CICLOTOUR : Châtillon – Breuil - Cervinia (Valtournenche)

Châtillon is almost in the centre of Val d'Aosta. This mediaeval village grew up at the entrance to the Valtournenche which climbs up as far as the slopes of the Matterhorn. The first village you come to is Antey-Saint-André which enjoys a sunny position, sheltered from the winds. There are two roads that start from Antey-Saint-André: the one on the right goes to La Magdeleine, the one on the left to Torgnon. Just after Antey-Saint-André you come to the hamlet of Buisson. This is where you can take the ski-lift, which links the bottom of the valley with Chamois, the one village which can only be reached on foot or by cable-car. After Buisson the road takes you to Maen, where the lake is a regional tourism reserve for fishing, and then it leads to Paquier, the administrative centre of the municipality of Valtournenche. A few kilometres further on you reach the broad hollow of Breuil-Cervinia at the foot of the majestic peak of the Matterhorn with the Grandes Murailles on the left.

Places you go through on the route: – Chatillon (530 m) – Covalu Hydro-electric power station 3.4 km (750 m ) – Antey-Saint-André 7.5 km (1,045 m) – Torgnon junction 8.1 km (1,055 m) – Buisson 11.1 km (1,115 m) – Valtournenche 18.7 km (1,520 m) – Lago Blu 25.5 km (1,990 m) – Breuil Cervinia 27.1 km (2,000 m)

Route included in a stage of the Giro d'Italia in 1997 (Racconigi/Breuil). Stage won by Gotti (ITA).