Gran Paradiso is the highest peak situated in the Gran Paradiso natural park, and the only 4000 meters situated exclusively in italian territory.

Gran Paradiso natural park is one of the oldest natural reserves in Europe: the area has been protected since 1821, at the initiative of Joseph Zumstein, and with the approval of the house of Savoie, rulers of Piemonte. Vittorio Emanuele II was 1 year old at the time. He not only first became king of Sardinia-Piedmont, and in 1861 the first king of the united Italy, he was also a very keen hunter who used the area as his private hunting domain. After his death in 1878, he was succeeded by his son Umberto I, and, after the latter was assassinated in 1900, by his grandson Victor Emmanuel III, who resigned from office in 1946 when Italy became a republic. It was Victor Emmanuel III, not much into hunting, who handed the area over to the Italian state in 1922, which made it into Italy's first national park.

The park was enlarged in 1979, and now it covers an area of 70000 ha. It borders the Parc National de la Vanoise, the first national parc of France (founded in 1963) and with 53000 ha slightly smaller than its Italian counterpart.

There are two normal routes to the Gran Paradiso peak: via the refuge Federico Chabod and via the Refuge Vittorio Emanuele II. The latter starts in Pont, at the end of the Val Savaranche, where a good path starts to the hut. From there, the way leads mostly over gentle, moderately cracked glaciers to a col in the final crest, near the top. Getting to the Madonna, and also getting to the actual top, involves a few steps of climbing II. Apart from the last few meters to the top, the route is easy but fairly long. This route is one the great classics in the Alps, done each year by large crowds, but altitude effects are to be reckoned with.

Route from Refuge Vittorio Emanuele: you can arrive by car until Pont (calls only "Pont" and not "Pont-Saint Martin" that is another village) at 1960 m. of altitude (highway to Aosta, exit Pont or bus from Aosta one hour trip). From this village you walk on a easy path to refuge "Vittorio Emaunele" (3 hours) where generally the alpinists stay to sleep. Early in the morning you begin to climb the mountain on a moraine and then at about 3000 m. on ice. The last 50 meters are on rock, with two crossing (II level) in the summer period very crowed.

Route from Refuge Chabod (Submitted By Lieven): The route from Chabod follows a good path up to an elevation of about 3150 m (this part of the route is mostly done during the night). There you put on your crampons and rope. First the route passes the north face. Later, at an elevation of 3800 m the route from the Rifugio Vittorio Emmanuele joins and then it is just half an hour to the summit. This route takes about 4,5 hours. The descent by the same route can be done in 3 hours.

Gran Paradiso hosts other routes (classic routes) on the North-West wall

• Chabod route - along the small rocky ridge on the left


• Bertolone route - along the icy slopes on the NNE ridge


• Mooser route - from Piccolo Paradiso on the East wall


• Frassy route

More information at Steve & Judy Pardoe's Gran Paradiso Page