Pascal Bivouac, from the car parks at Morge

Access

Road directions

Leave the motorway at the Aosta Ovest toll booth and continue for 950m (0.95km), following the signs for Sarre until you reach the junction with the state road in the Aosta Valley. Join the towards Courmayeur and continue for 18.4 km (19.35 km), passing through and along the villages of Saint-Pierre, Villeneuve, Arvier, Avise and Derby, until you reach a roundabout at the entrance to La Salle. At the roundabout, take the first exit and turn onto Via Corrado Gex, following the signs for the centre of La Salle. Continue for 350 m (19.70 km) and turn left onto Via dei Romani. After about 150m (19.85km), at the fork in the road, turn right onto Via Col Serena, following the signs for Chaffieron – Morges.  Follow the local road for 9.3 km (29.15 km), passing through the villages of Chaffieron, Château, Vilarisson, Remondey and Cheverel, until you reach the hamlet of Morge, where the tarmac road ends and the route concludes.

Car park details

There are three free 🅿️ car parks along the road, near the village of Morge. The last of the three car parks is the direct starting point for the walking route.

Access by public transport

To reach the starting point of the route, you will need a private vehicle, as the village of Morges is not served by direct public transport links.

Distance and walking time

🕒 Walking time: 34 minutes
 📏 Distance: 28.7 km

GPS navigation

📍 How to get there with Google Maps
📍 How to get there with Apple Maps

ℹ️ Important note

 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

A round-trip route which, starting from Morge di La Salle, climbs up the Vallon de Chambave to the Luigi Pascal Bivouac (2,920 m), situated just below the summit of Testa di Licony. The route initially follows farm tracks and paths through a spruce forest, crosses mountain pastures and fords, then continues through increasingly open, high-altitude terrain, passing Lake Licony and the Col de Licony before the final stretch over grassy and scree-covered slopes. The destination, situated in a commanding position between La Salle and Morgex, offers a superb vantage point over the Mont Blanc massif.

The hike is of considerable length and involves significant elevation gain, with long walking times and some slightly exposed sections or potentially slippery ground near small waterfalls and fords; it therefore requires good physical fitness, sure-footedness and stable weather conditions. The landscape varies from subalpine woodland to high-altitude pastures and on to the upper scree slopes, offering a comprehensive view of the valley and a gradual broadening of the horizons. The recommended period is during the summer and early autumn, when there is no residual snow on the higher sections; during the middle of the day, care must be taken due to the increased flow of the streams. Overall, this is a route offering sweeping scenic views, combining naturalistic interest and mountaineering heritage in a high-mountain setting.

Description

0h00' 0.00km Take the farm track that branches off near a stone drinking trough 💧 and follow the track until you soon reach the renovated houses of Belle Crête (1,681 m). From here, the track bends to the right and continues slightly downhill to a signpost indicating, on the left, paths and , leading to the villages of Morge and Grassey respectively.

0h07' 0.40km   Continue straight on, still downhill, until you reach the bridge over the Torrent Grand Eau (1,630m), then begin to climb the opposite slope towards the Piginière huts, where the route joins path coming from Planaval (1,646m).

0h20' 0.90km Head left, following a series of gentle ups and downs through the spruce forest (Picea abies), and gradually enter the Vallon de Chambave. As you venture further into the valley, the path begins to climb, narrows and features a few short, slightly exposed sections, as well as crossings over small waterfalls (⚠️ take care as the ground may be slippery). Continue along the right-hand side of the valley and, once you emerge from the woodland, reach the junction with path on the right, which leads to Colle Battaglione Aosta.

1h00' 2.74km   Ignore path and carry on straight ahead until, a short distance further on, you reach a footbridge allowing you to cross the rushing Torrent de Chambave (1,853m). The route then crosses over to the left-hand side of the valley and continues halfway up the slope, following the contour of the terrain. In a few minutes, you’ll reach a large mountain pasture, Capanna Chambave, which gives the impression of a small village that has now been razed to the ground. Once past the mountain pasture, continue along an almost flat path that crosses a grassy ridge until it meets the farm track, which leads the walker to the village of Licony (1,878 m), a cluster of mountain pastures characterised by a small chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes, carved out of a cave.

1h45' 4.82 km (337 m ascent) (131 m descent) Just before the village, you’ll come across a signpost indicating the way to the bivouac: turn right and begin climbing up the wide valley leading to the lake. Initially follow a straight farm track, then cross a small stream at a water intake and continue over a grassy ridge which quickly leads to the start of a partially grassed alluvial fan. Continue along the path, which climbs via a long series of hairpin bends to clear the rocky ledge on which the lake lies. The ascent ends at Lake Licony (2,555m), a high-altitude lake nestled between steep rock faces and gentle pastures.

3h30' 7.30km (1,008mD+) From the lake, head right, climbing gently halfway up the slopes through the pastures to reach the Arp de Licony (2,662 m), a typical alpine pasture with an elongated layout. Continue along a high-altitude traverse until you reach the Col de Licony (2,674m), which offers a sweeping view of the Mont Blanc massif.

4h00' 8.51 km (1,126 mD+) From the pass, after an initial section halfway up the slope, cross the final grassy slope which gradually gives way to the scree-covered terrain of the high mountains. Pass through a rocky section, following yellow markings and cairns, until you reach a small meltwater pond, which you should go round to the right (it’s worth turning round to admire the pond and the silhouette of the Grandes Jorasses). Finally, climb the last stretch up to the pass marking the boundary between the municipalities of La Salle and Morgex; turn right and follow the short ridge leading to the Pascal Bivouac (2,920m) 4h40' 9.58 km (1,352 m ascent) (136 m descent).
The descent follows the same route taken on the ascent: from the Pascal Bivouac, return to the Col de Licony, then traverse halfway up the slope towards the Arp de Licony and descend to Lake Licony. From here, descend along the hairpin bends over the rocky ledge and the debris cone to the village of Licony, then return via the farm track and the hillside path past the Chambave Hut, crossing the Torrent de Chambave once more. Continue through the Vallon de Chambave to the Piginière huts and the bridge over the Torrent Grand Eau, then climb briefly towards Belle Crête and return to the starting point at the stone fountain. 3h05' 9.58km .

Places of interest

• La Salle
• Licony
• Lake Licony
• Col de Licony
• Luigi Pascal Bivouac

Collections

• hikes starting from the car parks at Morge - on the map
• hikes to La Salle - on the map
• hikes in the Upper Aosta Valley - on the map
• hikes to the mountain huts in the Aosta Valley - on the map