Veulla - Mont Barbeston

From Veulla (1286 m), above Charvensod and only minutes from the regional capital, this hiking route (E) climbs almost 1200 metres to Mont Barbeston (2482 m), one of the most popular panoramic summits on the southern ramparts of the central valley. The conifer woods are soon left behind for alpine pastures and, in the final section, high meadows and scree leading to the top. From the summit the eye sweeps over the Aosta basin, the furrow of the Dora Baltea and the whole crown of four-thousanders closing the valley to the north — from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa. The climb is continuous and demanding for its height gain: tackle it well-trained and on clear summer days, when the path is free of snow.