Resorts: Montjovet, Châtillon, Saint-Vincent
The itinerary is quite physically demanding due to the ascent to Col Marcage from Fiusey of Montjovet and quite demanding in terms of descending technique via the stretches of path between the villages of Rodoz and Bellecombe and the one between Bellecombe and Ussel (until the bridge on the Dora Baltea River at the Châtillon station). The route can be particularly appreciated from a landscape, fauna and geological perspective.
Technical difficulty: medium (difficult descents)
Physical difficulty: medium/difficult
Bike-friendly: 90%
Type of Route: mixed asphalt, dirt, path
Take the Valle d’Aosta State Road no. 26 or A5 Motorway and exit at Châtillon - Saint-Vincent. Follow the State Road 26 to the Saint-Vincent village and then leave the car in the municipal square with the sports facility where the route begins.
You follow via Ponte Romano until the Feilley crossroads and then go uphill until the Estaod (village of Montjovet municipality) crossroads (702 metres above sea level) on the asphalt road. Then you descend to the Ruelle hamlet and continue until you come to the old church of Saint-Germain and the ancient village of Montjovet.
After having passed the Dora Baltea River near the district’s hydroelectric plant, continuing along the asphalt road leads you to Fiusey di Montjovet. Then carrying on further along the asphalt road that leans against the rocky side on the orographic right side of the Dora Baltea, you arrive at the village of Gettaz. After reaching the crossroads located near the fountain (drinking water) of this village, you take the road that goes up on the right in the direction of Col Marcage and then turn onto the farm track until the hill itself before reaching Rodoz by following a rather technical path; from here, you continue along the path, wheeling your bikes alongside you for part of it, (following the red stickers – provisional signposting that indicate the direction of Bellecombe of Châtillon), and then come to a very technical path before reaching the village of Bellecombe. Once at this point, the descent to Ussel can be made on asphalt road or by following the path of the martze-a-pià race until you reach the village of Ussel.
From this point, a paved path leads to the bridge of Pontey at the railway station of Châtillon, besides which, following the farm track that flanks the Dora Baltea, you reach the hamlet of Tenso and then the ex Saint-Vincent train station before returning on the municipal asphalted road to the sports facility square from where you set out.
Note - this information is not directly connected to the Cammino Balteo path but it is part of the Aosta Valley tourist offer.