Gilliarey Oratory, from Etirol

Access

From the motorway exit of Châtillon/Saint-Vincent turn left and drive up the main road to a roundabout, take the second exit and proceed west on Via E. Chanoux through the centre of Châtillon, cross the Marmore stream and take first Via Menabrea and then Via Martiri di Chesod to the right before joining the regional road , the second exit at the characteristic roundabout with the Matterhorn in the centre. Follow the regional road for 8km to Antey-Saint-André where, at Hotel Filey, turn left to take the regional road to Torgnon. Climb up the regional road for about 6 kilometres to reach the main town of Mognod. Continue straight on, following the signs for the ski lifts. After 400 metres at a hairpin bend to the left, take the municipal road on the right, following the signs for Petit Monde, Triatel and Etirol. Now continue on the narrow road until you reach the village of Triatel and finally that of Etirol, where you will find a small car park 🅿️ near the village. If the car park is full, you can turn around and park near the Moulin.

[0h31'] - [19.6km]
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These indications are based on direct verification carried out at the time of the survey of the route, therefore the information must be verified before starting the hike. We recommend using a GPS navigator or map app on your smartphone to get up-to-date and detailed directions.

Introduction

Peaceful walk through pastures and larch forests, ending at a scenic and extremely scenic spot.

Description

0h00' From the car park, proceed straight ahead to a clearing in front of the village: take the mule track to the left that wedges between the houses of Etirol. After leaving the village, the mule track makes a few bends before turning left in a north-westerly direction. After passing alongside a rascard, the trail crosses a shady section before joining the uncultivated pastures surrounding the ruins of Levaz dessous (1,677m).

0h15' The trail veers slightly to the right and enters the Torrent de Petit Monde valley, where it meets the junction of the trail at 1,690m. 

0h25' Neglect the diversions and now continue markedly uphill in the cool larch forest (Larix decidua), leaving the stream on the left until it joins the Tsantsevellà pastures.  

Just before the plateau below the alpine pastures there is a stretch of thick ice: be careful in this passage. You now proceed along the track of a farm road and pass a small clearing before entering the larch forest again as you skirt the stream. After a few minutes, you will reach a small bridge and, a little further on, turn right and you will come across a marker indicating the path to Gilliarey (1871m).
0h50' Start to climb a steep slope, following, more or less in a straight line, the furrow of the summer mule track; you will soon gain height and fairly quickly reach a small hollow at the foot of the Crêt mountain pasture. Proceed on the left side of the lowest part of the depression until you reach the ridge again, which you climb up without any obligatory path until you reach the little road - cross-country track - that leads to Gilliarey (2104m, 1h40'). 

On reaching the track, turn right and immediately go back into the larch wood and start walking along it along some hairpin bends until you come to a stretch where the view of the Valtournenche begins to open up. Continue along the track until you come to a crossroads (2177m, 1h50'): turn right and after a few dozen metres you will catch a glimpse of the Gilliarey Oratory: you are not there yet, continue straight on until you come to a small votive shrine and, shortly afterwards, you will come to the village of Gilliarey (2182m, 1h55') surrounded by a splendid view of the Gran Becca (the Cervino ed.). We leave the track by descending to the right, first towards the village and then continuing towards the Gilliarey Oratory (2174m, 2h00'). 

From the Oratory, we can appreciate a beautiful view of the entire Valtournenche and the watershed mountain range with the Val d'Ayas: from the Grand Tournalin to the Zerbion.
The return is made by following the track back to Loditor, crossing the various alpine pastures from Tellinod to Palud. From Loditor, continue in a south/south-east direction until you return to the small bridge that you met on the ascent: from here, descend again on the outward route until Etirol (1h 30').

The hike can also be done from Champtorné by following the cross-country track until Loditor: there is certainly a smaller difference in height, but the length of the itinerary increases considerably.