Col Salvé, from Lignan

Access

Leave the motorway at the Nus tollgate, proceed along the junction and after 220m at the roundabout, take the first exit and proceed in a north-easterly direction until you come to the Strada Statale (trunk road): take this to the left and follow it for 850m until you come to a traffic light signposted for Saint-Barthélemy. Turn right onto Via Champagne and a little further on turn right again onto Via Aosta until you reach the village of Nus. In front of the pharmacy, turn left to take the Regional Road of Saint-Barthélemy. Drive up the regional road past the village of Nus, and through the villages of Petit-Fénis and Blavy, and after 15.,9 kilometres you will reach the pretty village of Lignan. In the village there are two large car parks 🅿️ free of charge: one in front of the small church closest to the starting point of the trails and a second, in case the first is fully used, at the beginning of the village.

[0h26'] - [17.8km]
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These directions are based on direct verification at the time of surveying the route so the information should be checked before setting off. We recommend using a GPS navigator or a map app on your smartphone to get up-to-date and detailed directions.
 

Description

0h00' We take the little road that leads to the Aosta Valley Astronomical Observatory. Having passed the signpost indicating the main itineraries starting from Lignan, we climb up the path of the planets, i.e. the short stretch of road leading to the observatory accompanied by a series of explanatory panels dedicated to the planets of the solar system. After the short 'planetary' hike, the little road becomes a snowy track and begins to climb the sunny slope above Lignan. We pass a slight knoll as the interesting south-east face of Mont Faroma emerges in front of us; after a less intense climb, we reach a shack (where a track to the Comba de Chaleby starts). The first alpine pastures of Place are encountered and the route begins to climb again with some vigour. Pass the renovated cottages of Place de Meiten (1872m) and start climbing the snowy slope again, skirting the larch forest until reaching Mayes (1992m, 1h00'). Continue by entering the forest with a diagonal turn to the right. After crossing the forest, you soon reach the ruins of Fontaney (2087m, 1h15'). Continue diagonally to the right, passing a second wooded strip until reaching the edge of the beautiful snow-covered pastureland: turn left and pass the last solitary larch trees before plunging into an environment of unique beauty, a white sea at the foot of Mont Morion. One ascends the slope in the direction of a signpost immersed in white: from here one turns slightly to the left and, after a few bumps, the alpine pasture appears before the hiker. A final short effort and you reach the Tsa de Fontaney (2307m, 1h45').
From the mountain pasture, you can enjoy a very interesting panorama: from the beautiful backlit profiles of Mont Emilius and Becca di Nona, to the glacial peaks of Monte Rosa: 270° of mountain! l

1h00' From the mountain pasture, turn right and climb up the grassy path, which, with a series of bends, overcomes some depressions and passes near a small lake. Slowly you approach Col Salvé: just before the pass (2515m, 1h40'), 

1h40' the path starts off to the right, which joins the west ridge of Mont Morion.