The watershed between the Ayas Valley and Valtournenche has many interesting summits and balconies to admire the Italian side of the Monte Rosa Group and Cervino-Matterhorn, nevertheless the highest mountain and probably the best belvedere is Grand Tournalin, thanks to that it is often climbed.

E. Whymper (the conqueror of Cervino-Matterhorn) and J. A. Carrel climbed it to study the best route to win the “Pyramid”; in fact Whymper described this mountain as one of the best viewpoints in the Alps; Carrel even had a fixed bivouac on the top of this mountain in order to make the observation easier.

In addition to Cervino and Monte Rosa massif, the view from the top includes also most of the highest mountains of the Graian and Pennines Alps.

It is composed of two summits: North (3379m) and South (3370m) and from all its sides it appears as a steep rocky peak, but due to the bad quality of the rock, it is climbed exclusively following the easiest route (S ridge).

Historical notes

First known ascent: J. A. Carrel, E. Whymper 1873 August 7^th.

Getting There

Nearest Airports: Milan 170 km; Turin 110 km; Geneva 210 km

From Torino or Milan: Motorway A5, exit in Chatillon, take to Cervinia direction to get Valtournenche. Beyond this village there is a road fork: take to right to Cheneil. Park the car at the end of the road.

From Switzerland (Tunnel or Grand Saint Bernard Pass): in Aosta Est, get into Motorway A5. Follow Torino direction, exit from A5 in Chatillon and follow the previous itinerary.

From France (Tunnel Mont Blanc or Petit Saint Bernard Pass): get into Motorway A5, follow Torino direction, exit from A5 in Chatillon and follow the first itinerary

By Train: Italian State Railways (FS) Milan-Turin Intercity train; Turin to Chatillon-27 km to Cervinia by local bus

Routes

Normal route

Height difference: 1400m

Difficulty: for expert hikers (a few easy rock passage).

From the car parking (2030m) follow the trail to the small village of Cheneil, then follow the trail to Alpe Champsec (2331m), afterthat continue in the NE direction, cutting the slope, to the small valley between Grand Tournalin and Petit Tournalin and then Tournalin Pass (3079m). Follow entirely the rocky ridge up to the South Summit and then to the North Summit.

For ski tourers the itinerary is almost the same, and the difficulties are concentrated in the last 200 meters due to the potential presence of ice (verglas) on the rocks of the ridge.

An alternative destination could be the easier Petit Tournalin that is reachable by ski untill the top.