From Gressoney-Saint-Jean to Gressoney-La-Trinité (1627m), trail 14

from Gressoney-Saint-Jean to Gressoney-La-Trinité
(You can go on to Stafal)

Toward Stafal

Toward Saint Jean

Trail 14 starts from Gressoney-Saint-Jean (1373m)and arrives in Gressoney-La-Trinité (1627m). It is 7746m long and the total positive elevation gain is 299m.
The approximate time for the ascent is 2h17. The trail is rated T difficulty.

It is a long and very popular walk that joins the two towns of Gressoney-Saint-Jean and Gressoney-La-Trinité, following the bed of the Lys River on the orographic left (right side, looking at Monte Rosa) with a very gentle slope. I will describe the trail in the direction from Saint Jean to La Trinité, but the route is perfectly marked and obviously those who want to walk it starting from La Trinité will not have the slightest problem.

Ecko Chapel

The trail can be walked by anyone: the total elevation gain is very small and “spread” over as much as 7 kilometers. If the day is nice, the walk is wonderful: along the way you will pass by ancient stadel, Villa Loubeno (where some scenes of House of Gucci were filmed), the stunning Ecko Chapel, and pass through flowery meadows and pastures probably occupied by placid cattle. 7 kilometers during which it is really impossible to get bored.

When you reach Gressoney-La-Trinité, you can continue further, crossing the Lys and continuing on the left side of the valley (orographic right) until you reach Stafal, a village that lies at the end of the valley. We first pass through the hamlet of Batt, where it is possible to observe the only natural bridge present on the Lys, composed of a few large boulders over which a small road passes, allowing us to climb back onto the state road. From Batt you climb a short step up to the hamlet of Biel above, cross the tiny hamlet and return to the asphalt road: from there on to get to Stafal simply follow the road.

More information on level of difficulty, ascent times, maps and GPX tracks

Photo Gallery

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After passing the power plant, the path climbs up along the creek

In Rong, the trail continues to the left of the wash house.

allontanandosi da Rong, villa Zimmermann

The arrival in Biela, where the path to Rissuolo Pass crosses.

Continue straight ahead, ignoring the signs to the right

On the way back, looking toward Saint Jean

At this small bridge, veer to the left to reach Ecko

You arrive in sight of Gressoney-La-Trinité

Between these two houses, the route to La Trinité can be considered completed.

From here we return to the state highway

Starting from La Trinité, enter the trail from the Walsershild restaurant.

After passing Punta Jolanda, we continue to Stafal

Along the Lys, a snowfield that survived the winter.

Far away appears the white chapel of Biel

The view of the Lys from the top of Biel

1. Start and finish

Trail 14 starts from Gressoney-Saint-Jean, the elevation is 1373m.
See on Google Maps.

Latitudine e longitudine (WGS84 - EPSG 4326): 45.765314, 7.835627

The arrival location is Gressoney-La-Trinité. The altitude is 1627m.
See on Google Maps.

Latitudine e longitudine (WGS84 - EPSG 4326): 45.827742, 7.826741

2. The route

The official start of Trail 14 from Saint Jean is next to the reservoir, near the gas station. I always started from the bridge over the Lys located in the large parking lot near the elementary school, this one:

The departure from Saint Jean

Just past the bridge, follow the dirt road along the right side of the Lys.

The path runs at first along the Lys

You pass the golf course, and reach the buildings of the hydroelectric power plant…

The hydroelectric power plant

…past which you come to a bridge, where there is a marker post: here you leave the dirt road and ascend, skirting the stream on the right, in the direction of the villas that can be seen in the distance.

After passing the power plant, the path climbs up along the creek

The first of those is Villa Loubenò, where scenes from the 2021 film “House of Gucci” (the most social event ever to happen in Gressoney’s recent history) were filmed.

Villa Loubenò

Continue slightly uphill until you again encounter a stake, which is sometimes rotated and thus may not point in the right direction:

Cross the road and return to the trail

The important thing is to cross the paved road and get back on the path going upward, and not be misled by any false post signs to follow the road downward.

Here is the path to resume

The path after a few meters returns to the continuation of the paved road: you pass another marker post that marks the beginning of the Trail 9 to Alpetto Pass, and you arrive in the township of Rong. Continue until you reach the end of the road, and continue on the path that starts to the left of the wash house.

In Rong, the trail continues to the left of the wash house.

You pass by some wonderful stadel, very old.

One of the vintage stadel in Andre Rong

We soon arrive at the core of Rong, from which Trail 8 to Rissuolo Pass normally starts.

The arrival in Biela, where the path to Rissuolo Pass crosses.

You pass a small bridge, shown in the photo below, and the trail continues past a hump following a very defined trail: I recommend making a short detour here to transit , leaving the trail to the left and looking for tracks that drop down into the valley.

At this small bridge, veer to the left to reach Ecko

Continue along this faint trail until you reach Ecko. This map shows the map of the area:

This leads to the tiny village of Ecko, where there is a chapel (dating from 1657) dedicated to St. John of Nepomuk (!) with frescoes on the facade (a unique feature, compared to other similar chapels in the area).

The village of Ecko

The trail is almost finished: you enter a vast plateau at the bottom of which the first houses of Gressoney-La-Trinité begin to appear. You come to a junction where you can decide whether to go straight on, continuing to cross the meadow, or move left and walk the last section of Trail 14 back to the road. I prefer to stay off the road as much as possible, so I recommend going straight ahead.

You arrive in sight of Gressoney-La-Trinité

The trail passes between two houses, crossing the common entrance to trails 3 to Gastaldi Bivouac, 4 to Zube Pass and trail 5 to Gabiet Lake.

Between these two houses, the route to La Trinité can be considered completed.

Turn left and return to the state road: we have arrived in Gressoney-La-Trinité.

From here we return to the state highway

This photo shows the entrance to Trail 14 for those wishing to start from La Trinité: just find the signs for the Walserschild restaurant.

Starting from La Trinité, enter the trail from the Walsershild restaurant.

You will come to the point where between the houses you will see the marker indicating the direction to the right for Trail 15 (further on you will return to Trail 14).

Follow to the right

Continuation to Stafal

You cross the Lys and continue skirting the river on the left (orographic right), staying on the paved road. You pass the area where the chairlift departure station for Punta Jolanda is located, and enter a wide path that continues northward.

After passing Punta Jolanda, we continue to Stafal

The trail continues alongside the Lys, following its gentle bends.

View along the Lys towards Stafal

If the day is nice, this stretch offers some really wonderful views.

View along the Lys towards Stafal

You soon come to a wide clearing beyond which you can see, on the surrounding rise, a small white church surrounded by a few houses: this is the hamlet of Biel, which you will soon reach.

Far away appears the white chapel of Biel

As soon as you get to the foot of the slope above which Biel is located, you find yourself in Batt. On the right you can see the point where the Lys is completely bypassed by some large boulders that form the only natural bridge present along its entire course.

The natural bridge over the Lys in Batt

The trail climbs the slope with a couple of twists and turns until it reaches the grassy clearing on which stands the tiny village of Biel, with its stunning 1763 chapel dedicated to Sts. Roch and Sebastian.

Biel’s core

The view from Biel is one of the most beautiful in the valley.

The view of the Lys from the top of Biel

You pass through the tiny village and come to the paved road: from this point on, you do not leave it, and in about a mile you finally arrive at Stafal, at the end of the trail.

3. The GPX track

This is the map of the trail, according to the SCT Trail Cadastre of the Aosta Valley.

Download the trail in GPX format