Col Dondeuil – Lakes loop trail

The San Grato valley is one of the most beautiful in the Aosta Valley and is a must for anyone wishing to truly discover this territory.
The Walser people who once inhabited these mountains have left their mark in the form of remarkable traditional buildings.
The proposed itinerary follows the entire valley up to the Col Dondeuil. From the pass, the route continues across to reach two small lakes lying beneath Mont Crabun.
On the return, the higher path is taken, offering the chance to admire additional constructions of great architectural interest.

From the Pont-Saint-Martin motorway exit, turn right towards Turin. At the second roundabout, turn left following the signs for Gressoney.
The road climbs for a few hundred metres before you turn right onto the road leading into the Lys Valley, passing through the villages of Lillianes and Fontainemore.
Continue until you reach the main village of Issime, drive through it, and on the left take the road that climbs towards San Grato. Follow the steep hairpin bends until, on the right-hand side, you see the start of the trail. Parking is available along the roadside to the left.

From the car park, follow the asphalt road until the point where vehicles can no longer proceed. Continue along the rural track until reaching the ridge, where a path begins on the right, climbing past several fine traditional buildings before emerging into pastures below the chapel of San Grato.
Ascend the gentle slopes (note, on the right, a house with beautifully crafted stone windows) to reach the chapel. From here the gradient eases, passing a characteristic oven with a water spring. Shortly afterwards you enter woodland, reaching the fine rascard of Stubbi (recently collapsed but now under restoration). Just below the trail you can spot the remains of an old mill, and further along, the remains of an oven.
The route then climbs more steeply (above to the right, a well-restored rascard) until you overlook the peat bog of Reich. A further short ascent brings you into a hollow with the picturesque chapel of Madonna delle Nevi, from where you can admire the upper valley leading to Col Dondeuil.
Continue along the trail (to the right, the delightful Stein alpine pasture beneath a rocky outcrop is worth a short detour) and climb steeply to the col, which opens onto Val d’Ayas. Retrace your steps a short distance, then at the first hairpin turn, take the path on the right. This crosses gently before climbing sharply up a narrow gully, which is tackled with some effort until its end. Continue diagonally, then descend on fainter traces of path until you reach the lakes – a perfect spot for a well-deserved break.
From the lake, descend to the left to rejoin the chapel of Madonna delle Nevi. Continue straight for a stretch (here the path is faint) before descending to the right to reach the plateau of Mundschuvet. Cross this meadow on barely visible traces of trail, then climb slightly to re-enter the forest. The path soon becomes clearer again, leading onto the splendid ridge of Vlueckji, dotted with fine rascards.
Descend past a small pond and later a spring catchment, before reaching the pastures of Ivanh. From here, descend to rejoin the ascent route, returning to the chapel of San Grato. On the right, a path branches off, passing beneath a series of beautifully preserved buildings before descending into the woods. Follow the fine stone-paved mule track, crossing several remarkable wooden structures, until you return directly to your car.