Cottage of Sort

Access

Take the motorway as far as the Aosta Est tollbooth, pass it and exit at the next tollbooth in the direction of Aosta-West. At the traffic lights turn left and continue towards Courmayeur until you pass the village of Villeneuve, where the turnoff for Rhêmes-Notre-Dame branches off to the right. After Introd, leave the diversions for Valsavarenche on the left and continue until reaching the municipality of Rhêmes-Notre-Dame, where you can leave your car in the parking area adjacent to the municipality, which is on the left near the church.

Introduction

This hike takes place in the beautiful pine and larch forest above the village to the south, where it is also likely that specimens of alpine fauna will be spotted. In some sections, the progression becomes quite difficult in heavy snowfall on the frequent steep sections of the route. Attention must also be paid to orientation if there are no tracks, especially after the junction with the posts, a point up to which there are usually numerous tracks for the more popular excursion to the Entrelor huts. The view to the north of the Grand Rousse, Pointe de Rabuigne and Cime de Boque, which encircle the village of Rhêmes, is exceptional, while in the opposite direction, the rocky Mont Rolettaz can be seen close up and, to its left after the col de Sort, the Gollien north and south peaks.

Description

From the car park, walk between the houses following the signs for Entrelor and, after crossing the bridge over the Dora di Rhêmes, arrive at the park ranger's house, where immediately on the right you will find the start of the itinerary signposts. Climb immediately into the forest for a short distance and cross the cross-country track to head for the huts above Pra del Bosco (1792m). Having crossed the track for the last time, head northwards through the trees in the direction of the Château Quelet cross, trying to find the traces of the summer trail and in any case spotting an obvious signpost (1862m) at the top with many indications and where, just below it, you will find the signpost with the direction, on the left, to take for the destination of the hike. We now traverse for a short distance without rising much for a few tens of metres and then rise, still traversing halfway up the slope, making a wide semicircle to the east that contours the southern offshoots of the Tête d'Entrelor. Before reaching a kind of wide and obvious gully, we turn right and make a few hairpin bends to climb the steep slopes of the forest for a little over a hundred metres in height difference. You make a traverse to the right heading towards the bottleneck of the valley and after a last uphill effort to the left you reach the panoramic hut that you only see at the last moment.

General information

Trail:from Bruil
Signpost: (9) when visible
Type of route a/r
Recommended period: December, January, February, March
Sun exposure: north