Aosta is located in a flat hollow where the Dora Baltea and Buthier rivers meet and is dominated by the Becca di Nona and Monte Emilius. Due to the existence of the Little and Great St Bernard passes, this area has been an important strategic crossing point since time immemorial. This is why the Romans founded the town of Augusta Praetoria in 25 B.C. You follow the road from Aosta towards Gressan and climb up as far as Pila. This natural balcony, with a 180° view over the whole Alpine range, from Mont Blanc to Grand Combin and from the Matterhorn to Monte Rosa, is an important skiing resort. You then go back downhill towards Aosta passing through the village of Charvensod which is on the right hand bank of the Dora Baltea as you look down the valley and is set on different levels: the lowest point is at 556 m, where the Comboé river meets the Dora Baltea, and the highest, at 3559 m, is the peak of Monte Emilius.

Places you go through on the route:
- Ponte Suaz (550 m)
- Moline 4.8 km (710 m)
- Leysettaz 8.9 km (1045 m)
- Tivet 12.3 km (1280 m)
- Les Fleurs Junction on the SR20 road 14.4 km (1415 m)
- Acquefredde 16 km (1550 m)
- Pila 19.2 km (1795 m)
- Acquefredde 22.6 km (1550 m)
- Les Fleurs Junction on the SR20 road 24.2 km (1415 m)
- Charvensod 33.81 km (750 m)
- Ponte Suaz 36.8 km (550 m)

Route included in a stage of the Giro d’Italia in 1919 (Saluzzo/Pila). Stage won by Bolts (D)