COURMAYEUR – Cycling is always beautiful, and doing it in particularly evocative places is even more so. Especially if cyclists have passed through those roads. And this year, the Tour of the Aosta Valley he touched many fascinating places. Among these is Pré de Pascal, in Val Veny.
Val Veny is at the head of the entire Aosta Valley. It is located in Courmayeur, on the slopes of Mont Blanc. On one side there is the Val Ferret, on the other the Val Veny and in front the Gigante closing the valley and separating Italy from France.
But Val Veny, even more than Val Ferret (perhaps because of its more challenging slopes), is even wilder: an “old-style” valley.
Under the gaze of the White
Getting on our bikes and putting ourselves "on the wheels" of the boys, we therefore retrace the second half (here also the track and the altimetry) of the last Giro della Valle d'Aosta, which went from Courmayeur to Pré de Pascal.
We first descended toward Aosta, then turned around once we reached the capital. Specifically, we retrace the last 60 kilometers or so. Our journey thus begins in Verrogne.
Verrogne is a village located on the left bank of the Aosta Valley at about 1.500 meters above sea level. It offers a particularly scenic spot. From its narrow streets halfway up the hill, you can see the city and the other peaks of the valley. It's from here that you get a unique view of Mont Blanc and its summit.
These little roads are relatively gentler than many of the climbs in the area. They're less congested and allow for a slower ride... if you want.
Bell towers, slate roofs, mown meadows, and, in the lower areas, even vineyards, alternate endlessly. Between these villages, after a few ups and downs, you arrive at La Salle. This is a village where you can stop for a break, enjoy a cool drink and maybe you can bump into the home star, Federica Brignone, snow queen and winner of the Alpine Ski World Cup a few winters ago.
Here, the more daring who want to follow the roads of the Giro della Valle d'Aosta to the letter can climb up to the 1.416 meters of Les Places, otherwise you can continue straight on the main road to Courmayeur.
In Val Veny
Once you reach Courmayeur, whose historic centre is undoubtedly worth a visit, in the Entrelevie hamlet the Val Veny is attacked. The "official" entrance is marked by the confluence of the Dora di Veny and the Baltea rivers. Simply follow the stream.
The scenery changes after a few hundred meters. At first, this valley seems a bit gloomy, but you immediately get the idea of a great mountain. On the left the steep woods of Mont Chetif, our goal in a certain sense, and to the right the mighty bastions of Mont Blanc.
This is where the Giant of Europe proposes two of its most important glaciers: the Brenva and the Miage. In particular, you cycle right under the Brenva.
Before attacking the real final climb, shortly after entering the valley there is a pearl to discover: Notre Dame de la GuérisonIt is a true Marian sanctuary and a point of reference for pilgrims, tourists and especially mountaineers. There are truly many votes from lovers of high-altitude mountains. At one point, the Brenva glacier almost reaches the Sanctuary.
Like Golliker… Almost
Shortly after, but already in the heart of Val Veny in Plan Ponquet, among fir trees, wooden tables for a picnic and the sparkling sound of the Dora di Veny, with a left turn you attack the climb that leads to Pré de Pascal.
The chain takes a moment to shift into the lower gears. The gradients increase rapidly. It almost always goes above 10 percent with peaks that touch 20. Luckily we don't have to be in the same hurry he was in. Joshua Golliker on the occasion of his first victory a few weeks ago.
You have to remember that this is no longer a "high-speed" road, but a mountain road. It climbs through the woods, the road is narrower, and that's why there are such steep slopes... It's essentially a forest road, so much so that once you reach your destination, it becomes a dirt road.
The climb is relatively closed by trees. About 300 meters from Pré de Pascal, however, you emerge from the forest. The perspective is so deceptive that you feel like you can touch Mont Blanc. The final destination is a clearing. A few children's games, a lush green meadow, cows, and stone houses, one of which is the Pré de Pascal restaurant. The second stage of the Giro della Valle d'Aosta ended right there. If you have a gravel bike, you could even continue climbing.
The alternative
Returning instead to Plan Ponquet, proceeding on the main road, usually closed to vehicular traffic, you can climb up to the magnificent Lago Combal. Getting there isn't exactly a gentle climb, but the view once you reach the top is worth the effort!
In practice, you reach the same altitude as Pré de Pascal (just over 1.900 metres), but the valley suddenly becomes flat. It is here that you can see glacial lakes, such as the Miage and the larger and more marshy Combal. where Mont Blanc is reflected. It's a true paradise.
If you want, in Val Veny right at Father Pascal, You can also stay overnight at the hotel-restaurant of the same name, which you can see in the opening photo. The cuisine is traditional mountain cuisine, which the Scalvino-Borettaz family has passionately cultivated for decades.
