Punta Leysser, from the Vétan Villette car park
Edited by:
Massimo Martini
Updated at: 04/08/2026
Access
Road directions
Exit the motorway toll booth at Aosta Ovest and, after 450m (0.45km), take the junction for the regional road towards the Cogne Valley. At the next roundabout, after a further 400 m (0.85 km), take the second exit to join the state road in the Aosta Valley. Follow the for about 3 km (3.85 km), passing through the village of Saint-Pierre until you reach the village of Luboz.
Turn right onto Via Corrado Gex and follow it for 300m (4.15km), then turn right again onto the regional road , which you should follow for approximately 7.7 km (11.85 km) to Saint-Nicolas. Just past the centre, at a junction, carry on straight ahead onto the regional road , following the signs for Vétan, for 1.0 km (12.85 km) to Petit Sarriod.
Once in Petit Sarriod, leave the and turn left onto the local road that passes through the villages of Person, Grand-Sarriod and Gerbore. Follow this for 4.2 km (17.05 km) to Vétan Villette, where the road ends at a large car park.
Car park
In Vétan Villette, there is a free 🅿️ car park at the end of the local road, in front of the Hotel Notre Maison — the starting point of the route.
Access by public transport
To reach the starting point of the route, you will need a private vehicle, as the village is not served by public transport.
Distance and journey time
🕒 Journey time: 29 minutes
📏 Distance: 18.2 km
GPS navigation
Important information
The directions provided were verified on the date the route was mapped. Before setting off, we recommend checking for any changes to the route or road conditions. For up-to-date information, please consult Google Maps or Apple Maps.
Introduction
In the heart of the Vétan basin, on the southern slope of the Mont Fallère massif, a route climbs up the valley that, from the high-altitude pastureshigh-altitude pastures to Colle Paletta and continues along the ridge to Punta Leysser, perched between the Verrogne valley and the head of the valley. The route passes through a short larch forest, the mountain pastures of Thoules and the moraine-covered slope of Punta Leysser itself, before entering the Verrogne valley, where wooden carvings and the statue ofAbbé Cerlogne mark the way, before climbing back up to the pass’s saddle and continuing along a section of ridge – including a short secured section – to the summit.
Best undertaken in the warmer months, once the snow has completely melted: the final stretch, over scree and rock, requires dry and stable ground.
Up to the pass, the route is a marked hiking trail, with a fairly steep central section through the woods. Beyond Colle Paletta, the terrain changes — scree and rock, with a short secured section to negotiate a ledge — requiring sure-footedness and a head for heights on the final stretch towards the summit cross.
Description
0h00' 0.00 km Head towards the yellow signposts, which indicate the main routes in the area, and take the path. After a few metres, the path runs alongside a refreshment point selling fresh cheeses. Continue up the steep climb through the short larch forest (Larix decidua), ignoring the turn-off on the left for the chapel dedicated to John Paul II – which you can visit on your way back if you wish – and reach the large pasture, where you’ll come across another signpost.
0h05' 0.16km Ignore the Cammino Balteo on the left and take the path on the right, immediately after the first of the many wooden structures that accompany walkers to the Mont Fallère refuge. Cross the Vétan stream via a wooden footbridge and continue along the pastures, with a few short ascents and descents. Then turn left and tackle a short climb, skirting a stream until you reach a new signpost at an altitude of 1,890 m, just below the Thoules mountain pasture, situated at 1,929 m.
0h20' 0.88 km (110 m ascent) (0 m descent) Keep to the right and follow the level path, which crosses the first moraine ridge descending from Punta Leysser and marks the boundary of the Méod valley. Cross the watershed, looking out for Siro Vierin’s works amongst the branches and along the path, then follow the second ridge until you reach another signpost.
[0h45’T2] 2.04km Ignore the path to Alpe Loé on the right and climb up the wooded slope, which is quite steep: this is the steepest section of the ascent to the refuge. Towards the end of the climb, the woodland thins out, offering views of the Château Blanc glacier and the surrounding peaks. Once out of the woodland, you reach the farm track near a bench.
1h30' 3.15 km (436 m elevation gain) (1 m elevation loss) Turn right and follow the farm track, which, with a moderate gradient, leads into the Verrogne valley. Deer, wolves, wild boars and other woodland animals, depicted in a series of wooden sculptures, line the path alongside the statue of Abbé Cerlogne, the father of Franco-Provençal poetry in the Aosta Valley. The track then leaves the mountainside and overlooks the valley near a signpost, at an altitude of 2,299m.
1h50' 4.16 km (530 m ascent) (1 m descent) Turn left and take the path, which is clearly marked at first but gradually becomes less distinct, initially running alongside a small stream. After a short climb, go over a grassy hump, then turn left and enter a small valley. Follow it all the way until you reach the junction with path , coming from the Mont Fallère refuge.
2h15' 5.16km Turn left and follow the path for a short distance as it climbs gently, until you come to a metal signpost marked ‘Monte Rosso’.
[2h20’T2] 6.51 km Continue straight on, ignoring the path branching off to the right, and follow a short flat section, followed by a brief descent towards a small lake. From here, the path begins to climb steeply; a few bends ease the gradient until you reach a hollow opposite the pass. Turn right and, after a wide hairpin bend to the left, follow a diagonal path halfway up the slope to reach the broad saddle of Colle Paletta, at an altitude of 2,707m, marked by the stone marker characteristic of Aosta Valley hiking passes.
2h50' 6.51km From the pass, turn left and climb the final stretch along the path, which is strewn with some scree. Head towards some rocks and, after a couple of sharp bends, pass a short secured section that allows you to easily bypass the rugged terrain. The summit, topped by a wooden cross, has a plastic box amongst the rocks containing the summit logbook. The view stretches across the peaks of the southern Aosta Valley and the nearby Mont Fallère, whilst to the north it opens out onto the Mont Blanc massif. Complete the final metres of the ascent to reach Punta Leysser, at an altitude of 2,771 m 3h00' 6.69 km (1,001 m ascent) (11 m descent).
The return follows the same route taken on the way up. 2h00' 6.69 km (11 m elevation gain) (1,001 m elevation loss)
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