Hiking

Pointe de Chaligne loop from Costa Tardiva

The beginning of the descent to the Col de Metz

Details

Mendey

Departure location

Gignod

Municipality

average

Effort

Difficulty

4.5

Rating

1.088 m

Ascent vertical drop

5h 10m

Total time

Description

Services in the surroundings

Allein City Hall

Allein 1.581 m

Allein Post Office

Allein 1.572 m

Nearby attractions

Medieval house of Ayez

Allein 1.529 m

Parish Church of St. Andrew

Allein 1.589 m

Reviews

13/08/2025

priscilla

Description

Arrivata al rifugio Chaligne, questa volta sono salita usando il sentiero che passa dietro la stalla e devo dire che mi è piaciuto di più. Arrivata alla punta Chaligne ho proseguito con il percorso ad anello: sempre bello e lungo. Ottima birra e accoglienza al rifugio.

More info

Road access: Ok

22/06/2025

priscilla

Description

Ottimo giro ad anello. Salita dal 3a fino al rifugio (aperto), seguito il 2 fino alla punta Chaligne e rientrata al rifugio attraverso il col Tardiva. Sentiero sempre evidente, ben segnalato e mai esposto.

More info

Road access: Lasciato la macchina nello spiazzo di Mendey. Al ritorno era pieno di macchine parcheggiate ovunque.

Details

Mendey

Departure location

Gignod

Municipality

average

Effort

Difficulty

3h 10m

Ascent time

2h 0m

Descent time

5h 10m

Total time

1.523 m

Starting elevation

2.611 m

Arrival elevation

1.088 m

Ascent vertical drop

11.800 m

Total length

Ascent signposts

2,3A

Descent signposts

Jun - Jul - Aug - Sep

Best period

high

Crowding

4.5

Rating

Overview

The Pointe Chaligne is the symbolic mountain of Gignod, as well as one of the best known and most popular hikes in the Aosta Valley, both for its extremely panoramic position and for the beauty of the route, which alternates between wooded areas and others of wide pastures up to the panoramic ridge that leads to the summit.
The proposed loop trail, presents no difficulty in the absence of snow, is of medium length and requires a good workout. In the summertime you can admire the wonderful blossoms of the meadows dotted with alpine pastures, while in October the larch forests will begin to take on the warm colors of autumn.
The summit overlooks the city of Aosta from above, with an extensive panorama of Mount Emilius, just in front, as well as the glaciers of the Gran Paradiso and Valgrisenche valleys. Mont Blanc is also clearly visible. To the north, on the other hand, the view sweeps over the mountains of the high valleys of the Great St. Bernard, Valpelline, and Ollomont.

Reaching the start

From the Aosta East tollbooth take the tunnel along the E27 road leading into the Great St. Bernard Valley, at the end of which you meet the SS27 coming from the center of Aosta. Continue along it passing the village of Gignod.Continue for another 3 km along the E27 to the locality of Condemine, leave the main road in favor of the detour on the left to Gorrey-Buthier.
After 4 km you reach Grand Buthier, then continue on the asphalt road that goes up the whole hill crossing the pastures passing Gorrey, and reaching the end of the asphalt at the hairpin bend at an altitude of 1523 m in the locality of Mendey where the trails begin. You park in the clearings at the side of the road; you cannot continue along the dirt road because it is forbidden to transit.

The route

From the parking area, follow trail No. 3 that climbs southward in the woods skirting a vast meadow, and you quickly reach a concrete water convoy basin.
You continue above the basin, moving westward along the beautiful trail through a cool larch forest alternating with pasture clearings. You arrive at the ruined alpine pastures of Meriau damon 1740 m, which you leave to the right to continue on the obvious path through the dense forest to then reach Alpe Collet 1929 m, from where you already enjoy a beautiful view toward the Great St. Bernard Valley.
At Collet, you leave trail 3B to the right and head into the Vallone d'Ars to continue behind the alpine pasture, re-entering the forest immediately. At 2050 m you meet a dirt track that you follow for a short distance until the trail markers for trail no. 3 continue to the right, where the Costa Tardiva begins.
You pass a small clearing with some benches and a wooden cross, then the most strenuous part of the trail begins, winding through the forest of the Costa Tardiva; forest that thins out as it climbs, leaving room for meadows and viewpoints: soon you will notice a large repeater that you will reach by passing a steeper section of trail.
Over the repeater the path becomes much more comfortable and scenic, running along the long Costa Tardiva slightly on the Gignod side, among wide meadows.
With little effort one arrives at the Col de Tardiva 2410 m, where the climb resumes more marked always along the ridge leading to the top of the Pointe de Chaligne, already visible in the distance.
Faced with a short stretch of scree and rougher trail, one arrives at a grassy saddle at 2500 m, just at the foot of the final section of the ridge.
The trail, always uphill but never steep, becomes even more scenic, on one side you have the Aosta basin with Mont Emilius, on the other the mountains of Valdigne, Mont Fallère in the foreground to distant Mont Blanc and the Rutor glaciers.
In view of the cross, one passes a simple rocky step, which can be circumvented on the left, and arrives at the scenic summit of the Chaligne.
The descent is on the opposite slope, heading south, following trail No. 2 which quickly loses altitude along the ridge that ends at Col de Metz 2492 m, from which you descend for a stretch to the east and then north, following the path that circumvents the mountain from below, and heads toward the Chaligne Refuge.
At 2342 m you meet the Plan du Debat, which you leave on the lower right, continuing halfway up the slope until you reach the meadows of the large Tsa de Chaligne 2225 m pasture. Crossing the grazing plateau, you enter the forest in a hollow that quickly leads to the Chaligne Refuge 1936 m.
You continue along trail 3A, which initially follows the path of the dirt road and then continues into the forest, intercepting the farm road on several occasions. It touches the alpine pastures Rombason 1692 m and Roncaille 1664 m before reaching Mendey 1562 and finally shortly after the post.

Services in the surroundings

General services

Allein City Hall

Allein 1.581 m

Allein Post Office

Allein 1.572 m

Tourist services

freeridealliance

Allein 1.588 m

Where to eat

La Clusaz

Gignod 884 m

La Rencotre

Allein 1.570 m

Lo Couis

Gignod 1.122 m

Where to sleep

CleMaison

La Clusaz

La Maison Jaune

Lo Ni di Candolle

Nearby attractions

Castles and Towers

Medieval house of Ayez

Allein 1.529 m

Churches and Sanctuaries

Parish Church of St. Andrew

Allein 1.589 m

Museums

Coumba Frèide Carnival Museum

Allein 1.533 m

La Meison di Carnaval de la Coumba Freida

Allein 1.527 m

Weather service by the RAVA Functional Centre

Open the site of the Functional Centre of the Aosta Valley Region

Avalanche bulletin by Aineva

Open the Aineva website

biella10

Description

Dopo aver parcheggiato l’automobile nel parcheggio, da dove si può continuare solo con il permesso, abbiamo subito preso il nuovo sentiero con i numeri 3 e 3A seguendo il n. 3A che porta al Rifugio Chaligne (ancora chiuso), quindi su n. 2 passando per la Tza di Chaligne siamo giunti alla Punta Chaligne. Siamo scesi fino alla Tza di Chaligne ed abbiamo preso la strada poderale abbandonandola per seguire l’indicazione TMF che ci ha riportato al Rifugio Chaligne (chiudendo così un piccolo anello) e da qui siamo ritornati al parcheggio dove avevamo lasciato l’automobile.