High Route 1 — Stage 1: Donnas → Perloz
Caution
Snow-covered section above 2,200 m — crampons recommended.
Conditions updated on:
12.5 km
+950 m
−100 m
5 h
Fitness level
~2200 kcal estimated
Elevation profile
Map & route
Download GPXOfficial GPX track — Aosta Valley Region / lovevda.it
Description
Stage one of the AV1 starts in Donnas at 322 m, climbs through the terraced vineyards of Pont-Saint-Martin and up to Perloz. A gentle warm-up day before the higher elevations come. Take time to explore Perloz village and its communal ovens.
Key points
Donnas
322 m · 0 km from start
Start from the historic centre, Trenitalia railway station
Earth sciences
Geology & landscape
This stage crosses the southern margin of the Penninic Zone, where micaschists and augen gneiss of the Hercynian crystalline basement (~300 Ma) outcrop on upper slopes. Below 800 m, Mesozoic limestones and calcschists of the lower Penninic stack dominate, often masked by eluvial-colluvial cover. The terraced slopes of Donnas and Pont-Saint-Martin display paleosols on carbonate bedrock with post-glacial differential erosion. Along the Dora Baltea, Würmian fluvial terraces carry sub-rounded pebbles of gneiss and marble. Pleistocene moraines are sparse in the valley floor but documented on regional maps. The lithological transition toward Perloz marks entry into the Austroalpine metamorphic domain of Mont Mars, with mica schists and quartzites.
History & culture
Donnas preserves a Roman amphitheatre and medieval castle ruins. Perloz is a Walser village settled from the 13th century by colonists from Valais. Communal ovens and vineyard terraces bear witness to centuries of rural economy.
Water sources
Fountains and bars in Donnas and Pont-Saint-Martin. Intermittent springs above 700 m; refill bottles in Perloz.
Getting there
Trenitalia: Donnas station (Turin–Aosta line). VITA buses on SS26 toward Pont-Saint-Martin. From Aosta, regional VITA services serve the valley floor.
Parking
Parcheggio gratuito presso la stazione di Donnas e area comunale a Perloz (limitata).
Warnings
- Sections exposed to midday sun in summer
- Trail occasionally muddy after rain
Nearby peaks
Start & end
Start
Donnas
317 m
Finish
Perloz
1372 m
Wildlife to spot
Adjacent stages
ACurated and verified by Andrea
Data source: Catasto Sentieri Regione Autonoma VdA · Open data — DGR 899/2014
Last verified:
Bassa Valle
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