Grand Tournalin Refuge, from Saint-Jacques

Access

Leaving the motorway at the Verrès exit, enter the roundabout and take the second exit. Proceed in the direction of the town centre and, after 300m, turn left onto the regional road for Val d'Ayas. Follow the regional road for 16.5 kilometres, passing the villages of Challand-Saint-Victor and Challand-Saint-Anselme, Brusson, Vollon, Extrapieraz, Periasc and Champoluc. After about 30 kilometres you come to the large car park at Frachey (where the Monterosa Ski rack starts): here there is a shuttle service that takes you to the small square in Saint-Jacques. If you arrive before 7 a.m., it is possible to go up a short distance and leave your car in a free car park 🅿️ on the left of the road: in this case you need to add about 500m of walking.

[0h44'] - [30.1km]
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These indications are based on direct verification carried out at the time of surveying the route so the information should be checked before embarking on the hike. We recommend using a GPS navigator or map app on your smartphone to get up-to-date and detailed directions.

Introduction

Following the Alta Via trail, you enter the pleasant Nannaz valley: the final destination is the Grand Tournalin hut, a beautiful refuge at the foot of the imposing east face of the summit of the same name.

Description

From the Saint-Jacques car park, walk along the road near the church, after a few dozen metres you will find a bridge on your left over the Evançon stream with the signs for the Grand Tournalin Refuge. Cross the bridge and take the mule track that soon leads to the small village of Pelioz (1722m, 0h05') where the Alta Via Bed & Breakfast is located. Leaving the houses of Pelioz, the path heads to the left and follows a fairly level stretch. You enter the forest until you reach the pastures below the pretty chalets of Droles (1760m, 0h15'); go around these and re-enter the fir forest. You reach the pasture again and first come across a small votive shrine and then Alpe Croués (1870m, 0h25'). Once back in the wood, the trail quickly gains altitude, taking it close to the Torrent de Nannaz, climbing along its orographic left-hand side until it joins a farm track: follow it for a few dozen metres and then rejoin the path. Climb up a short stretch of woodland to come out onto the pastures below Nannaz desot (2049m, 0h50'). Climb up to the track, just above the alpine pastureland, and proceed to the left until reaching a farmhouse: here, following the signs on the ground, take the wide path that leads to a beautiful plateau. Walk along the stream, keeping to the orographic right, and cross the pleasant plateau in the sight of the Bec de Nannaz. At the end of the plain, you come to a small wooden bridge, cross the stream, and start to climb up the grassy ridge until you reach the Tournalin desot mountain pasture (2278m, 1h40') and, shortly afterwards, the farm road. After a short stretch on the road, take the path again, climbing up the pastures that precede the hut. Slowly you enter the final part of the wide basin at the foot of the Tournalins, Petit and Grand. The destination is now close at hand, and we turn slowly to the right to finally reach the Grand Tournalin hut (2535m, 2h20').
The descent follows the same route as the outward journey (1h40').