Sport Itineraries: Donnas

Holds are mostly crimps and jugs but there are also backhand and vertical holds, everything you need for an athletic and technical climb. Bolting is good with resin pitons in crags and fixes on vertical routes. Be careful of the exposed natural ledge at the base.

The activity requires technical experience. Alpine guide assistance is recommended.

Descent: Stops have chains and belays and climbers abseil down on 60 meter cords.

Difficulty from 5c to 8c, average 7b. Average length is 25 meters with a minimum of 18 and maximum of 27 meters.

Total number of routes: 31

Via Ferrata delle Peredrette
Si eleva lungo le dorsali di roccia al di sopra dei terrazzi a vigneto. Salendo la vista si apre sull’intera valle, per raggiungere una spettacolare lama di roccia a picco sulla Dora Baltea. Per i più audaci una breve variante regala un’emozione in più.
Poco prima del termine della Via Ferrata si trova il “libro di via” virtuale; leggendo con lo smartphone il QR code ci si connette alla pagina web per registrare il passaggio.
La ferrata termina su uno spettacolare balcone naturale tra piccole pozze scavate nella roccia.
Al rientro si segue il vallone di Preles tra castagni, grandi massi e le caratteristiche “barme”, ripari agricoli e pastorali a ridosso delle rocce.
La ferrata è percorribile in circa 90 minuti e per la discesa occorrono 45 minuti.
Il percorso attrezzato non presenta particolari difficoltà tecniche (EEA – PD), il passaggio più esposto è evitabile, ma deve essere affrontato con attrezzatura idonea: imbragatura, kit di assicurazione in ferrata e casco.

Falesia delle Ciliegie
È situata alla sommità della via ferrata, accessibile seguendo il sentiero lungo il vallone di Preles in circa 50/60 minuti con una bella escursione nel bosco. L’esposizione è soleggiata, ideale in primavera ed autunno.
La base della falesia è ampia e spaziosa, ideale per gruppi e famiglie (attenzione comunque a sorvegliare i più piccoli data la presenza di pareti a picco nelle vicinanze).
Sono presenti 18 vie da 15 a 22 metri di lunghezza con difficoltà compresa tra il 4b ed il 6a. Arrampicata su placca da appoggiata e subverticale.

Piramide di Pomerou
È una piccola struttura rocciosa situata alla termine della prima dorsale della Ferrata delle Peredrette, si raggiunge attraverso un breve sentiero nel bosco di Pomerou (10/15 minuti). Il bosco è disseminato di massi, che un tempo servivano come tetto per le “barme” – i caratteristici ripari di boscaioli e pastori – ed ora sono il terreno di gioco dei boulderisti.
Sono attrezzate otto vie tra 12 e 19 m di lunghezza, difficoltà dal 4a al 5c.
Arrampicata su placca appoggiata, con esposizione a nord, la posizione garantisce comunque un buon soleggiamento.
Alla base lo spazio è ampio, tuttavia occorre sorvegliare i più piccoli affinché non si avvicinino al ciglio della parete sottostante.

Masso di Reisen
Immerso trai vigneti, in località Reisen, l’enorme blocco di roccia è franato qualche anno fa dalle pareti di Preles, fermandosi tra le vigne.
Le quattro pareti presentano arrampicate di tipo e difficoltà molto diverse tra loro.
La parete sud presenta 5 belle linee alte circa 10 m con difficoltà tra 5b/6b su una placca sub verticale lavorata.
La parete est è attrezzata con tre linee di 10/12m tra il 6b ed il 7a, verticali.
La parete nord tre linee di 6/7 m con difficoltà di 5b/c su muretto verticale a scaglie, mentre la parete ovest è riservata alla difficoltà medio/alta con due linee di grado 7c con bombatura seguita placca.
Lo spazio circostante pianeggiante ed immerso tra le vigne è ideale per le famiglie. Non parcheggiare le auto negli spazi adiacenti al masso (sono privati).

N.B. - Le falesie e la via ferrata sono periodicamente controllate e mantenute, tuttavia trattandosi di percorsi su roccia in ambiente naturale esposto agli agenti atmosferici ed idrogeologici, possono subire alterazioni del loro stato determinando situazioni di pericolo.
Fai attenzione allo stato dei sentieri, delle pareti e delle attrezzature in loco.
Chi percorre i sentieri e le vie attrezzate del Climbing Park Balteo accetta implicitamente e consapevolmente il rischio insito nella pratica di queste attività sportive nella natura.

The itinerary departs from Donnas village along a roman road and passes under the roman -arch, to then rise sleeply, a stepped area, under the climbibg wall. It continues through a chestnut wood and, after a brief detour, the marmitta dei giganti (giant basin) comes into view.

The itinerary next arrives to the village the barma Cotze, a military post in past times. Visibles are still the old village oven and the fountain. The itineray continues through a dense larch wood after which one arrives at Peredrette. The area of Peredrette is surrounded by standing stones which mark its perimeter.

When you get to Pramotton, a hamlet in the municipality of Donnas which is reached via the Donnas-Grand Vert road, cross the village towards the east, then go along a flat section of the trail and enter the woods. You now start the climb up a lovely paved mule track that takes you to a small house buttressed against the rock wall. Continue along the trail to the right of the construction and you come to a small plateau, level with a small stone wall. Turn left here, and when the vegetation allows, climb up to the right onto a steep slope until you come to a breach in the boundary wall of Pramotton Tower.

This circular itinerary covers in part the paths of the Alta Via no. 1, of the Via Francigena and of the Cammino Balteo (part of “stage 4”: /en/database/7/cammino-balteo/-aosta-valley-/donnas-arnad/2951 “Donnas - Arnad” and of “stage 23”: /en/database/7/cammino-balteo/-aosta-valley-/pontboset-pont-saint-martin/2946 “Pontboset - Pont-saint-Martin”). One section is on an asphalted road.

Park your car in Donnas in the square near the Roman road.
After going through the medieval hamlet of Donnas, take the path indicated by the yellow signpost number 7 for Albard (the same indications as the Cammino Balteo- stage 4 - towards Arnad). The first stretch runs alongside the Bellet stream on the main road, but at the first bridge, turn left and the trail crosses a picturesque area of vineyards on dry stone walls.
The wine-growing in Donnas has very ancient traditions. Here the steep slopes are overcome by the secular terraces held back by walls up to 4 meters high. The processing is hand-done and distributed over all the months of the year, and the main grape is Nebbiolo.

Once you arrive in Prèle where, on the right, you come cross a chapel, the path begins to climb steeply to overcome the walls that overlook the plain, frequented by climbing enthusiasts who find the “Climbing Park Balteo” here. This area is very hot and dry, an ideal environment for reptiles such as whip snakes, vipers and lizards, and for the birds of prey that feed on them, such as the short-toed snake eagle, a large migrator similar to an eagle with a wingspan that can reach about 2 meters. Its coat is very light-colored in the lower parts, with wide brown stripes.

In about 30 minutes you climb up in height until you meet the asphalted road again which after a few meters reaches Albard, a charming hamlet of old stone and wooden houses.
From there the vegetation changes and we find ourselves on the uphill side of a small valley, formerly used as a fruit chestnut grove. In the past, chestnuts represented an important food resource for local populations.
Continuing on foot along the roadway you begin to descend into this ancient world, almost frozen in time. Stone hamlets and old farmhouses frame this ancestral landscape: a hidden, forgotten Valle d’Aosta, surrounded by centuries-old chestnut trees and pastures for goats.

At the end of the descent, turn left towards the central valley, always remaining on the paved road, and at the end of this, take the steep path that leads down to Bard at the foot of the fortress of the same name.
The Bard Fort is a fortified complex that was rebuilt in the 19th century by the House of Savoy on the rocky outcropping overlooking the village of Bard. It currently hosts prestigious temporary exhibitions of art and photography and is also the permanent home of interesting museums such as the Museum of the Alps and that of fortifications.

Walking in the cool of the ancient medieval hamlet, you go up in the direction of the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta (following the trail signs for stage 23 of the Cammino Balteo). The walls of the fortress overlook the hamlet and give an idea of the strategic position of this place. Indeed, you pass along ancient trails used in days gone by as they are used today by the pilgrims of the Via Francigena but also by the modern athletes of the Tor des Geants, an epic ultratrail race.

Continuing downhill along the road towards Donnas you return to the Roman road of the Gauls with its stone arch, which once you have passed under it, like a time machine, you are taken back to the starting point.

Watch the videos:

• vineyards of Donnas
• walls of the Balteo Climbing Park
• chestnut groves
• Bard fort in autumn
• Roman road in Donnas

Start from the locality called Rosa (Donnas) and follow the entire vineyard path up to the Mission Cross. While walking, you can enjoy the view of the topie (pergolas) that support the vines and expoe them to the sun’s rays that enhance the scents and colors they offer.

The walk, about half an hour long, is mainly flat and sunny; along the way you can meet the barmet, which are cellars created under a large boulder. In this room, purely underground, in a tank collects rainwater, which is useful to the vigneron (winegrower) for his work. One of the common features is that the temperature is always stable and particularly suitable for storing wine.