Since Antiquity, history has been punctuated by improbable mountain crossings which caused wars to change.
The crossing of the Alps by Hannibal and his elephants in 218 BC.
AD or the battle of Roncesvalles, in the year 778 (at the origin of the name of the breach of Roland in the circus of Gavarnie), drink tales and books of stories.
The crossing of the Grand-Saint-Bernard pass by the First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte is not a legend but the journey of a man and his guide, during which the fate of Europe was played out.
The small and the big history
Back from Egypt, Napoleon launched the second Italian campaign to push back the Austrian army entering Italy. He reviewed the reserve army regrouped at Lausanne level, then moved ahead of it by a few days on the transalpine route that he intended for it. On the morning of May 20, 1800, he left Martigny to reach Aosta where the avant-garde was located. Arrived on horseback in Bourg-Saint-Pierre, he hired a Valais guide, Pierre Nicolas Dorsaz, and a mule to cross the Grand-Saint-Bernard pass. Shortly before the village of Proz, now under the waters of the Toules dam, the mule stumbles, threatening to drag the future emperor into the ravine. The guide, with an iron hand, retains his "client" by the coat and his mule by the bit.Napoleon considers that Dorsaz saved his life and sends him 1,200 francs instead of the 3 francs planned to allow the latter to buy a house. After a brief stop at the Hospice du Grand-Saint-Bernard, where he shared a meal with the prior of the convent, Napoleon switched to Italy and reached Aosta the next day to begin the second Italian campaign.
Walking in the footsteps of Napoleon
This exceptional loop to be carried out over 3 days and 2 nights is modeled on two legendary routes, that of Napoleon then that of the Tour du Mont Blanc on the Italian and Swiss sides.
By taking the TGV Lyria line from Paris to Lausanne, you will only need half a day of travel to reach La Fouly.
STEP 1
The Fenêtre lakes above the Grand-Saint-Bernard pass.
Julie LUTRINGER / AB PRESS
Start the hike from La Fouly, a Valais village facing Mont Dolent. Short warm-up of 13 km and 1275 meters of elevation gain to the sublime Fenêtre lakes. Admire Mont-Blanc then descend to the Col du Grand-Saint-Bernard. This first section of 3 to 4 hours leaves time to visit the thousand-year-old building which amazes by its exterior austerity and interior refinement. The atmospheres follow one another, depending on whether you visit the museum retracing the history of the pass since antiquity, the 13th century Baroque church or the inn restored in 2016. The thirty rooms with their refined design are surprisingly thick. walls and the silence that reigns there. The table is very correct with a "pasta cotta al dente" which you can drawessential energy to overcome the beautiful tomorrow that is emerging. If the weather is clear, the sunset over Lac du Col and the Grand Combin to the east rounds off this first day perfectly.
Itinerary:
from La Fouly to the Grand-Saint-Bernard pass
Distance:
13 km
Elevation:
1,275 meters of elevation gain and 463 meters of elevation loss.
Accommodation:
Auberge de l'Hospice du Gd St Bernard.
Phone.
: +41 27 787 11 53.
2ND STEP
Stones covered with snow on the way to the Malatrà pass.
Julie LUTRINGER / AB PRESS
The serious things start at sunrise with a big descent to the foot of the pass - Italian side - where you will leave the Napoleon road. This 20 km downhill portion can be done by bus to Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses. From there a magnificent ascent begins to the Col de Malatrà, at 2,925 meters. During the ascent, the atmospheres are scattered: tall chlorophyll grass and small colorful flowers of this early summer become scarce with altitude. Soon the torrents are resting in a few lakes, the screes are covered with gray snow then whitish snowfields. At the heart of a valley, the Frassati refuge is the long-awaited coffee break. From the refuge, the Malatrà pass seems impassable, the guide Jules-Henri discusses with the keeper and finds his Edelweiss smile again.The last 100 meters between scree and snowfields are engaged but without real danger. When passing the pass, he lets go: "It was still not working a week ago". The long descent crosses beautiful snowfields, then stretches over a green plateau from which the Grandes Jorasses are revealed. We join the Tour du Mont-Blanc just before Arnouva in the Val Ferret. You can have lunch at the Walter Bonatti refuge then finish the descent to the Val Ferret chalet at the foot of the eponymous Grand Col (1 hour more walk). Here you can dine and spend the night in one of the hotel's seven charming rooms.stretches out over a green plateau from which the Grandes Jorasses are revealed. We join the Tour du Mont-Blanc just before Arnouva in the Val Ferret. You can have lunch at the Walter Bonatti refuge then finish the descent to the Val Ferret chalet at the foot of the eponymous Grand Col (1 hour more walk). Here you can dine and spend the night in one of the hotel's seven charming rooms.stretches out over a green plateau from which the Grandes Jorasses are revealed. We join the Tour du Mont-Blanc just before Arnouva in the Val Ferret. You can have lunch at the Walter Bonatti refuge then finish the descent to the Val Ferret chalet at the foot of the eponymous Grand Col (1 hour more walk). Here you can dine and spend the night in one of the hotel's seven charming rooms.
Itinerary:
from Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses, at the foot of the Grand-Saint-Bernard pass to Val Ferret, via the Malatrà pass.
Distance:
20 km
Elevation:
1,232 meters of positive elevation and 1150 meters of negative elevation.
Accommodation:
dinner and night at Chalet Val Ferret.
Phone.
: +39 33 38 27 36 62.
If the Val Ferret chalet is full, you can spend the night at the Walter Bonatti refuge or at the Elena refuge.
STEP 3
Climb to the Grand Col Ferret which rises to 2,536 meters.
Julie LUTRINGER / AB PRESS
The Grand Col Ferret which marks the border between Italy and Switzerland is the ultimate giant of this journey to be crossed. He is the culmination of the Tour du Mont-Blanc but also a justice of the peace of the UTMB. The climb is steady and sustained up to the Elena refuge before steepening for the last two kilometers. The summit, where you hardly linger if it's windy, offers a final glimpse of Val Ferret, Mont Dolent or the Grandes Jorasses. As you pass the pass, the landscape is peeled and the path turns green when you go back below the 1,800-meter mark. The descent, initially gradual and rolling over 5 km, becomes technical over the following 4 km when entering the forest. The last two kilometers flat along the torrent allow you to catch your breath before returning to La Fouly.This last section makes it reasonably possible to reach your starting point for noon, collect your luggage and even take the time to have lunch before catching your trains without stress to be back at 8 p.m. in Paris.
Itinerary:
from Arnouva to La Fouly via the Grand Col Ferret.
Distance:
14 km
Elevation:
730 meters of positive elevation and 880 meters of negative elevation.
Accommodation:
dinner and night at Chalet Val Ferret.
Phone.
: +39 33 38 27 36 62.
Read also: Mountaineering: in the Ecrins, three accessible races to get started
Practical notebook
GO
TGV Lyria to Lausanne then CFF train to Martigny and transfer to La Fouly.
Return fare from 147 € (TGV) + 15 € (CFF).
Timetable, indicative: departure from Paris Gare de Lyon at 7:56 am, arrival at La Fouly at 1:00 pm.
For the return, departure from La Fouly at 2 p.m., arrival in Paris at 8:04 p.m.
Support package
This formula, departing from Martigny, includes transfers, accompaniment, half-board accommodation for 3 days and 2 nights, based on 6 people in double occupancy, lunches on days 2 and 3 and the carrying of luggage.
Price: 540 € / person.
Reservation on alpsxperience.com / info@alpsxperience.com