Lake Miserin

The main itinerary of Champorcher follows the wide valley from Dondena, offering an easy and enjoyable route.
The basin of Lake Miserin, with its lake and sanctuary, is perfect for a break to enjoy the surroundings.
The final section of the trail runs inside the Mont Avic Park.
Support is available at two refuges along the way: Dondena and Miserin.
The access road has some sections that may be challenging for standard cars.

From the Pont-Saint-Martin motorway exit, turn left toward Aosta. At the roundabout, keep left following the signs to Aosta.
Continue past Donnas and reach Bard. After the town, at the roundabout, turn left toward Champorcher.
Pass through Hône and enter the Champorcher Valley. Continue past Pontboset until you reach Champorcher.
At the end of the town, turn right toward Dondena. Follow the road uphill along the mountainside, passing the Barbustel Refuge car park, and continue on the unpaved, uneven road until you reach Dondena, where traffic is restricted.
From the Verrès tollbooth, turn right toward Turin, pass Arnad, and at the roundabout turn right toward Champorcher.

After parking, follow the rural road down to cross the stream, then continue along the road, passing a ruined building. After a short descent, leave the road and climb to the right along a steep trail that leads to Dondena Refuge.
After an optional coffee break at the refuge, continue left along the road. After less than a kilometer, leave the road to take the right-hand turn toward Miserin. A few hundred meters on, be careful not to continue on the track but take the right-hand trail.
The path is steep for a stretch, then crosses to the right and, with a final section beneath Monte Dondena, reaches the upper plateaus. The trail then becomes flatter, passes the large electricity pylons, and with a long traverse reaches a small pass from where the refuge is visible to the right.
A last short ascent through a small valley brings you to the lakeshore, which is followed to the right up to the sanctuary (alternatively, it is possible to walk around the entire lake; if the water level is high, crossing the inflowing stream may be difficult).
After enjoying the lake or having lunch at the refuge, descend along the ascent track to Dondena Refuge. Where the track passes under the hill with the refuge, leave it and take the left-hand trail (some sections with stone paving) until you meet the track again, then follow it gently back to Dondena Refuge.
From there, return along the same route taken in the morning.