Hiking

Prarayer Refuge and Place Moulin Lake

The fantastic colors of the Place Moulin Lake

The road in the midst of the larch trees in autumn garb

One of the many small waterfalls on the trail

The characteristic turquoise color of Place Moulin

The forest in the vicinity of the refuge

Place Moulin Dam from the meadows below the refuge

Details

Place Moulin Dam

Departure location

Bionaz

Municipality

suitable for all

Effort

Difficulty

4.3

Rating

120 m

Ascent vertical drop

2h 20m

Total time

Description

The Prarayer Refuge is located in the upper Valpelline, at the northern end of the Place Moulin Dam. It is an excellent starting point for more challenging hikes, or as a refreshment destination for a leisurely day hike. The dam and the refuge are located in a first-rate environmental setting enclosed by the glaciers of the Dent d'Herens group.The Place Moulin Dam is a reservoir with a capacity of about 105 million m³ of water.The hike to the refuge is a pleasant, low-stress walk that takes ...

Services in the surroundings

Lac Place Moulin

Bionaz 519 m

Lac Place Moulin

Bionaz 519 m

Nearby attractions

Place Moulin Dam

Bionaz 47 m

Reviews

16/07/2026

biella10

Description

Saliti, come da descrizione, sulla poderale. Abbiamo proseguito verso la “pianta monumentale”. Ritorno sul percorso fatto all’andata. Federica, Francesca ed Alessandro (CAI/ANA Biella)

Comment

Qualche goccia di pioggia al rientro in prossimità del parcheggio.

More info

Road access: Qualche cantiere.
Causa chiusura gallerie, siamo saliti passando da Roisan e scesi passando dalla rotonda nei pressi dell' Ospedale di Aosta.
Parcheggiato, non a pagamento, appena dopo la galleria; costo del parcheggio a pagamento 5,00€ al giorno.

25/06/2026

echabloz

Description

Bella e comoda passeggiata a bordo lago adatta a tutti.

Comment

Gita fatta con la moglie. Molta gente al rifugio e dintorni.

More info

Road access: Parcheggio alla galleria.

Details

Place Moulin Dam

Departure location

Bionaz

Municipality

suitable for all

Effort

Difficulty

1h 10m

Ascent time

1h 10m

Descent time

2h 20m

Total time

1.980 m

Starting elevation

2.021 m

Arrival elevation

120 m

Ascent vertical drop

9.000 m

Total length

Signposts

May - Jun - Jul - Aug - Sep

Best period

high

Crowding

4.3

Rating

Overview

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. Just before Gignod, immediately after the last tunnel, proceed to the right following the SR28 of Valpelline, reaching the capital.Continue on the SR28 passing Oyace and Bionaz, then continue to the end of the road at the Place Moulin Dam, where there are numerous paid parking lots.

The route

From the parking lots follow the small dirt road following path no. 9 (forbidden to vehicles) which, after a short climb to get above the dam's weir, continues skirting the entire lake, with some slight descents alternating with other always gentle climbs.While your gaze will always turn to the turquoise waters of the lake, on the left you will pass some small waterfalls coming from the streams that descend from the slopes above.Almost at the end of the dam, a wooded strip precedes the Chapel of la Lè, and just beyond it the Novailloz hut is a must for a souvenir photo with a truly unique view.Continue for a few hundred more meters, leaving out trail No. 8 left for the Comba d'Oren, thus reaching the Prarayer Refuge at the edge of a larch forest.Depending on the season, different nuances of the trail can be appreciated: in early summer, the residual snowfields are reflected in the waters of the lake, whose level is still low; in July-August, the lake takes on its characteristic turquoise color due to the melting of the glaciers, while in autumn, the yellowed larches give strong color contrasts.

Services in the surroundings

Where to eat

Lac Place Moulin

Bionaz 519 m

Where to sleep

Lac Place Moulin

Bionaz 519 m

Nearby attractions

Environment

Place Moulin Dam

Bionaz 47 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

Reviews

16/07/2026

biella10

Description

Saliti, come da descrizione, sulla poderale. Abbiamo proseguito verso la “pianta monumentale”. Ritorno sul percorso fatto all’andata. Federica, Francesca ed Alessandro (CAI/ANA Biella)

Comment

Qualche goccia di pioggia al rientro in prossimità del parcheggio.

More info

25/06/2026

echabloz

Description

Bella e comoda passeggiata a bordo lago adatta a tutti.

Comment

Gita fatta con la moglie. Molta gente al rifugio e dintorni.

More info

Road access: Parcheggio alla galleria.

27/04/2026

albert61

Description

bella e facile passeggiata soprattutto se come abbiamo fatto noi al rientro abbiamo seguito l’itinerario 8 che dal rifugio Prarayer sale di un centinaio di metri e va ad incrociare il sentiero che porta al rifugio Nacamuli. Si prosegue per alcuni alpeggi, l’ultima parte è su comoda strada poderale che termina poco sopra la diga. Con alcuni tornanti dopo una galleria si rientra al parcheggio.

More info

Road access: parcheggio gratuito fino al primo maggio

08/11/2025

priscilla

Description

Oggi giornata rilassante. Dopo aver seguito la strada sostanzialmente in piano che porta al rifugio Prarayer siamo ritornati indietro seguendo il sentiero n.8. Dopo la galleria abbiamo ancora fatto una scappata fino all’alpe Le Meà seguendo il sentiero n. 7. Giornata calda, si pesta pochissima neve e panorami splendidi.