Four valleys to make a valley:Fénis-Clavalité/Comba Tersiva/Savoney/Lavodilec

The mountains surrounding have an average of about 3.000 meters, except for Tersiva (3.515m), Queen and unquestioned, unchallenged Symbol of the same. The list, at least the most important, clockwise starting from the North-northeast to get again in this direction, but on the opposite side: Bec Tolomon or Tolomont, Bec Courbo, Mont Charmontane (2.680m), Tête de Plan Fret, Raye Chevrères, Mont Glacier (3.186m), Mont Delà (3.139m), Mont or Tour Moussaillon (3.073m) and Tour Pontonnet before Tersiva. Then on the watershed with the Valley St. Marcel bordering the Hunting Reserve Marquis Turati: Punta del Tessonet (3.264m), Pt. and Gr. Avert (2.946m, 2.991m), the Gran Cresta also "Evil Crest", Punta Plan Rué (2.877/81) or Tita de la Rossa, Mont Corquet (2.530m) and, finally, the two small hilltop La Torasse, or for the inhabitants Touriasse, and Saint Julien (1.377m), with his namesake and renowned Hermitage & Chapel of San Grato, places the first over a tremendous precipice on the underlying Val Clavalité and the second on the wooded round promontory at the end of the watershed with the small Walloon of the Pieiller, also belonging to the Common Fénis. 

 

 

Fénis-Clavalité-High Comba Tersiva Valley Fénis-Clavalité-Savoney Valleys: from Fénis-Barche (607m), Arbussayes, La Cerise, Le Plan-Mayen (989m), Le Leffrey (1.074m), La Servettaz (1.107m), Lovignanaz (1.169m), by dirt road without permession; from this Les Fontaines (1.281m), in Southeast Petite Bella Lana Alp (2.256m) to Ballalanaz Pass (2.501m) to Point Charmontane (2.683m), through and under easy South Crest. From Les Fontaines in South Margheron or Marqueron (1.442m), Robbio also Robiaz (1.512m), Chez-Boz (1.508m), les Maisonnasses (1.534m) Pastures; from this in Southeast La Grande Ballalanaz Alp (2.334m) to Raye Chevrère Hill (2.703m), with path. From Maisonnasses in South Maison Blanche (1.526m), Bioley (1.527m), Chardonney (1.531m) Pastures; from this in Southeast Le Crin (1.587m), Les Bayettes (1.642m), L'Orgère (1.747m), Savoney (2.138m) Alps to Marguerite and Mé(d)zove or Margueron Lochs (2.376m), with path. From Lake in Southeast Medzove Hill (2.613m) to Lakes-Champdepraz Vallon, with various paths. Clavalité-High Comba Tersiva Valley: from Chardonney in South La Coutà, Celey (1.570m), Coujeic, Beneyte (1.733m), Le Bayet (1.918m), Meney (1.949m) to Grand Alpe (2.129m) Pastures, with dirt road-path. From fork, immediately before in East, Etsely or Echellier Low (2.097m), Upper also Tramouaille (2.437m) to Etsely Pass (2.812m) and descent to Savoney Valley, with path. From Grand Alpe:

 

1) - in East-southeast Tramouaille de Cuneux (2.509m) to Fussy Pass (2.911m), between Mounts Glacier (3.186m) and Delà (3.139m), with path;

2) - in South-southeast Moussaillon Loch, Pass (2.847m) to Dondena Valley in Champorcher Valley, with paths.

3) - In South on High Comba Tersiva Fénis Hill (2.833m) to Pontonnet Vallon, with paths. Connection in West with Pontonnet Hill (2.898m), descent in Urtier Valley-Cogne Valley, with paths.

 

Pieiller Vallon: from Fénis-Le Perron (582m) Hamlet, Champlan, Crou de Ban (926m), Le Pieiller de Sermoz (1.075m), Maison Longue (1.112m), Le Plany (1.174m), Le Pieiller (1.230m) little Villages, alternative on hairpin road (about 1.200m) to Le Coteau (1.234m) Village, with municipal road or path from valley floor; from this:

1) - in Northeast Mount Saint Julien (1.384m), Saint Grat Sanctuary and, through short descent, Saint Julien Hermitage, with path.

2) - From Le Pieiller road continuation in Southeast to La Morgnettaz (1.245m), Champremier (1.833m) Villages and connection with Les Druges Comba, at the entrance of Saint Marcel Valley;

3) - or the same connection but with path, starting from The Morgnettaz, passes through the small Villages of Porteron (1.368m; sledge run Combasse), Malplanet (1.495m), Les Druges Low and High (1.567m).

This long valley opens behind the Municipality of Fénis (537m), sited with its beautiful Medieval Castle of 1330, between the Cities of Saint Vincent to the East and Aosta. The same lies on the Southern side of the Central Valley of Baltea and at the slopes of Chermontane and St. Julien, who constitute the last bastion of the same that had originated at the foot of the pyramid of Tersiva. This castle, completely built with local stone and certainly one of the most magnificent of all Italy, with its towers and lacy walls was built by the Family Challant and more precisely by Aimone, who served first as Tutor to the Duke Amedeo VII° Savoy House and later by General Commander of the Troops of Savoy in the first half of that century. Sold to local farmers in 1716 by Count Francesco Giorgio to fulfill the legal costs incurred by the father and then to save the noble title of Challants with their privileges, is of great value both for the exterior architecture and for its interior, unfortunately worn and habited by commoners who used it improperly to their home for over 80 years. In 1895 the providential intervention of Architect Alfredo of Andrate saved him from complete ruin; the same, after partial restoration, gave it as a gift to the Italian State, while his feudal courtyard was faithfully copied in 1884 in the Medieval Castle Turin. This feud stretched from the small Municipality of Chambave, beyond the Baltea with its famous vineyards, up to above the wide Clavalité Plan (by Latin Clava), whence the name that prevailed even on the most current toponym of Val Fénis. This resulted favorite area in past centuries, as the most suitable for growing (the famous chestnut Fénis) and farming, while the higher areas were exploited for the pastures in summer and for water control (well showed the largest Tersiva Glacier at the foot of Wall North-northeast and now gradually being recession). But this area was already known and used by the Romans as it is here that they built two roads there and exploited widely Mineral Resources, today completely abandoned. The phasing out of the same, certainly less competitive than those of iron, copper and manganese in the adjacent Valley of Saint Marcel, led to more and more apparent oblivion of the same, reduced almost exclusively to Hunting Reserve by the Counts of Challant. Over 15 Kilometres long and varies in width between 3 and 5 Km., the Clavalité possesses, as we go along is elevated in the panoramic prerogative to offer the two pyramids of the Matterhorn, downstream, and of Tersiva, upstream, that give the impression of rivaling with one another, almost facing each in an epic duel. At about 15 Kilometres from Aosta Fénis ranks near the exit of Highway 5 near Aosta East, while it is 1.5 Kilometers; from the National Road n° 26, where, after a roundabout, past the Dora Baltea on a large stone bridge. Is composed of seven villages and its inhabitants (1427 in 1964) Nowadays exceed two thousand. There are post office, public telephone, shops, Tourism Committee, Pro-site and various sports facilities, while the nearby International Luge Track of Combasse (on the border with Saint Marcel) has now been closed almost since nearly two decades. Also worth visiting are the Church with the Bell-shaped spire, the "Cross Ramoliva" of 1500 and the small Chapel of San Giuliano (1.372m) at the beginning of Clavalité wide Plain. While crossing the dense Forest of Ban, you can come to Southeast in the very wild Ponton Vallon, interposed between those of Champdepraz or of the Lakes, Bellecombe (famous for the presence of minerals with garnets and vesuvius), Valmeriana (ancient mine became to Plan of Lovo) and Val Fénis. Find also many pastures, but only two bivouacs: the E. Borroz Rotary Club (2.156m), just above the Grande-Alpe (2.120m) and on the way to the Etsely and Marquis Turati (2.342m), the latter private and always closed just below the promontory where lies the Lavòdilèc. Oh, I forgot. If you go upwards in Grande-Alpe, find a Professor of Mathematics Albanian with Family. The same in 2005 won the First Prize for the best "Fontina" Val d'Aosta. Selling milk, butter, brossa and fontina and, if you go to my name, will you also to the discount. But remember to him that he is the past few years ... Finally: be careful because in the offing he lives the "Marassus berus", which is the only viper that attacks humans. As from experience in 1994 with the "Peppino" ...

 

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