Italian Border Route 2008

Tuesday 24 June
Easyjet flight 7065 from Liverpool to Nice

Check in opens 5.15.  Flight 7.15.  Arrive 10.30

Get 11.00 or 12.00 bus to La Madone €18 each

Get off the bus at La Madone and walk to Fleur de Mai campsite or Camping St Michael.  Get provisions and prepare for a walk…

Wednesday 25 June (Day 1) [Map A]

Menton - GR52 – 6km – turn R onto Sentieri Balcone Mediterraneu (SBM) to Passo del Corna – turn North to M. Grammondo - P de Treittore – unmanned refuge – Rif Patrick Gambino – wild camp near here. (7 hrs)

[At the foot of Mt Grammondo, loc. Gerri, a 1000 di altitudine,si segnala il rif. Gerri, in 1000 above sea level, was the ref. “Patrick Gambino”, custodito, di proprietà del CAI – sezione Ventimiglia, con 12 posti letto – Tel. "Patrick Gambino", guarded, owned by the CAI - section Ventimiglia, with 12 beds - Tel. 0184.357784. 0184.357784. ]

Thursday 26 June (Day 2)

Gambino (Passo Treittore) to Airole – see AV Val Nervia link-up trail 6 (4 hrs)
Airole to Colle dei Saviglioni - see AV Val Nervia link-up trail 7 (2.5 hrs)

Colle dei Saviglioni to Colla Sgora (0.5 hrs)

Colla Sgora to Testa d’Alpe - see AV Val Nervia trail 3 (2 hrs)

Friday 27 June (Day 3)

Descend to Breil-sur-Roya via l’Arpette. (2.5 hrs)  Collect provisions

Continue up Gorges de Saorge on Via Alpina R158 and on to campsite at Fontan (3 hrs) [Map 1]

Saturday 28 June (Day 4)

Day off at Fontan/Saorge

Sunday 29 June (Day 5)

Via Alpina route R157 to Rif Allavena (8.5 hrs)

Monday 30 June (Day 6)

AV dei Monte Liguri Trail 5 to M Saccarello (5 hrs)  Visit statue of the redeemer
Continue N along border to Colla Rossa for a wild camp (3 hrs).  Or even Further to Rif Don Barbera

Tuesday 1 July (Day 7)

Go N to Rif Don Barbera CAI (2 hrs)  Giro del Marguareis to Capanna Morgantini (1.5 hrs)

GTA stage 2 to Limonetto (4 hrs)

Wednesday 2 July (Day 8)

Rest day at Limonetto, Limone or Cuneo

Thursday 3 July (Day 9)

GTA stage 3 to Passo di Ciotto Mieu (2.5 hrs) Visit Monte Ciotto Mieu (30 mins)

Passo della Mena (2 hrs)  Continue south to Lac della Vacca (3 hrs)

Friday 4 July (Day 10)

Go over Colla del Vei del Bouc (1.5 hrs)  Descend to Lac Vei del Bouc (1 hr)

Descend to San Giacomo (2.5 hrs)  Join GTA stage 6 to Rif Soria Ellena (2 hrs)

Saturday 5 July (Day 11)

GTA stage 6 to Rif Genova (3 hrs)  GTA stage 7 to Terme di Valdieri (5 hrs) [VA R143, R142]

Sunday 6 July (Day 12)

Rest Day at S Anna – possibly visit Valdieri

Monday 7 July (Day 13) [Map 2]

GTA stage 8 to Rif Malinvern after getting provisions and a lift back to Terme di Valdieri (6 hrs)

[Via Alpina R142, R141]

Tuesday 8 July (Day 14)

GTA stage 9 to Sant’Anna di Vinadio (5 hrs)  P19 over Passo Tesina to Passo di Sometta (2.5 hrs)

[Could go to Strepeis instead]

Wednesday 9 July (Day 15)

Descend to S Bernolfo (2 hrs)  Via Alpina R138 (part) to Rif Zanotti (4.5 hrs)

Thursday 10 July (Day 16)

Via Alpina R137 to Pontebernardo (8 hrs)  Then to campsite at Pietraporzio (1 hr)

Friday 11 July (Day 17)

Rest Day

Saturday 12 July (Day 18)

Back to Pontebernado (1 hr)  Then up to Rif Becchi Rossi (2 hrs)

Continue up P39 to Bassa di Colombert (2 hrs) and on to Col di Puriac (0.5 hr)

Sunday 13 July (Day 19)

P42 to Argentera (2 hrs) [Map 2A]

P41 through la Tinetta to Col di Roburent (3 hrs)  Descend to camp near Lac de l’Orrenaye (0.5 hr)

Monday 14 July (Day 20)

Descend to Grotte then ascend to Col de la Gipiere d’Oronaye 2482m (1.5 hrs)

Continue along Tour du Chambeyron to Cabane de Viraysse (0.5 hr)

Go up to Colle del Sautron (1 hr) [Alternatively go via Col Munie and along high level Sent R Cavallero to Sautron.]

Continue along AsF 7.3.4 / S16 into Italy to join Sentiero Pier Giorgio Frassati and find GTA path to Chiappera (2.5 hrs)  Ascend briefly to Rif Campo Base on the GTA.  Camping etc facilities (0.5 hr)

Tuesday 15 July (Day 21)

Rest Day

Wednesday 16 July (Day 22)

GTA stage 14 to Colle di Bellino (3.5 hrs) [Map 3]
U28 then cross river to take belvedere path to Gr Gulum then U26 to P di Fiutrusa (3.5 hrs)

Descend to camp asap in Val di Fiutrusa (1.5 hrs)
[Alternatively follow GTA route and camp near Colletto della Battagliola]

Thursday 17 July (Day 23)

Descend to Gr Serre and turn N on U57 to Chianale (3 hrs)

Join GR58 to ascend Vallone di Soustra to Passo di Losetta (opt’l ascent N to Pointe Joanne) (3.5 hrs)

Cross to Passo di Vallanta and descend into France to Refuge Baillif-Viso (2.5 hrs)

Friday 18 July (Day 24)

Go N to Col Selliere (1 hr) then on to Rif Jervis (3 hrs)
GTA stage 18 to Villanova, then valley path to Bobbio Pellice (2.5 hrs)

Saturday 19 July (Day 25)

Rest day

Sunday 20 July (Day 26)

Path 125 to join GTA route from Villanova beyond Colletta Faure (3.5 hrs)

GTA stage 19 to Colle Guilian and on to Ghigo di Prali (3.5 hrs) [Map 4]

Monday 21 July (Day 27)

GTA stage 20 to Balsiglia (4.5 hrs) [VA D40]

GTA stage 21 as far as Berg del Lauson – camp beyond there at 2200m (2.5 hrs) [VA D39]

Tuesday 22 July (Day 28)
GTA stage 21 over Colle dell’Albergian (1.5 hrs), then on to Laux (2 hrs)

Turn R to find Camp Serre Marie above Fenestrelle (0.5 hr)

Wednesday 23 July (Day 29)

Rest Day and Fort Visit

Thursday 24 July (Day 30)

Back to Laux, then Usseaux and GTA stage 22 to Rif D. Arlaud (6 hrs)

Friday 25 July (Day 31)
GTA stage 23 to Salbertrand (1.5 hrs).  Collect provisions
Sent Balcone to Rif Levi Molinari (2.5 hrs) [Map 5]

N to Passo Clopaca and on to Rif Vaccarone on the Alta Via Val de Susa

[Via Alpina stages D37 and D36 cover this section using longer variants]

Saturday 26 July (Day 32)
Via Alpina stage D35 to Refuge du Petit Mont Cenis (3.5 hrs)

Via Alpina stage D34 to Rifugio Stellina (6 hrs)

Sunday 27 July (Day 33)
Via Alpina stage D33 to Rif Ca d’Asti (5 hrs)

AV Val di Susa to Cap Soc A Ravetto (Colle della Croce di Ferro)(2 hrs)

Via Alpina stage D32 to Usseglio (3 hrs)

[Consider taking VA routes all the way if AV route too hard – would add an hour]

Monday 28 July (Day 34)

Rest Day

Tuesday 29 July (Day 35)

GTA stage 26 to Laghi Verde (5 hrs)

Wednesday 30 July (Day 36)

GTA stage 26 to Balme (2 hrs)  GTA stage 27 to Pialpetta (7 hrs) [or wild camp earlier]

Thursday 31 July (Day 37)

GTA stage 28 to Fonti Minerale (7 hrs) [Map 6]

Friday 1 August (Day 38)

Pass N shore of Lago di Ceresole Reale then turn R up path 540 to Col della Terra (3.5 hrs)

Sentiero del Re to reach Rif Citta di Chivasso or Ref Savoia via a minor road (4 hrs)

Saturday 2 August (Day 39)

Col di Nivoletta (2 hrs)  Optional ascent of P.ta Basei (2 hrs)  Descend to Rif Benevolo (2.5 hrs)

Sunday 3 August (Day 40)

Ascent to Col Bassac Dere (2.5 hrs) + optional ascent to border (3337m)

Descent to Rif M Bezzi by Haute Route Glaciere (HRG)(2.5 hrs)

Monday 4 August (Day 41)

HRG to Rif Chalet de l’Epee (3 hrs)

AV2 (Alta Via della Valle d’Aosta No 2) to Planaval (3.5 hrs)

Stay en route to or in Planaval, or get lift to a campsite

Tuesday 5 August (Day 42)

Rest Day – but this could be taken earlier if weather is poor

Wednesday 6 August (Day 43)

AV2 to Passo di Planaval (differs from AV2 on map) (4 hrs)  Descend to Rif A Deffeyes (2 hrs)

Thursday 7 August (Day 44) [Map 9]

Descend to la Thuile (2 hrs)  Path 13 and path 4 to Col d’Arp (3 hrs)  Path 1a to Courmayeur (2.5 hrs)

Friday 8 August (Day 45)

Rest Day

Saturday 9 August (Day 46)

Rif W Bonatti via Rif Bertone, Testa Bernarda, Col Sapin and Pas d’Entre deux Sauls(7 hrs) [We’ve done this before!!] [TMB]

Sunday 10 August (Day 47)

AV1 Ascend to Col Malatra (2.5 hrs) then continue along AV1 to finish at one of 3 campsites around S. Oyen or Etroubles (4 hrs)

Monday 11 August (Day 48)

Return to AV1 and ascend to Col Champillon (3.5 hrs) Descend to Rif Champillon (1 hr)

Tuesday 12 August (Day 49) [Map 10]

AV1 descent to Ollomont if not done yesterday (2 hrs)  AV1 to Col de Breuson (3 hrs)

AV1 to Close, then, (leaving AV1) on to Dzovenno (3 hrs)

Wednesday 13 August (Day 50)
Rest day

Thursday 14 August (Day 51)

Ascend the Buthier valley to Prarayer (4 hrs)  Ascend to Col di Valcornera (3 hrs)

Continue to wild camp where possible – perhaps by Lago del Piano sup (1.5 hrs)

Friday 15 August (Day 52)

Descend to Cervinia (4 hrs)  Explore Cervinia  Ascend to wild camp around Lago Goillet (2 hrs)

Saturday 16 August (Day 53)

Ascend to Col Sup delle Cima Bianche (1.5 hrs)

Tour Monte Rosa (TMR) to St Jacques (3.5 hrs)

AV1 to Rif Vieux Crest (2 hrs)

Sunday 17 August (Day 54)

AV1 to Col di Pinter (2.5 hrs)

Optional ascent of Testa Grigia (3314m) (3 hrs)

Descend to Gressoney la Trinite via AV1 then path 10a (3 hrs)

Monday 18 August (Day 55)

Path 5 to Rif Gabiet (2.5 hrs) [Map 8]

TMR to Col d’Olen (2 hrs)

TMR to Alagna Valsesia (3 hrs)

Tuesday 19 August (Day 56)

TMR/GTA (but not as per our guide) and Sentiero Italia (SI) to Macugnaga via Rif F Pastore and Colle di Turlo (8.5 hrs) Optional  cable car ascent to Rif Gaspare Oberto for an easy day tomorrow

Wednesday 20 August (Day 57)

TMR to Saas Fee via Passo di Monte Moro (7 hrs)

Thursday 21 August (Day 58)

9.26 bus to Brig 10.37, then train to Geneva 10.46 or 11.28, arriving Geneva Airport 12.59 or 14.13

Check in at Geneva airport – 14.30

EasyJet Flight 7284 Geneva to Liverpool dep 16.30 arrive L’pool 17.25