Sport Itineraries: Doues

The route starts from the parking area of Plan Détruit (Plan du Débat), a wide plateau above the village of Doues. Here, a commemorative cross recalls a historic battle fought against the Valais troops, bearing witness to the past of this Alpine territory.

From the parking area, the route initially follows a dirt road, reaching a wooden footbridge on the left with signposts for trail no. 9 – Alta Via 1 (AV1) leading to Champillon mountain hut.

The first part of the itinerary is pleasant and gentle: the trail runs parallel to the Ru de By, the water channel that carries water toward Doues and Allein, crossing pastures and open meadows. Shortly afterwards, you pass the Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows, at the edge of the forest.

Continuing on, you reach the service dirt road for the mountain pastures, which you follow for a few hundred metres until reaching Alpe Pessinoille (2,150 m). From here, the trail resumes on the left, entering a larch forest before tackling a short but steeper section.

After this climb, the route returns to open terrain in the clearing where the large Tsa de Champillon alpine pasture (2,297 m) is located, often animated by grazing cows during the summer months.

The mountain hut is now clearly visible: set on a panoramic grassy knoll, it is reached by following the wide dirt track. The arrival at Rifugio Champillon (2,465 m) is rewarding; a fountain is also located near the building.

The refuge, dedicated to Adolfo Letey, stands in a dominant position and offers wide views over the Grand Combin valleys. It is an ideal destination for a break, a mountain lunch, or as a stopping point along Alta Via 1 and the Tour des Combins.

More experienced hikers can continue beyond the refuge toward the Col Champillon, an important Alpine pass linking the Valpelline with the Gran San Bernardo Valley.

From the municipal seat of Doues route 8 takes you to the chapel of Torrent (built after the 1630 plague, and dedicated to Saint Fabian and Saint Sebastian). From here, continue along the same itinerary which crosses over the paved road several times and going through several villages as far as the pasture of Champillon. In a short time you come to Plan Détruit, where a cross commemorates those who fell during the battle with the Valaisans. Continue along the dirt road and after 300 m, take route AV1 on the left of the road, which goes over the Tsa alp and Letey mountain refuge, and reaches Col de Champillon.

Walk along the road following the bends that lead to Pointier: just beyond you’ll find the start of path 8 on your right. Take the path entering the fir woods to another mountain pasture and then turn onto the road that leads right for several hundred meters to another path. Climb the snow-covered Plan Taredaz field to the Vorbé holiday farm. Here return to the snow-covered road and take the wide turn to the left to the foot of the Novella chalet: turn right and climb the snowy slope to the road near Parc. Continue on the road that follows the left curve of the ledge to Plan Débat and, just beyond, the Nôtre Dame de la Neige cross.
Leave the road turning left to climb the beautiful snow-covered slope, keeping the watershed on your right until you reach Tsa de Champillon. The end is in sight. Climb the gentle ridge until you finally reach the Champillon Refuge.

From Posseille, 1,450 m, climb the fields above heading North-West to the Moffes chalet, 1,953 m, and then to the Arp di Praz chalet, 2,055 m. Go around the base of the Crou di Blenche following the farm road to the Champillon valley until you reach the mountain range at altitude 2,078 m. Continue West to the Letey chalet, 2,297 m. Continue in the same direction climbing the simple route over the canyons to the hill.

Before your ski mountaineering trip, always check the weather forecast and the snow and avalanche bulletin and set off equipped with avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe.