Rhêmes-Notre-Dame: Trails, Peaks and Regional Culture

Winter Trails and an Icefall

The Chanavey–Pellaud snow trail is a prepared and marked route approximately 6 km long. The approximate distance gives you a clear framework for planning your day, while the preparation and marking define the character of the route. As a snow trail, it is one of the winter route options that you can compare based on its length and condition. A winter day in Rhêmes-Notre-Dame can therefore be planned around the trail as a rough outline; the approximate figure is not a substitute for an exact walking time.

A snowshoe hike in the Valle di Rhêmes reaches Chaudanne and continues along the village in the direction of Pellaud. Here, traveling on snowshoes, Chaudanne and continuing in the direction of Pellaud are the main focus. The sequence of locations via Chaudanne and along the village toward Pellaud gives this snowshoe hike a specific route within the Valle di Rhêmes. For planning purposes, this snowshoe hike therefore remains identifiable as a separate route around Chaudanne and the village. Chaudanne is also the reference point for the approach to the “Sogno realizzato” icefall.

The approach from Chaudanne to the “Sogno realizzato” icefall takes 20 minutes. The 20 minutes provide you with a specific timeframe for this route, while the formation of the icefall is unfortunately not guaranteed every year. The 20 minutes refer to the approach from Chaudanne and do not constitute a promise that the ice will form annually. Therefore, plan the icefall as a possible winter destination rather than an event that occurs in the same way every year.

Circular Trail and Peaks Around Chaudanne

The Grand Rû circular trail follows a flat section along the Grand Rû and then descends to the hamlet of Chaudanne. This change is precisely what makes the route an interesting option in its own right: a descent follows the flat section, rather than the trail maintaining the same character throughout. On the Grand Rû, the descent to the hamlet of Chaudanne therefore follows the flat passage; for planning purposes, the loop should not be understood as a consistently flat route. When planning the circular trail, the change in the nature of the route should therefore be taken into account alongside the destination, Chaudanne.

The peaks Rocca Traversiere, Punta Plattes de Chamois, Becca di Suessa and Punta Tsanteleina are located in the area around Chaudanne. Together, the four peaks give the landscape a clear mountain character, without specifying any particular ascent route or access to a peak. For landscape-focused days, you can consider the peaks around Chaudanne alongside the route of the Grand Rû.

Castles and Museum in the Wider Regional Area

The Chatel Argent Castle and Castle Sarriod de La Tour are located in the wider regional surroundings of Chaudanne. The Castello Reale di Sarre and the Fiera di Sant'Orso Aosta Museum are also located in this wider regional area. For those interested in culture, these destinations can be considered specific regional points of interest alongside the winter routes.

Further destinations: Saint-Oyen, Valsavarenche, Pré-Saint-Didier, Rhemes-Saint-Georges, Saint Nicolas, Saint-Christophe, Fontainemore, Epinel

For the overall travel overview: Aosta Valley.