Mont Fallère, from Thouraz dessus

Access

From the motorway barrier at Aosta-West, keep left following the signs for Aosta - Saint-Pierre. After one kilometre, at the roundabout, take the first exit to join the national road in direction Aosta. Proceed for 750 metres until you reach another roundabout: take the second exit and follow the signs for Ville-sur-Sarre. Drive through the village of Sarre and continue for 7.3 kilometres until you join the regional road dei Salassi. Turn left and follow the regional road for 1 kilometre before meeting the turnoff for Thouraz. Turn left and drive up the road for 5.1 kilometres until you reach Thouraz dessus, where there is a small car park 🅿️ near a fountain 💧.

[0h28'] - [14.4km]

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The starting point of the route is not accessible by public transport.

The directions provided were carefully checked on the date the route was taken. However, you are strongly advised to check any changes that may have occurred since then, especially regarding the access route to the starting point. Before embarking on your journey, it is advisable to consult up-to-date navigation tools for accurate and up-to-date directions. We recommend the use of satellite navigation apps, such as Google Maps or Apple Maps, to ensure the most accurate and safe route.

Introduction

Mont Fallère is an isolated peak of the 'Grande Rochère-Monte Fallère' group in the Pennine Alps. At a height of 3,061 metres, it stands out clearly between the Great Saint Bernard Valley and Valdigne. Administratively, the mountain lies on the border between the municipalities of Sarre, Gignod and Saint-Pierre. The summit can be reached mainly by two hiking routes: the one described in this report, starting from Thouraz dessus, and the one from Vetan, passing through the refuge of the same name. From the summit, the panorama is truly unique! The highest peaks in the region are clearly visible and easily recognisable; a sublime view that rewards the slightly above-average effort required.

For enthusiasts, Mont Fallère offers an additional attraction: the 'Tour du Mont Fallère', a hiking trail at the foot of the mountain. This trek is about 36 km long, with an altitude difference of 2,700 metres.

Description

0h00' 0.00km From the car park, go briefly back along the access road to Thouraz dessus until you see the no-trespassing sign and a signpost.

0h04' 0.32km Continue straight ahead on the dirt road that climbs with a slight incline between larch trees (Larix decidua) and birch trees (Betula pendula), following the orographic left of the Vallon de Clusellaz. Along the way, there are striking views of the trapezoidal silhouette of Mont Fallère, until you reach a fork (1680m).

0h15' 0.80km   Ignore the dirt road on the left that leads to the Arpy mountain pasture and continue slightly uphill until you come out of the forest. On the left, in the middle of the valley, you can admire the Torrent de Clusellaz waterfall and the remains of the huge Becca France landslide, which broke off from the mountain at 6 a.m. on 6 July 1564, burying the old village of Thora. At an altitude of 1750m, ignore the track to the left that descends to the Moron mountain pasture and continue on the dirt track, which, after a couple of hairpin bends, reaches a new marker post.

0h50' 2.30km Take the path to the right, which initially runs parallel to the road below and enters the forest. Cross a stream and, once out of the wood, the path begins to climb up the pastureland with a series of short switchbacks along the grassy ridge. After passing the last of the larches, some of which are quite large, the path crosses some juniper (Juniperus communis) thickets and, diagonally to the left, reaches the alpine pasture of Le Morgnoz (2056m).

1h30' 3.55km Once past the alpine pasture, take the farm road again until you reach a crossroads. Take the second road on the left and continue slightly uphill in a north-westerly direction. At the hairpin bend, take the path again, which crosses the pastures in a few minutes and leads to the alpine pastures of Tza de Morgnoz (2,276m).

2h35' 5.26km Once past the alpine pasture, cross a wide clearing, the end point of the farm road, and resume the climb along the grassy ridge before the lake. Keep to the right and climb up the pasture until you come to the water collection pool. After a short flat section, you will reach Lac Fallère (2415m).

2h40' 5.87km Turn left, briefly following the Tour du Mont Fallère trail, and climb up a grassy ridge until you reach a fork (2440m).

2h45' 6.07km Turn right and follow the path, which starts to climb up the southern slope of the goal with a fair gradient. On the first part of the ascent, there are beautiful views of Lac Fallère below. The path heads towards a small rocky ridge, after which, with a series of twists and turns, it reaches a small shelf where it joins the path coming from Bellun (1664m).

3h20' 6.91km ntinue with a series of bends on the steep slope, where the meagre pastureland has now given way to the classic high-altitude scree environment, populated only by scattered groups of wild goats. The path turns right until it reaches the Alessandro Pansa bivouac (2983m), set up on the remains of the old Capanna Margherita.

4h15' 8.41km   ercing the final ridge, with some demanding and exposed passages (where it is necessary to use your hands in case of difficulty), but still falling within the terrain of hiking. At the end of the ridge you finally reach the summit, where a small shrine dedicated to Our Lady and a cross (3061m) are erected 4h30' 8.60km .

The descent follows the same route as the ascent: only be careful on the first stretch of rocky terrain not to drop stones on your fellow hikers 2h25' 8.41km .

Points of Interest

• Thouraz dessus
• Lake Fallère
Bivacco Pansa
• Mont Fallère

Collections

• hikes departing from Thouraz dessus - on the map
• hikes in Sarre - on the map
• hiking outside Aosta - on the map
• hiking in the upper Aosta Valley - on the map
• hiking in the 3000 metres of the Aosta Valley - on the map