Chateau Vallaise - Saint'Anne

From the valley floor at Chateau Vallaise, just 454 metres above sea level, the trail climbs decisively up the sunny Avise hillside to the chapel of Saint Anne at Echallogne at 1342 metres. The 921-metre elevation gain over 4.3 km makes this one of the most demanding routes of its kind: an almost unbroken ascent crossing the belt of heroic vineyards and chestnut groves at low elevation, then mixed broadleaf woodland in the middle section, finally open meadows near the top. The landscape shifts radically with altitude: from the thermophilic microclimate of the central valley to an open mountain environment with views over the Aosta Valley. The chapel of Saint Anne at the destination is one of the oldest sites of devotion on this hillside. Difficulty E, open May to October.