At the end of August, we set off to discover the Aosta Valley in the Italian Alps. I love exploring Italy, the country of my origins. I only knew the Aosta Valley in its snowy version, as we had skied near La Thuile on the French border during our ski week in La Rosière. This time, we discovered the Aosta Valley in summer — the perfect opportunity for some wonderful family hikes! Even though this region is just a stone’s throw from the French Alps, it offered us a real change of scenery. The mountain landscapes are different — as are the villages and, of course, the food! All along the valley, we spotted many small hilltop castles, typical Valdostan constructions from the Middle Ages, and we even travelled back to Roman times through the ancient remains in Aosta, the region’s capital (which, by the way, offers much more than just its famous ham!). For us, the aim of this holiday was to go hiking with the children (Ticoeur almost 11 years old and Titpuce 8 and a half). I should mention that they are used to hiking and are happy to walk — especially when it’s not too easy! 🙂 We went on hikes of very different levels, and here are all the details.

Our 5 family hikes in the Aosta Valley:

1 – Courmayeur: the Val Ferret hike

To begin with, we chose a very easy hike, perfectly suited to families, and set in a truly beautiful valley. We mainly walked on flat terrain, admiring the high peaks including Mont Blanc. We started from Plampincieux (5 kilometres from Courmayeur) and walked there and back to Lavachey (2 hours in total, taking it easy with a coffee break). If I had one small criticism of this hike, it would be that the path runs alongside the road. There’s very little traffic, but it slightly lacked that feeling of being cut off from the world. That said, we’d happily do it again — the Grandes Jorasses are stunning. Good restaurant in Courmayeur: Ristorante Chalet Plan Gorret. A fine gastronomic address — be sure to book well in advance.

2 – Gran Paradiso: the Lake Loie hike and the marmot trail

We entered the Gran Paradiso National Park (the “Great Paradise”! Indeed!) via the village of Cogne: The Lake Loie hike: be warned — this is a trail for experienced walkers! The hike is tough, not because of the terrain but due to its length (4½ hours at a good pace) and especially the elevation gain (around 800 metres). For Ticoeur and Titpuce, it was their biggest climb so far. But if, like us, you’re keen hikers and used to long walks, this one is absolutely magnificent — we loved it! We were completely alone in a landscape of brown mountains, almost desert-like, until we came across some adorable little marmots. At the very start of the hike, you’ll pass the Lilaz Waterfall. It’s a popular spot since it’s a short, easy walk accessible to everyone. If you only go as far as the waterfall, it takes about an hour there and back, including time for photos. Other hiking ideas in the Aosta Valley if you’re staying longer:

• The Valnontey trail hike is suitable for families: it’s path number 22, much easier than the one we took as it follows a stream from Valnontey to Erfaulets. Count around 3 hours return, though you can easily turn back earlier.
• The Refuge de la Selle hike: 800m elevation gain and about 5 hours return — similar to ours but with the option to stop at the refuge. This trail is better known and more popular than the Lake Loie one. We’ll try it next time, though I must admit I love hikes with no one around :-).

These are just a few examples, as the Gran Paradiso area is huge — a real hiker’s paradise where you could easily spend several days. For more information, visit the official Gran Paradiso website, where you’ll find a full list of trails and access points.

3 – Refuge Fallere: the hike with 200 sculptures

First of all, a big thank you to the reader who recommended this hike on Instagram! What an original walk — and perfect for children! It’s a climb up to Refuge Fallere (where we had lunch) along a path lined with around 200 wooden sculptures created by the refuge’s caretaker. Mostly animals (marmots, chamois, wild boars, birds, cows…) and scenes of mountain life. The higher you climb, the more impressive the sculptures become! The children were fascinated, spotting each work of art hidden in the vegetation. People often ask me how I motivate the kids to walk. Well, this refuge keeper has clearly found the best trick ever with these sculptures! The result: many families on the path, sometimes with younger children than ours — everyone walking with enthusiasm and wonder! Still, it’s not an easy hike — there’s a good climb up to the refuge. We took 1½ hours up and 1 hour down (we’re fast walkers; add about an hour more if you prefer a gentler pace). At the refuge, we enjoyed a delicious lunch of local specialities, including Maltagliate al cervo and polenta alla fontina. In the mid-afternoon, we headed to Aosta where we visited several Roman remains. The ancient theatre and the Forensic Cryptoporticus are definitely worth a look. They’re not huge sites, but they have their charm and made a nice change from hiking.

4 – The Hermitage of St Julien and the visit to Fénis Castle

This short hike to the Saint-Julien Hermitage (Eremo St Julien) is easy. We walked along the mountainside with little elevation gain. The walk takes about 1 hour 15 minutes, mainly through a pine forest and then overlooking a beautiful valley before reaching the tiny hermitage (the small white shelter in the photo). We chose this short walk because it’s located above Fénis. Indeed, we had also booked tickets to visit the medieval Castle of Fénis, where we admired beautiful frescoes.

5 – Mont Avic Natural Park: the Five Lakes hike

We started from the “Lac Muffé” car park. The Five Lakes hike is a beautiful trail which, as its name suggests, takes you past five lakes. It took us 1 hour to reach the first refuge, then 30 minutes up to the ridge, and 15 minutes down to the second refuge. The most beautiful lakes are near this second refuge. In total, it’s a sporty 3½-hour hike at a good pace (not counting time spent by the lakes). On the way up or down from the Mont Avic Natural Park, the road is winding but offers superb views of Fort Bard, which is open to visitors. However, it was already late and we were tired, so that will have to wait until next time!

Practical information for visiting the Aosta Valley:

How to get to the Aosta Valley? From France, you can reach the Aosta Valley by car through the Mont Blanc tunnel. By train or plane, you can also arrive in Turin (in Piedmont) and then hire a car to explore the valley. We actually combined our visit to the Aosta Valley with a weekend in Turin, a beautiful city with several child-friendly museums: the Egyptian Museum, the Cinema Museum, the Automobile Museum, etc. Where to stay in the Aosta Valley? We booked a family room in the village of Saint-Pierre at Hotel Lo Fleyé. The place looks like a mountain chalet, with beautiful views. The all-wood room was simple but practical, with a mezzanine for the children. Everything was perfect, except that it was too hot (probably due to all the panelling), but it was August with record temperatures, so it should be fine at other times of the year. The hotel also offers dinner nearby in an agriturismo, with a very affordable set menu of local specialities and lovely service (be warned — the portions are huge!).

The view from the hotel

Language spoken: You’ll notice that all place names and signs are in French. Almost everyone we met spoke French. I was actually a bit disappointed not to get more chances to practise my Italian :-). The advantage during Covid times: fresh mountain air, low population density, very few tourists, and an excellent health situation. Plus, it’s easy to get there by road. And how about you — have you ever visited the Aosta Valley?