High Route 1 — Stage 17: Rifugio Bonatti → Courmayeur

Stage seventeen, the final leg of Alta Via 1, is a long and celebratory descent to Courmayeur along the Val Ferret balcony trail, with Mont Blanc as a constant companion throughout. From Rifugio Bonatti the path crosses the valley head toward Rifugio Bertone (2048 m) along a trail following the forest edge with unbroken views onto Grandes Jorasses, Miage Glacier and the Mont Blanc crest. The final descent from Bertone to Courmayeur drops steeply through forest, emerging into town among the gardens of the historic centre. Courmayeur (1224 m) is one of Italy's alpine capitals, home to one of the country's oldest sections of the Club Alpino Italiano, an alpine museum dedicated to the history of early ascents and a vibrant main street lined with outdoor shops and restaurants serving fonduta. Completing this final stage after 17 stages and over 190 km of walking is a genuinely moving experience: many hikers mark the arrival with a toast on terraces overlooking the eternal white of the massif that accompanied every step of the journey.

Along the route: from Rifugio Walter Bonatti (2025 m), the path passes Rifugio Bertone (2048 m) — Intermediate hut with panoramic terrace, to Courmayeur (1224 m). Along the way you reach the Bertone refuge, a useful base. The skyline is dominated by Monte Bianco (4808 m), Grandes Jorasses (4208 m).