Mountains without limits

The nature path Rû de Liès starts at the end of the bridge (crossroad to La Magdeleine) in the village of Champagne.
It is a flat walk, along the path you will find panels with information about history, geography, geomorphology, flora and fauna of Antey-Saint-André, and also information about climatology, environmental laws and typical products of the region. Typical mountain plain woodland which thins out at intervals along the path, leaving space for clearings cultivated with permanent meadow. Species in the hardwood coppice are Ash, Alder, Maple, Lime, Birch, goat Willow, with occasional Larch and Scottish pine.
Along the path you will find benches, and after crossing an asphalt road a small pic nic area with tables and 2 barbecues. If you will go further on you will reach the quiet village of Liès.

Children’s playground with slides, swings, benches, drinking fountain and nice wood carvings with a wonderful view on the Matterhorn.

In the part of the park covered in resin there are inclusive games that can be enjoyed by all children, thus offering everyone the opportunity to play together.

Parking and toilets nearby.

Rules

• All playground equipment is to be used only by children and young people under the age of 12 and under the supervision of an adult, which is responsible for them.
• We kindly ask you to respect the playground equipment.
• Remember that we share our play areas with the community. Be polite and respect other people and other people’s space.

The Place Moulin dam is situated in the municipality of Bionaz and can be reached along the Great St Bernardo state road 27 at the Variney junction, where regional road 28 starts and goes up Valpelline. This large artificial lake with jade green waters has a capacity of around 105 million m³ and stretches for 4 Km in length from Place Moulin to Prarayer. The Place Moulin lake is flanked by a dirt road which is not open to vehicles.

This is a comfortable flat hike (1 hour’s walk) amid steep rocks, waterfalls, meadows and woods, and leads to the historical Prarayer pasture (2005 m) and the modern mountain refuge of the same name.

Accessible to disabled people in wheelchairs if accompanied. Outdoor wheelchairs or wheelchairs with wheels suitable for uneven terrain are recommended. The surface may be uneven or gravelly at times, so caution is advised when navigating uneven sections.

This gracious lake, situated at an altitude of 1555 m, can be reached by car along the Valpelline valley, traveling towards Bionaz. The main center of Oyace is reached after traveling past several villages along the road. Continuing straight ahead a spacious parking area can be found on the right of the road after passing some more villages. The lake is adjacent to the parking area. An equipped picnic area is situated on the lake’s shores.

At the bottom of the central valley, a highly interesting ecological habitat

Location: on the Dora Baltea river, at Brissogne municipality.

The nature reserve extends across 35.4 hectares at an altitude between 526 - 532 meters.
The riparian mid-central valley environment, located in an area formerly occupied by a bend in the Dora Baltea river, is characterised by two quarry lakes with mainly naturally re-populated shores.
The reserve is the most important regional stop over and feeding ground for migratory birds. Many species also nest here. The reserve is home to amphibians, reptiles and, in the lake waters, tenches and pikes.
The vegetation, representative of the ancient riparian landscape now receded from almost the entire valley, is made up of marsh cane, reeds, sedge and a few prominent plants such as the Dwarf bulrush.

How to get there
From Aosta, follow State road 26 towards Turin and turn right at the Brissogne bridge. Go on walking along the Dora Baltea river, until you’ll reach the reserve entry, indicated by an explanatory board.

A glacial lake, with water from the subsoil, a niche of interesting species

The Lake Villa nature reserve was established in 1982 and covers 25 hectares at altitudes between 810 and 980 meters.

An oasis of peace where you can listen to the sounds of nature and admire the surrounding mountains. It is interesting to visit it in every season, to admire the colors of the changing leaves, as well as the plant and animal species that inhabit it.

Here is some information on the protected area:

• Environment: low mountain lake-marsh basin characterised by a clear contrast between the marshy lake area and surrounding dry area.
• Fauna: the nature reserve represents the main reproduction station on the regional level for the common toad. Some of the local reptiles include the lizard and the coluber while the fish fauna is made up of cyprinids and eels.
• Flora: the lake waters are home to two floating plants, rare in Valle d’Aosta, the white waterlily and the amphibian lily. The reed field is mainly populated by marsh reeds. Shrubs include hygrophilous woods near the shores and Scots pine and downy oaks on the surrounding sunny slopes.

It may be interesting to combine a visit to Lake Villa with a walk along path 11 which connects Lake Villa to Col d'Arlaz (along stage 6 of the Cammino Balteo trail, Challand-Saint-Victor - Saint-Vincent path) to discover the artistic path with works created using natural materials.

Accessibility
The lake site can be reached by everyone, even by people with disabilities: in the immediate vicinity of the entrance to the path that leads to the lake, there is in fact a parking lot for the disabled and the road surface has been completely paved, to also allow wheelchairs to move comfortably. However, it is recommended that you be accompanied and use an outdoor wheelchair or one with wheels suitable for uneven terrain.

How to get there
The municipal road which leads to the site is well indicated at the junction, along the regional road 45 of the Ayas Valley, after the village of Challand-Saint-Victor (a signboard indicates “Natural Reserve of Lake Villa”). 2,5 km after this junction, you will reach a small parking located directly on the side of the road. There you will find a signboard with the description of the site and its principal trails.

Location
The park is part of the castle with the same name, situated on a height behind the Châtillon parish church.

History
The park, like the castle and the French styled Renaissance garden, assumed its current conformation in 1706. In fact, thanks to Paolina Solaro di Govone, wife of Giorgio Francesco di Challant, the castle was fully reconstructed and new trees were planted in the park. Nowadays the park belongs to the countness Claudia Passerin d’Entrèves.

Description
Various trees were identified in this park as “monumental plants”, of different varieties, protected by a specific regional law.
The park covers about 3 hectares but only 2 hectares are accessible and constantly monitored. A sign has been placed before all the monumental plants listing their characteristics.

The walk begins, entirely on gravel road, at the end of rue Mines de Cogne in front of the restaurant, then crosses fir and larches woods on the left bank of Urtier stream. Just after Champlong village the route crosses the Geosite, an environment totally changed by a huge landslide occurred during the year 2000 flood.  Bicycles are allowed, but they have to run at a walking pace. The walk reaches at the end, just before Lillaz village, the picnic area equipped with tables, benches, barbecues, fountains and toilettes.

Part of the trail to the Lillaz waterfalls is an “accessible” path leading to the bottom of the first leap. Also right for the disabled, particularly those with moving difficulties (accompaniment and wheelchairs with wheels suitable for uneven terrain are recommended) and blind people.

The first section of the trail also includes a geological park that shows a logical sequence of large blocks of rock explaining the geological structure of the Cogne valley.

The geological trail is equipped for the blind with explanatory panels in Braille.

Nature and technology for views to remember.

Skyway Monte Bianco is the ultra-modern cable car that allows you to embark on an enchanting journey in the Mont Blanc massif.

The cable cars rotate a full 360 degrees along the route, affording a full view of the surrounding peaks.

The three stations, Pontal d’Entrèves at 1300 m, Pavillon du Mont Fréty at 2200 m, and Punta Helbronner at 3466 m, are connected by two cableway sections, which are protected spaces built in glass and steel that harmonize with the surrounding environment.

The departure station of Pontal d’Entrèves is an imposing, aerodynamic-looking structure with large parking lots. Inside are information booths, bars, an infirmary, and ticket offices, in addition to the technicians who look after the powerful engines that drive the cable cars.

Intermediate station: Pavillon

The intermediate station, the Pavillon du Mont Fréty, offers a panoramic view on the opposing sides of the Val Veny and Val Ferret, enhanced by the large glass surfaces of the buildings. On the outside, there is a botanical garden, several routes to get close to nature, a solarium and a playground area Skyway for kids; on the inside, there are two restaurants, a bar, a 150-seat meeting/ events/cinema room, a Mont Blanc crystals exhibit, a small shopping center, and a winery. The old station has been converted into a museum area.

Mont Blanc Infinity Room
At the Pavillon station you can experience the thrill of entering a glacial cave, flying over the summit of Mont Blanc or losing yourself in wonder in an autumn forest thanks to the
Mont Blanc Infinity Room, a small technological refuge where splendid images make you live the dream of the mountains for 9 minutes of immersive experience. You can purchase the ticket online together with the one for the cable car.

Final station: Punta Helbronner

The last station is Punta Helbronner; it is shaped like a crystal and soars upwards with cantilever terraces.

The main attraction is here: a circular scenic terrace 14 meters in diameter with a unique all around view over most of the highest peaks of the Western Alps: Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa, the Matterhorn, the Gran Paradiso and the Grand Combin. Inside, a crystal exhibition hall, a self service restaurant, a bar, and multimedia information points. Numerous multimedia screens located in all the stations inform tourists about the history of the place. Even with bad weather, coming here will not be a missed chance, but a rewarding visit and unforgettable experience where breathing “thin air” will not be the only memory.
A vertical well, excavated in the heart of Punta Helbronner, hosts safety staircases and elevators that connect with the pedestrian tunnel leading to the Torino mountain hut, since there is no stop near the mountain hut.

Once on the top, during the summer, do not miss the Panoramic Mont Blanc gondola lift ride over the Glacier du Géant to the french station Aiguille du Midi (3777 m).

The entire structure is accessible to people with disabilities and strollers with the exception of the second terrace of Punta Helbronner as access is only possible via a ladder. In the cabin there are places reserved for wheelchairs while you will be asked to fold the stroller in order to take up as little space as possible in the cabin.
The Torino refuge has an accessible room.