Lower Champorcher Valley

This is a short route that follows beautiful mule tracks. The descent from Biel to Pontboset is done along the paved road.
The trail is almost entirely through forests, with chestnuts in the lower part and beeches higher up. From Pontboset to Hône, the route follows the Tor des Géants trail.
If considered as a training itinerary, the times are calculated assuming a speed of one and a half times normal pace (approximately 450 meters in altitude gain per hour).

From the Pont-Saint-Martin motorway exit, turn left toward Aosta. At the roundabout, continue left, still following signs for Aosta.
Pass through Donnas and reach Bard. After the village, at the roundabout, turn left toward Hône. Cross the village of Hône, and near the end, on the left, you will find the square with the town hall. Turn left, then follow the stream on the right for a few hundred meters to reach the car park.
From the Verrès motorway exit, turn right toward Turin, pass Arnad, and at the roundabout, turn right toward Champorcher.

Pass between the houses and take the mule track, which after a short stretch reaches the regional road of Champorcher. Cross it twice, then climb to the Chapel of Santa Maria. Follow trail sign 4 until reaching the houses of Bren, cross the regional road, and continue to Barge, where you ascend the sled track to reach the paved road leading to Courtil. Follow it briefly to the right, then turn left onto the mule track that takes you through the village of Biel, where you can admire the large and beautiful stone fountain.
After leaving Biel, turn left and take the mule track to Courtil. Beyond Courtil, ascend to the right, cross the road, and after a beautiful beech forest stretch, reach the road again. Follow it to Plan Fiou. Descend across the plain, and at the end (hard to spot) take the mule track that descends back to Courtil, briefly sharing the ascent route, then diverge right and descend to the paved road, which you follow entirely to the village of Pontboset.
Cross the village completely, and just before the hairpin turn at the end, turn left and cross the stream on a characteristic stone arch bridge.
Now begins the steep climb to the houses of Delivret. Cross the road twice, then follow it to the left until the hairpin bend, where the canal trail starts, leading to Crest. Between the two villages, climb to the right and in a few minutes reach Crest Dessus, which is definitely worth a visit.
Descend to Crest Dessous, and quickly, alternating between road and mule track, reach the beautiful Vaseras bridge, then the main bridge over the Ayasse, which brings you back to the start of the village. Continue along the path that runs above the stream, then cross it on a characteristic bridge to reach the houses of Frontière.
Descend slightly along the stream, then climb to cross the Ratus gorge. After a steep climb along the ridge, cross a small stream and follow a long traverse through the forest to reach the paved road above Hône. Follow the road, cross the stream, and return to the car.