctions, cross roads and generally useful points are indicated to keep track of the direction.

General description highlights the context within which the itinerary develops, the historical and cultural notes, curiosities and useful information. It is a general description of the surroundings you pass through, the mountains nearby and the animals met. For more precise information consult the specific publications on the subject.

The technical description shows the direction to follow for the itinerary. The terms right and left, when not specified otherwise, are in the direction you are cycling. In points of particular interest a number is on the map to help understand the description of the itinerary. Since the territory of Val d’Aoste does not have sign posts for mountain bikers, we have tried where possible to refer to the signposts for walkers with signs in yellow either on posts or painted on rocks or walls. Remember that all the itineraries go along dirt roads and paths used also by pedestrians and agricultural vehicles, so we recommend maximum prudence and courtesy.

Altimetric profile summarises the height gains over the whole itinerary. On the X axis are the ki-lometres while on the Y axis the height above sea level. The points of the places passed through, are indicated on the altimetric profile.

The map represents the whole itinerary. As already explained, the particularly important points are highlighted with numbers which are found on the altimetric profile and in the text. The map’s format is reduce, we recommend you use detailed excursion maps, with a scale of 1:25.000.

31Pedal with toe-clip (photo VisaMultimedia, Paolo Rey)

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GENERAL TOURIST INFORMATIONFor any kind of information regarding accommo-dation, huts, transport, lifts, renting etc. Please consult the regional tourist site:www.lovevda.itor the tourist section:www.regione.vda.it/turismo

www.bikevalledaosta.it

WEATHERwww.regione.vda.itwww.nimbus.itwww.chamonix.com www.meteo-suisse.com

EMERGENCY ASSISTANCEOne number: 118At present 118 is the only emergency number in Val d’Aoste which gives access to the following services:

First aid;Mountain rescue;Civil protection;Forestry corps of Val d’Aoste;Fire fighters.

Soon the sole emergency number 112 will be used as foreseen by EU legislation.

SPECIALIZED SHOPSCicli BenatoVia Corrado Gex, 37 - 11011 - Arvier Phone and fax: 0165 99131www.ciclibenato.com

Cicli LucchiniC.so Battaglione Aosta 49/51Phone 0165 262306 - fax 0165 32224 info@ciclilucchini.com - www.ciclilucchini.com

B.C. & Bike di Brunier ClaudioLocalità Pont Suaz, 91 - 11020 Charvensod Telefono e fax: 0165 261631

GAL SPORTstr. Paravera, 6/a11100 Aostaloc. Autoporto, 33/bPhone 0165 236134 - fax 0165 41638info@galsport.comwww.galsport.com

Atelier Boldrini Di Roberto BoldriniFrazione Borettaz, 11, 11020 Gressan Mobile 335 611 4906robertoboldrini.ao@libero.it

Mazzanti Bike Di Mazzanti GuidoVia Ponte Romano, 156, 11027 Saint-VincentPhone 0166 513558

Freeriding below Mont Blanc (photo VisaMultimedia, Paolo Rey)

MOUNTAIN BIKE INSTRUCTORSIn Val d’Aoste there is a law outlining the defi-nition of the figure of Mountain Bike Instructor. To be able to practise the profession in a tourism context the instructor must be registered in the regional tourist professionals and be in posses-sion of the relevant card issued by the Regional Administration. For further information on quali-fied instructors, consult the site of the Association of Mountain Bike Instructors of Val d’Aoste:www.maestrimtb.com

Bibliography

For cultural and historical information the websites of the various local administra-tion and the regional site were consulted.

Pietro Giglio and Matteo GiglioValle d’Aosta in mountain bikeMusumeci Editore 1990

Matteo GiglioIn Valle d’Aosta con la mountain bikeEdizioni CDA 1996

Augusta Vittoria Cerutti Le Pays de la Doire et son peupleMusumeci Editore 1995

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The cycle paths down in the valley

Horizontal signs indicating the cycle paths

This guide describes mountain biking itineraries and therefore off road cycling but we think we should also mention the cycle paths along the bottom of the valley. Even if they are completely asphalted they have a very important role to play for mountain biking in Val d’Aoste, allowing you to reach, without using busy roads, the various starting points for some of the itineraries offered in this guide. This itinerary should not be undere-stimated especially for those who have just started cycling. Children and beginners will find cycle paths easy for starting off. Currently there are cycling paths which are distant from each other, but there is a project to make another cycling path which will join up the communes of Saint-Vincent and Villeneuve to form a single itinerary. Once the cycling path is finished, winding through villages, archaeological sites, castles, farm lands and wine growing areas, along the Dora Baltea you will be able to discover Val d’Aoste’s historical and cultu-ral heritage by bike.

THE CYCLING PATH AROUND AOSTATHE FÉNIS CYCLE PATHRU POMPILLARD

35Regulations for the cycle-pedestrian route in Aosta

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A section of the Aosta cycle path

The cycling path around Aosta

This cycling path, goes along the Dora Baltea, between the communes of Sarre and Brissogne and is currently the longest section. It can be covered in both directions and you can decide whether to cover the whole circu-it or sections starting from the different access points along the itinerary to shorten it. Beware of pedestrians along this route.

15 March - 15 November

Sarre, sport centre, loc. ArensodN45 43.289 E7 16.330Brissogne, sport centre, loc. Les IlesN45 44.307 E7 24.606 600 m

70 m

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Fountains in green area of Gressan and Pollein

Intermediate accesses: Aosta, sport centre loc. Mont FleuryN45 43.680 E7 17.680Aosta, swimming pool, loc. TzambarletN45 43.732 E7 18.190Gressan, green area loc. Les IlesN45 43.612 E7 17.501Gressan, return down freeride slope Pila-AostaN45 43.610 E7 18.614Charvensod, underpass loc. Ponte SuazN45 43.723 E7 19.313Charvensod, sports area loc. Plan FelinazN45 43.665 E7 20.050Pollein, sports area loc. Grand PlaceN45 43.993 E7 21.449

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The cycle paths down in the valley

A section of the Fénis cycle path

The Fénis cycle path

This cycle path is almost completely covered in red asphalt, with continuous ups and downs and bends forming an approx. 8km long circuit which goes around the commune of Fénis. There are three different starting points and it can be covered in both directions. Beware of pedestrians and farm vehicles which use the same route. Even if it is not connected with the cycling path we recommend a visit to the castle of Fénis.

15 March - 15 November

Fénis, loc. Tzanti de BouvaN45 44.388 E7 29.442Fénis, cemetery’s main squareN45 44.365 E7 29.139 520 m

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Easy

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Fountain in green area “Tzanti de Bouva” and in the main square of the cemetery

Intermediate accesses: Nus, frazione BreilN45 44.676 E7 28.879

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Ru Pompillard

This itinerary winds along a farm road which goes along Ru Pompillard, an ancient irrigation channel, bringing water from the Buthier torrent in Valpelline to the hills of Saint-Christophe. The itinerary, which is entirely flat with a uniform and compact surface, does not present any difficulties. Even if this is not a cycling path, the above characteristics and its vicinity to Aosta classify it as such, since it is ideal for everyone. Expert bikers can use it to join up with the surrounding itineraries (Itinerary: A view over Aosta). Ru Pompillard can be covered in both directions and since it is in a sunny position can be used all year round. The view is vari-ed, extending from the Great S .Bernard Valley to the central valley from where you can see the city of Aosta, overlooked by the Bec di Nona (3.141 m) and Mount Emilius (3.551 m). Apart from the starting point, keep to the low flat farm road ignoring any uphill/or downhill detours, following sign posts for pedestrian itinerari-es No.8 and No.26 in the respective directions towards Valpelline or Saint-Christophe.The easiest starting point is in the commune of Saint-Christophe, near Veynes, where you will find a car park at the beginning of the irrigation channel. At the other starting points mentioned above you will have to cycle uphill for a short distance before reaching the flat route.

NotesEven if the section of road between Roisan and Valpelline is easy it is not well maintained so has an uneven surface in some periods of the year you might find long grass.

Dirt or farm road 100%

April - November

Saint-Chistophe, loc. VeynesN45 45.447 E7 21.697Regional road for Valpelline, in correspondence with the sign posts marking the pedestrian routes n. 26N45 48.614 E7 18.870 600 m

40 m

12 km (one way)

1h30 – 2h30

Easy

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Fountain in Roisan

Intermediate accesses: Saint-Chistophe, green area loc. CrouxN45 45.264 E7 20.141Roisan, maintownN45 47.154 E7 18.707

39Autumn colours over the ru Pompillard

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Breuil-Cervinia – Valtournenche

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Bike parks in Val d’Aoste

Following the example of the nearby French and Swiss ski resorts, Val d’Aoste has also installed se-veral bike parks.Bike parks, born to make the most of the ski resorts during the summer months and to improve the tourist opportunities of the region, offer bikers the possibility of using an area devoted to mountain biking with the use of uphill lifts, permanent trails with special sign posting and structures for the evo-lution of this sport. You can usually also take ad-vantage of additional services like specialised ren-ting of bikes and protection, mechanical assistance and bike washing. Usually bike parks are geared mainly for downhill, freeride and fourcross enthu-siasts but also cross country bikers can find some beautiful traiIs which can be reached by uphill lifts. In Val d’Aoste, the summer use of ski resorts for a bike park, started in the summer of 2002 at Pila. After a few years, other important ski resorts like La Thuile and then Breuil-Cervinia – Valtournenche have started bike parks beside the lifts. This ten-dency will probably be followed within the next few years by other ski resorts in Val d’Aoste but the actual bike parks now are the following:

Pila, certainly the most complete and versatile, with several trails dedicated to various specia-lities, and a long trail to Aosta with a descent which is 2.100 m long. The cable car which goes from Aosta to Pila in only 20 minutes long and is surely the strong point of this resort. For information: www.pila.it

La Thuile, although it has a downhill trail, it is mainly dedicated to freeriding with its nume-rous natural trails which are only partly modi-fied artificially. Take special note of the network of cross country routes for a total of approx. 200 km across the whole of the La Thuile com-plex and over the French border into the village of La Rosière. For information: www.lathuile.it

Breuil-Cervinia – Valtournenche, is famous for its position at the foot of the Matterhorn and for the Maxiavalanche event, a prestigious downhill competition which attracts bikers from all over Europe. The recent bike park offers four trails dedicated to downhill and freeride and one for the slow bike, in spectacular hi-gh altitude surroundings. For information: www.cervinia.it

For further information consult the web sites of the various areas and find maps on the spot. Now all you have to do is to experiment personally in the bike parks and on their numerous trails to find the one most suited to your taste. We advise beginners to seek assistance from a gui-de or mountain bike instructor belonging to the Association of MTB Instructors of Val d’Aoste who, as well as accompanying you while you discover the territory, will know how to help you learn the correct technique for every speciality.

41Fabrizio - MTB Scott Genius 60 (photo VisaMultimedia, Paolo Rey)

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Loc. Petit Mont Blanc45 37 44N 7 36 20E

2588 m

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Dondena hut and Miserin hut

At huts

Places passed en route: Petit Mont Blanc 1776 mDondenaz 2107 mPian Enseta 2334 m Miserin hut 2588 mDondenaz 2107 mPetit Mont Blanc 1776 m

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Lake Miserin and le Chemin du RoiGeneral description of itinerary The Champorcher valley is probably one of the areas in the Vallee d’Aoste where tourism has been developed more timidly, leaving many of the natural characteristics untouched. The population’s simplicity and their attachment to their roots and mountain tradi-tions, are reflected in the farm houses’ architecture which have been partly rebuilt for tourists by those who have had to leave the valley for work.

This area was where King Victor Emanuel II came hunting and in 1862 had the road built which we can still see parts of near Dondenaz (2.186 mt) together with a stone building now used as a mountain hut. This itinerary which is inside the natural park of Mont Avic, runs through the Alta Via n.2. Even if it does not require great technical ability it is nonetheless to be considered an itinerary ideal for those who are very fit since they will be tested on the last ascent towards lake Miserin, situated at an altitude of 2.588m. You will find the Miserin hut which has been restructured from an ancient shelter for pilgrims who walked up to this sanctuary which dates back to 1630. Its impressive structure is still well preserved in unusually fascinating surroundings.

Technical description of the itineraryOnce you have reached loc. Petit Mont Blanc (1) (1776 m), leave your car in the car park near the path which leads to Barburstel hut. Get on your bike and follow the ascent on a dirt road which leads along green meadows and rock faces, after roughly 4km, to the village of Dondenaz (2) (2107 m), where a sign post tells us that we have entered the heart of the natural park of Mont Avic.After a short break to take a few photos of the extraordinary lan-dscape of the valley, we set off uphill along the road to the right. For roughly 2km, we travel across a page of history, following King Victor Emanuel II’s famous hunting trail. The many rocks which

Champorcher Valley

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Rifugio Miserin

Petit Mont Blanc

Valle di Champorcher

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The turquoise coloured water of the Miserin lake

used to be part of the paved road, force us to proceed by continuous zig-zagging, testing our ability. Once you reach the plain of Pian Enseta (3) (2334 m), you can now make out the pylons of the Superphénix high tension cable which imports electricity from the electro-nuclear power station in France. The impact of these huge steel skeletons is soon alleviated by the imposing view of Mount Moutsaillon (3072 m) and by the nearby window of Champorcher, where the Alta via n.2 passes through.

After another 2 km, the ascent becomes difficult and uneven forcing you along a few short sections to get off your bikes.When you can see the Miserin hut (4) (2588 m), your efforts are rewarded with a magnificent lake, which during summer, is an essential destination for excursionists and lovers of trekking. You can enjoy this landscape by letting yourselves go on this short single track downhill which goes round a section of the lake, on the left.The descent is an easy and pleasant single track to very near the Dondena hut, above which you need to shoulder your bikes to avoid unnecessary falls at

the end of the itinerary. Once you reach the hut, take the dirt road which was followed previously uphill, all the way back to the car park.

NotesFrom Lake Miserin, a variation to the itinerary can easily be made by stopping off at the lakes of Lac Noir and Lac Blanc situated on path n.7 B. From Lake Miserin go down path 7 A towards the window of Champorcher (2826m). After roughly 5 minutes reach Lac Noir and then Lac Blanc. Be careful going downhill towards the dirt road due to the high tech-nical difficulty of this section. You then go back on the same section which was followed on the way up.

45A break before the first ascent

Itinerary towards Dondena Hut