Few pictures first to end up yesterday day 18
Aosta view – Col du Mont
Col du Mont : France – Italy border
Vallon Saint Grat
Going down to Valgrisenche
Giulio’s looking after his cows
Giulio and his dog
Fontina cheese : this one have “holes”/imperfection so it cannot get the blue stamp label on top that guarantee the quality of the Fontina cheese
Giulo’s dog
Giulio and Mohamed in front of their shepperd house at Grand Alpe alpage Vallon Saint Grat
Giulio and Mohamed early morning milk waiting to be picked up
Vespa …yes this is Italia-Aosta town Bonne
Day 19 starts here
Saturday 29th June 2013
Woke up 5:15am. Giulio & Mohamed are both already out.
The wind blowed hard during the night
5:50am milking is done.
Giulio will wash the milk tank now
6:30am is breakfast time here in the Aosta Valgrisenche vallee alpage shepperd house.
Tasted a delicious bol of freshly pumped milk with sugar…so goooood
7am waiting for the sun to come out to take the cows out.
Giulio told me he was happy to talk to someone. He told me a lot and make me realize that this project had a real meaning. It is not just about hiking in the Alps.
Looking forward to send thoses boys a postcard from Trieste…
Leaving my new friends behind and following concrete road towards Valgrisenche (about 5km)
The via alpina is near and should catched it up in Valgrisenche town
8am first village in Aosta : Bonne
8:25am arrived Valgrisenche 1669m
The church in Valgrisenche is just wonderful and worth a visit (it is open)
Leaving Valgrisenche 11:15am
Following the water stream slightly down/flat.
Water on right then left side till Revers
Gpx file i downloaded from via alpina website is not accurate
Revers cross village and water. Water now on right side
12:15am At the road : sign of hiking trail 2 : Planaval marked 15min
12:30am stopped hotel/restaurant Paramont in Planaval 1559m for lunch to eat local dish called : Polenta carbonada
20euros with 1/4 wine + coffee
1:50pm leaving Planaval with light rain
1332 years old Planaval chapel
Following concrete road up to La Clusaz is the best option
Reached Baulin 1769m 2:40pm after looking for a trail radther than following road (nothing) .good view from here.
Following path.end of village.Runaz marked 2h20. Yellow markers on trail to follow
3:20pm catched on correct trail 20a. Got wrong way without noticing. Thanks to GPS device who got me back on track.
Folliwing red&white markers 1B now
3:30pm 1772m arrived intersection
20b up left marked Runaz 2h10
20a right Monte Colombo 15mins & Runaz 1h50
3:45pm 1842m Monte Colombo ruins. Going straight then backed up. Think it will be faster going down trail 20 (turn left at marked Runaz sign Monte Colombo)
4:10pm spotted a house little bit off the trail going down steeply. Window,table,chairs,woods but no water. Calling Hotel in Cerellaz to check price. Been offered on the phone 30euros for bed&breakfast. I think it worth going. Booked a bed and going there slowly to end up that transition day.
Just realised now that the Via Alpina is not passing by here but way down near or on the road (not sure because GPX trace downloaded from via alpina website is not accurate)
4:40pm light rain stopped.sunshine is back
Reached Runaz church 870m 5:20pm after very steep way down.
At the main road, followed it to the right for a Km more or less to a roundabout.
Cerellaz road sign. Camping site in Avise.
5:40pm 847m Avise cute little village with chateau.
On the way out & up Avise : trail 18 to Cerellaz marked.
5:55pm trail18 to Cerellaz marked 1h15
Reached Cerellaz 6:40pm 1310m. Trail 18 is very steep but short
Distance covered : 29,2km
Walking time : 6h45
Resting time : 4h50
Altitude : 1312m
Date : saturday 29th june 2013
Little showers for 3-4hours. Past 4pm bright and sunny
Staying Hotel des Alpes Cerellaz 25euros for bed. 12euros for dinner. Familly run hotel/restaurant. Good value for money for the dinner. Bed in the room have not so good mattress but view from the room i got is great
Leaving Valgrisenche
Polenta Carbonada : Aosta local dish. Planaval restaurant
Avise village
Hamlet on the way up to Cerellaz