Col des Ceingles, ring for the Frassati Refuge
Hiking
Col des Ceingles, ring for the Frassati Refuge
Details
Description
This loop makes it possible to reach two passes.
The ascent takes place along the wild valley that leads to the Grand Goillat and the descent along the wide Merdeux valley.
The Frassati Refuge is located along the descent and is a good opportunity to stop for lunch.
The descent follows the beautiful trail traveled by Alta Via No. 1.
Services in the surroundings
Details
Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses
Municipality
average
Effort
E
Difficulty
4h 0m
Ascent time
2h 40m
Descent time
6h 40m
Total time
1.655 m
Starting elevation
2.809 m
Arrival elevation
1.154 m
Ascent vertical drop
17.500 m
Total length
s.n.,12A
Ascent signposts
12A,AV1
Descent signposts
Jul - Aug
Best period
high
Crowding
Overview
This loop makes it possible to reach two passes.
The ascent takes place along the wild valley that leads to the Grand Goillat and the descent along the wide Merdeux valley.
The Frassati Refuge is located along the descent and is a good opportunity to stop for lunch.
The descent follows the beautiful trail traveled by Alta Via No. 1.
The ascent takes place along the wild valley that leads to the Grand Goillat and the descent along the wide Merdeux valley.
The Frassati Refuge is located along the descent and is a good opportunity to stop for lunch.
The descent follows the beautiful trail traveled by Alta Via No. 1.
Reaching the start
From the Aosta East tollbooth, take the tunnel leading into the Great St. Bernard Valley and continue along it, passing the villages of Gignod, Etroubles, and Saint-Oyen.
Leave the road that climbs to the Great St. Bernard Pass on the right and continue on the E27 highway until you meet, on the right, the exit for the Crevacol ski resort.
Continue for about 500 m until you reach the large parking lot.
At the small traffic circle, turn right for about a hundred meters and then turn left into a large parking lot where you can leave your car.
Leave the road that climbs to the Great St. Bernard Pass on the right and continue on the E27 highway until you meet, on the right, the exit for the Crevacol ski resort.
Continue for about 500 m until you reach the large parking lot.
At the small traffic circle, turn right for about a hundred meters and then turn left into a large parking lot where you can leave your car.
The route
From the parking lot take the rural road that passes under the viaduct and then move to the left. Follow the rural road passing the Devies alp, after about two hundred meters you have to leave the rural road and follow to the right the beautiful path of the Alta Via n.1 which you follow through wide pastures until you reach the Merdeux alp.
You continue until you reach a rural road at a hairpin bend, at this point the high route passes to the left (from where you will return) instead we have to go up the rural road that after a few hairpin bends arrives on another road.
At this point you go left entering the valley until, just before the stream, you take a small road to the right that ends immediately.
Go up to the right (in this section the path can be seen very little but the terrain is grassy) and then cross further up to reach the Col de Saint-Rhémy.
Facing from the pass, the Great St. Bernard pass is clearly visible.
Now cross to the left reaching the bottom of the valley and then go up again on stony ground, with a last very steep section, to the Col des Ceingles.
From the pass you descend a small section and then make a long traverse to the right and descend the valley on the right.
When you get to the height of the Frassati refuge (which you can see well) you have to cross decisively to the right until you reach a small pond, in a few minutes of ascent you reach the refuge.
After the break at the refuge you return to the pond and then continue to the right until you cross the wide path that descends from Col Malatrà.
You descend along the path of the high route until you reach the rural road near the alpe Tsa de Merdeux.
You continue along the path that descends through wide pastures until you reach the alpe Moindaz.
You descend to the stream and then cross the steep mountainside on the left halfway up to the alpe Cotes. Go up a stretch of the rural road to the junction where you had arrived in the morning, now following the path climbed in the morning you reach the car.
You continue until you reach a rural road at a hairpin bend, at this point the high route passes to the left (from where you will return) instead we have to go up the rural road that after a few hairpin bends arrives on another road.
At this point you go left entering the valley until, just before the stream, you take a small road to the right that ends immediately.
Go up to the right (in this section the path can be seen very little but the terrain is grassy) and then cross further up to reach the Col de Saint-Rhémy.
Facing from the pass, the Great St. Bernard pass is clearly visible.
Now cross to the left reaching the bottom of the valley and then go up again on stony ground, with a last very steep section, to the Col des Ceingles.
From the pass you descend a small section and then make a long traverse to the right and descend the valley on the right.
When you get to the height of the Frassati refuge (which you can see well) you have to cross decisively to the right until you reach a small pond, in a few minutes of ascent you reach the refuge.
After the break at the refuge you return to the pond and then continue to the right until you cross the wide path that descends from Col Malatrà.
You descend along the path of the high route until you reach the rural road near the alpe Tsa de Merdeux.
You continue along the path that descends through wide pastures until you reach the alpe Moindaz.
You descend to the stream and then cross the steep mountainside on the left halfway up to the alpe Cotes. Go up a stretch of the rural road to the junction where you had arrived in the morning, now following the path climbed in the morning you reach the car.
Services in the surroundings
Tourist services
Where to eat
Where to sleep
Nearby attractions
No attraction found
Weather service by the RAVA Functional Centre
Avalanche bulletin by Aineva
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Nearby routes (<2 km)
challenging 4.6 
suitable for all 
average 3.7 
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Last update
30 April 2025, 15:09