Berzin, from Chessin
Edited by:
Massimo Martini
Updated at: 11/08/2025
Access
Leave the motorway junction at Châtillon. Turn left and continue for about 300 metres until you reach a roundabout. Take the third exit onto Via Emile Chanoux and continue straight ahead through the town centre for about 600 metres. Turn slightly right onto Via Menabreaz and continue for 450 metres until you come to a roundabout with the "Matterhorn" monument.
Take the second exit and join the Valtournenche regional road. Follow the valley for about 6.2 kilometres, passing the village of Champlong and the Covalou hydroelectric power station, until you reach the large square of the Copapan pizzeria. Take the small road on the left which, after about 450 metres, leads to the village of Chessin: on the right is the free fractional car park 🅿️ where you can leave your car.
Distance and travelling time
🕒 Travelling time: 10 minutes
📏 Distance: 6.7 km
GPS navigation
📍 How to get there with Google Maps
📍 How to get there with Apple Maps
ℹ️ Important note
The directions given were verified on the date of the route survey. Before departure, it is advisable to check for any changes to the route. For up-to-date and detailed directions, we recommend the use of Google Maps or Apple Maps.
Introduction
The itinerary from Chessin to Berzin winds its way through forests and pastures that glow with warm, golden hues in autumn. The trail, which initially follows old rural paths and stretches of the Ru de Marseiller, enters among conifers and beautiful birch trees with bright yellow foliage, providing a play of filtered light. The ascent, which is never too steep, alternates shady stretches with panoramic views of the rocky ramparts above Promiod and the upper Valtournenche, until reaching the open pastures of Berzin. Here, the chapel of St James watches over the small village, with the unmistakable profile of the Matterhorn standing out against the colours of the season behind it. A short but evocative route, ideal for immersing oneself in the autumn atmosphere of the Aosta Valley mountains.
.Description
0h00' 0.00km From the car park, go up the little communal road for a short distance until you reach a fork. Keep to the left and take a grassy, unmaintained track that soon crosses the Ru de Marseiller, preceded by an aqueduct shed. Continue straight ahead: the track now becomes a fairly steep path that climbs into the mainly coniferous forest, with a few splendid specimens of birch (Betula pendula).
After a left turn, the path resumes the ridge that emerges between two torrential streams and gains height, offering glimpses of the rocky ramparts above Promiod and the terminal section of Valtournenche. It then bends to the right, maintaining a constant gradient, and reaches a second aqueduct hut, before flowing onto the left side of a new ridge. From here, it is a short walk to the pastureland below Berzin.
The path gives way to a farm track that crosses the pastureland diagonally, with the unmistakable silhouette of the Matterhorn in the background. With a final little effort, we reach the village of Berzin (1,175m) 1h00' 1.58km , with its pretty chapel dedicated to St James.
The return trip follows the same route as the outward journey, retracing the path until returning to the starting point at the Chessin car park 0h40' 1.58km .
Points of Interest
Collections
- hikes departing from Chessin - on the map
- hiking in Antey-Saint-André - on the map
- hiking in Torgnon - on the map
- hiking to the villages of Valtournenche - on the map
- hiking in Valtournenche - on the map
- hiking to villages in Valle d'Aosta - on the map