The Gran Paradiso
Hiking Tour 5 days trekking trip

Trip

Trekking in the Gran Paradiso National Park:

This trekking holiday will allow you to discover the glacial world and carrying out an itinerant hiking trip, the Valle d'Aosta is one of the most beautiful outdoor destinations in the Alps. The trip takes place in the Gran Paradiso National Park, which was the first reserve created in Europe by King Victor Emmanuel. The Gran Paradiso tour is one of the most beautiful hiking tours in Italy, just a few hours from Chamonix, France. The Gran Paradiso climb is one of the easiest 4000m summits in the Alps and the weather is often good! It is the largest reserve in Europe with the Vanoise National Park.

Discover the Gran Paradiso massif in Italy:

The Gran Paradiso massif is in the Val d'Aosta, it is an autonomous region in Italy, the locals speak French fluently with a charming little accent, it's handy to communicate with people. Valle d'Aosta is surrounded by 4000 summits such as Mont Blanc, Matterhorn, Grand Combin, Monte Rosa and Gran Paradiso. The Gran Paradiso massif extends into the Val de Rhêmes, the Cogne valley and several valleys in the Piedmont.

Program

Gran Paradiso hiking Tour and climbing programme

DAY 1 
VALSAVARENCHE - REFUGE SAVOIA

Vertical drop: + 1000 m and - 450 m; about 10 km
Walking time: 5 to 6 hours
Night in mountain hut

Meeting point : 9.00 am i in the village of Pont, in the Valsavarenche valley.  We are at the feet of Gran Paradiso (4061 meters).
The trek starts with the ascent of the Gran Collet, we walk in front of the Gran Paradiso glaciers, the peaks of Tresenta and Ciarforon are stunning in front of us. At the top of the pass we may have the chance to see ibexes. The walk up is quite fast, the path is quite steep with a few small technical passages. We will eat at the pass to enjoy the view. The descent is then quite fast to the Nivolet plateau, we walk along a small river before arriving at the Nivolet lake and the refuge.

DAY 2 
SAVOIA REFUGE - COL LEYNIR - ENTRELOR

Vertical drop: + 1000 m and - 1400 m; about 16 km
Walking time: 7 to 8 hours approx.
Night in a refuge

We leave the refuge in the early morning to reach the magnificent Rosset and Leyta lakes. We take a small path with some technical passages to reach the Leynir pass. The view on the Gran Paradiso is magnificent! In the beginning of the season, we may have to walk down on a snowfield, while further on in summer we will cross the Rosset pass to reach the Rhêmes Notre Dames valley. The trails are very wild with some off-path sections, perfect to get you going before the Gran Paradiso climb. We will sleep in a beautiful little mountain village, in a newly renovated refuge.

DAY 3 
ENTRELOR - COL D'ENTRELOR - VALSAVARENCHE

Vertical drop: + 900 m and - 1350 m; about 13 km
Walking time: about 7 hours
Night in a refuge

We leave the refuge to climb to the Entrelor pass at 3007 metres. The valley to reach the pass is very wild. The descent takes us past lakes, and with a little sunshine we may be able to take a swim.
The descent brings us back to the Valsavarenche valley, we will sleep at the bottom of the valley in a cosy guesthouse.

DAY 4 
VALSAVARENCHE - VICTOR EMMANULE II BALCONY - CHABOD REFUGE

DAY 5 
REFUGE CHABOD - PASSAGE DU GRAN NEYRON - REFUGE CHABOD - PONT

Materiel

How to prepare your backpack for your Gran Paradiso Tour 

The hiking backpack

If possible, take a bag that is light enough to be carried well, and no heavier than 1.5 kilos.

• Small : 45 litres max
• Large : 50 litres max

Your rucksack should have 10 to 15 litres of space for the food you will be carrying for lunch and sometimes the next day, which the mountain huts or guides will give you.

Kilos to carry - it's better to wash than to carry :

• Small : 5/6 kilos max, without water and food
• Large : 6/7 kilos max, without water and food

Allow 2 litres of water and 500 grams of food for the day.

Head-to-toe equipment for the trek:

• a cap or hat for the sun
• a hat for the cold
• a buff or choker (optional, but great in bad weather)
• a Gore Tex jacket or equivalent for bad weather
• a pair of gloves, waterproof if possible
• a small down jacket or fleece to withstand sub-zero temperatures
• two jumpers: one light and one warmer; if it's cold, we'll use all the layers
• two or three technical T-shirts
• 2 to 4 pairs of socks, which you can wash in the torrents near the refuges (use solid soap to wash)
• trousers
• tights
• shorts
• a bag cover for the rain
• a waterproof bag to keep a change of clothes dry
• a change of clothes for the refuge
• A pair of hiking boots with Vibram soles or good quality trail shoes from 20 July, if possible try them on before the trek.

Essential items:

• a sleeping sheet for the hut
• 2 telescopic walking poles
• Canteen or water bottle to provide at least 2 litres of water
• sun cream factor 30 to 50
• A pair of category 3 sunglasses
• a light headlamp
• small treats such as dried fruit and chocolate
• cash and your identity card or valid passport

Toiletries :

• a light, quick-drying towel, hiking style
• body soap
• toothbrush with toothpaste or solid toothpaste
• small shampoo (specialist shops sell small bottles that you can keep for the rest of your hiking life)
• a pair of earplugs to help you sleep at night in the refuge

Pharmacy & other items :

• your medication
• a light survival blanket
• nail clippers
• enough to make small dressings
• a few compresses and plasters or, better still, Strappal

Your guide will have a more comprehensive first-aid kit in case of a major accident.

A small book or card game (weighing less than 150 grams)...

Necessities for meals :

• a light Opinel-type knife
• a fork and a spoon
• A local speciality to share with the rest of the team, liquid or solid.

Weight is the hiker's enemy, but a frozen or soaked hiker is a hiker without pleasure!

So take the time to prepare your rucksack well and weigh it before you set off, to check that without water or food your rucksack weighs 6 to 7 KG, but no more !

IMPORTANT: if a person is not properly equipped and dressed, the mountain guide may decide not to allow him/her to take part in the climb. We ask you to read carefully the equipment list provided in the programme PDF and to call us if you have any doubts.

Level

Technical level 3/5

DIFFICULT MOUNTAIN WALKING 
The hike has dizzying, physical and technical passages, the path is sometimes equipped with cables and ladders to allow progress.
You must master the activity, you are autonomous in the mountain in the easy passages, the guide will help you in the difficult passages.
You will learn about the weather and how to use a mountain rope to help you progress.
Maximum 10 clients per guide.

Physical Level 4/5

SPORT TRAINED 
Effort corresponding to approximately 1200 - 1700m of ascent per day.
You like and practice endurance sports at a good level.

Useful Info

Useful information for the organisation of the Gran Paradiso Trek

How to reach Valsavarenche

• By train to Le Fayet and then by car through the Mont Blanc Tunnel
• By car via the motorway on the French side, via the Montets pass in Switzerland and via the Mont Blanc Tunnel on the Italian side.

Meeting on the first day

Meeting with the Guide

• in Valsavarenche at 9.00 am, at the end of the village of Pont, click here to see the exact location on the map.

Your guide will be waiting for you to give you a short briefing and check the weight of your backpacks.

Car parking

• in Valsavarenche, free public parking, in Pont, the last village in the valley: see the exact location on the map

Departure - group dispersal

At Valsavarenche around 4 pm.
 

Accommodation

You will be welcomed in the charming Italian refuges, well-known for their cuisine and warm atmosphere.
Nights in rooms or dormitories depending on availability.

Where to stay in chamonix mont blanc, before or after your hiking trip?

Here are our advices:

Chamonix Mont Blanc

• Hôtel La Pointe Isabelle
• Hôtel Plan B
• La Chaumière Lodge
• Auberge de Jeunesse Hi

Valsavarenche

• Hotellerie du Paradis

Insurance

Cancellation and repatriation insurance is mandatory, as is mountain search and rescue insurance (minimum cover of 10,000 Euros).

Esprit Montagne offers the following insurance: https://www.assurance-multi-sports.com.

Car sharing

When you register online, you can choose whether or not you wish to take part in the car-sharing scheme to get to the starting point of your course. Once you have made your booking, you can log back into your Esprit Montagne account to access a section dedicated to carpooling. Here you will find the contacts of the other participants who are interested in car-sharing, so that you can contact them directly.