Overview
The beautiful Aosta Valley lies in the shadow of Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa, Grand Combin, Gran Paradiso and the Matterhorn. It is a real paradise for hikers with excellent walking trails surrounded by the 3,000m summits of the French, Italian and Swiss Alps. Beautiful chapels, delightful hamlets and spectacular mountain vistas await, and ancient pathways trodden over the centuries by armies and pilgrims bring a touch of history to the exceptional natural environment.
- The city of Aosta and its Roman ruins
- Many small mountain villages
- The beautiful Aosta Valley
- Great local food
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Aosta
Arrive in the quaint, small town of Aosta, in a valley dominated by stunning views of Europe’s highest mountains. Walk through its streets, admire the well-preserved Roman Theatre, the Arch of Augustus, and the town walls, and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the place.
- Accommodation: Hotel Cecchin or similar in Aosta
Day 2: Thouraz to Vetan | 12km
A car transfer will take you to the small hilltop village of Thouraz, where the hike starts. Walk through flower meadows overlooking the valley and the high mountains around. Finally, you reach your accommodation just outside the village of Vetan.
- Walking for the day: 12km, 5h, ↑610m ↓450m
- Accommodation: Hotel Notre Maison or similar in Vetan
Day 3: Lake Fallere Circular Walk | 12km
This is a fairly demanding route due to the elevation gain that must be tackled (but as it is a circular walk, you can shorten it and retrace your steps back to the accommodation). For long stretches, there are spectacular panoramic views over the valleys and peaks of the Gran Paradiso. You can make an extension route to reach Lake Fallere. Don’t forget to check the weather forecast before starting the hike.
- Walking for the day: 12km, 6-7h, ↑680m ↓680m
- Accommodation: Hotel Notre Maison or similar in Vetan
Day 4: Vetan to Vens | 8km
Today the walk is a bit easier; you go from east to west along the more than 2,000m high ridge of the Valle d’Aosta. Higher up are the pastures where the famous Fontina and Toma cheeses are made, and on the lower slopes, there are numerous mountain villages and local farms. The small family-run hotel where you stay for the next two nights is located in a charming mountain hamlet surrounded by wonderful scenery.
- Walking for the day: 8km, 4h, ↑325m ↓270m
- Accommodation: Hotel Ristoro Vagneur or similar in Vens
Day 5: Pointe Oilletta Climb | 12km
From the village of Vens, walk into the area of the old gold mines. Then you climb the 2,616m Oilletta Peak, where your efforts are rewarded for the stunning views of the high peaks of the Alps, including the Gran Paradiso and the impressive Mont Blanc Massif. Today’s walk is steep and scrambly in places.
- Walking for the day: 12km, 5-6h, ↑963m ↓999m
- Accommodation: Hotel Ristoro Vagneur or similar in Vens
Day 6: Vens to Villeneuve/Cogne | 10km
Today’s walk includes a long descent along the Dora Baltea River on nice paths alternated with some flat sections. You pass by many castles and churches of different historical periods. At the end of the walk, travel to Cogne by local bus (22km, 30-50min, EUR 5 pp, fare not included). NB! Your luggage will be taken from the accommodation to a restaurant in Saint Pierre (if you travel by public transport) or a gelateria in Aymavilles (if you travel in your own car). Pick up your bags in St. Pierre (or Aymavilles) at the end of the walk, and then take a bus to Cogne. Dinner in Albergo Belvedere (300m from your accommodation).
- Walking for the day: 10km, 4h, ↑21m ↓1,081m
- Accommodation: Hotel Grauson or similar in Cogne
Day 7: Lillaz Circular Walks | 11km
Reach the mountain village of Lillaz, known for its enchanting waterfall, where the day’s walk begins with a steady climb to the beautiful Loie Lake (2354 m). Walking along a mountain stream, you pass two other smaller lakes, and gradually you descend to the bottom of the Urtier Valley. From here, take a bus back to your hotel (fare not included). Alternatively, you can walk to Bardoney or choose from a selection of other loop walks in the area.
- Walking for the day: 11km, 6h, ↑900m ↓908m (Loie Lake) or 11.5km, 5h, ↑900m ↓908m (Bardoney)
- Accommodation: Hotel Grauson or similar in Cogne
Day 8: Colle Tsa Sètse Circular Walk | 13km
From the hotel, you walk on a beautiful path to the Colle Tsa Sètse pass (2,820m), populated by Alpine marmots and from where you can enjoy great views of the Gran Paradiso and the Mont Blanc Massifs. On the way back, the path beyond the farm can be, for a short distance, unclear, but after you walk on a downhill forest, clearly visible path. If preferred, you can choose from a selection of other loop walks in the area.
- Walking for the day: 13km, 6h, ↑1,134m ↓1,068m
- Accommodation: Hotel Grauson or similar in Cogne
Day 9: Departure
The trip ends after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes small, cosy and quiet mountain family-run hotels. All rooms have private en-suite facilities. The places have been carefully hand-picked by us and their quality is regularly monitored. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour. As Hotel Grauson is outside Cogne, we can book a centrally located accommodation on request and with a supplement.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Cecchin (Aosta)
- Hotel Notre Maison (Vetan)
- Hotel Ristoro Vagneur (Saint Nicolas)
- Hotel Grauson (Cogne)
*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
There will be a delicious savoury breakfast and evening meal (drinks excluded) served each day (except for dinner in Aosta on Day 1, which is not included), including a great selection of regional specialities. The dinners in Cogne will be served on the premises of Albergo Belvedere. Packed lunches can be pre-ordered at the accommodations, or you can buy food from the village shops. Throughout the trip, there are plenty of opportunities to taste both the great local food and wines.
Difficulty and terrain
This walking tour is graded moderate due to the relatively steep ascents on most days. Day 5 has a particularly steep and scrambly section (you can shorten the walk as it is a circular one and skip this section if you wish) and you will need to be comfortable walking uphill on steep rocky terrain. A very good level of fitness is required to enjoy the walks to the maximum (read more about difficulty grades). The walks are mostly on grass and stone paths, dirt roads, forest tracks and also some inevitable short sections on asphalt roads. Some of the walks on this trip are waymarked, but many are not and you will need to follow the route notes and maps. We supply very detailed route notes and maps, so navigation is generally easy. You will be walking in the high mountains and the ability to navigate with a map and compass in the event of bad weather is recommended. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. You can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime.
When to go
You can start your holiday every day between 1 June and 15 September. Only 11-19 August 2026 is a blackout period.
The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
Many of these paths are on the sunny side of the valley, but the altitude is high, so the temperature is also acceptable in summer. At the beginning of June, it is still possible to find some snow, especially over 2,000m, therefore, the walks can be heavier or the paths hardly accessible. During the June-September months, you are most likely to experience good weather with pleasant average temperatures that fall between 20C and 25C. The warmest month is July, with an average maximum temperature of 25C.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended arrival airport for this holiday is Turin, Milan Malpensa and Milan Linate airports are also an alternative.
By train or bus
From the airport take a train to Turin train station (approx. 30 mins), get off at Porto Susa station and take a train to Aosta (approx. 2h). Check up-to-date train timetables at https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html or use the Omio planner above.
On your return journey, take the bus from Cogne to Aosta (1h), then by train to Turin. For bus timetables, check at www.savda.it
Inclusions
Included
- 8 nights in selected B&Bs, hotels and agriturismi
- 8 breakfasts
- 7 dinners
- Private transfer from Aosta to Lez Croux (+ luggage to Vetan) on Day 2
- Luggage transfer from Vetan to Saint Nicolas on Day 4
- Luggage transfer from Saint Nicolas to Aymavilles or Saint Pierre on Day 6
- 24/7 phone support by our local office/representative
- Detailed digital holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps. Please note that the info pack is emailed to you prior to departure, and no printed documents are mailed or provided locally
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches and 1 dinner, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Local tourist tax and entry fees (payable on the spot)
- Personal expenses
- Any items not specifically mentioned as ‘Included’ in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Extra nights
- Centrally located hotel in Cogne on request and with a supplement
- Printed documents at the first accommodation
