Les Ors, from Cogne

Introduction

Splendid hike on the slopes of Mont Pousset in the Gran Paradiso National Park. The arrival at the alpine pastures of Les Ors not only allows you to enjoy glimpses of rural architecture of yesteryear but also offers interesting wildlife encounters at the start of the season.

Description

Leaving the car behind, walk along the avenue that skirts the beautiful Sant'Orso meadow until you reach the main town of Cogne (Veulla). Go up the built-up area until you reach a square, turn right here and you will soon reach the characteristic Sant'Orso fountain: go past it and enter the beautiful Sant'Orso meadow. After passing near a mission cross, descend slightly until you reach the little bridge that crosses the Valnontey stream: shortly afterwards you reach the locality of Buthier (1,550m, 0h10'), where you will come across a signpost indicating the route to follow.

You start to climb up the little road that branches off to the right of the tennis court and leave it after a couple of short hairpin bends at the height of the upper houses of Buthier. From here, take a path that initially runs alongside a small stream and, after a short series of turns, meets it again just above. The path then leads to a small panoramic clearing where there is a fine view of the ridge separating the Cogne valley from the Pila basin. We now climb up some pastures that precede Robat, passing by a few stone walls, cross a short incline and reach the plateau that precedes Robat (1710m, 0h25'): up here it is not uncommon to encounter marmots (Marmota marmota). 

Leaving Robat behind, we proceed entering the dense forest of Norway spruce (Abies picea) and larch (Larix decidua), walking in a north-westerly direction; we follow the path that alternates slightly uphill stretches with a few small tears that make us gain altitude. We cross a small stream and continue in the same direction until we reach a stretch open by the vegetation from which there is a beautiful view of the valley floor. From here, the trail continues with a series of ups and downs as it enters the Vermiana valley until it reaches the des Ors stream: it crosses it on a wooden footbridge and quickly leads to the pastures below the alpine pastures, where it is possible to see ibex (Capra ibex) and chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra). The trail proceeds diagonally until it reaches Les Ors Dessus (2025m, 1h30').

The descent begins by following the path that follows the edge of the valley; enter the forest and quickly reach Les Ors Desot (1920m, 1h35'). 

The descent continues fairly steeply, passing several cottages scattered along the way until reaching a small bridge over the des Ors stream and, shortly afterwards, the Crétaz pastures and the footpath: here, turn right and follow it along the Valnontey stream to Buthier (1550m, 2h35'). 

From Buthier turn left crossing the stream over the small wooden bridge and go back along the track that crosses the Sant'Orso meadow until reaching the villages of Veulla, the main town of Cogne.