The Ru of Roisan and the Alpe di Viou by Mountain Bike

The Itinerary

The route to the Alpe di Viou is a staple among the itineraries near Aosta, renowned for its well-maintained network of trails and breathtaking views. The journey begins at the Roisan sports center, in the Moulin district, where convenient parking is also available. From there, the route starts by following the dirt road along the Burthier stream until it meets the paved road coming from the nearby village.

Crossing a bridge, you follow a country road, accessible both on foot and by bicycle, that runs along the opposite bank of the river, heading towards the Valpelline valley. The paved road continues for about 1.3 km, before veering onto a steep and uneven dirt path that leads to the Ru Pompillard, an area that was closed to traffic following a landslide in 2019. Despite the official ban, many still travel this road, which has been partially restored and protected with safety nets, while paying attention to potential risks.

Reaching the Cretaz district of Roisan, a short asphalt section leads to Preil. Here, the paved road gives way to a dirt path which, in about 5 km, reaches an altitude of 1300 meters. The path then crosses the road to Blavy and trail 105, which will be the return route.

The climb continues on asphalt for another 2.2 km until passing Blavy, reaching 1500 meters in altitude, where a beautiful forest trail begins, offering splendid views of Aosta and the surrounding mountains. Ignoring a crossroad, you proceed uphill on a well-maintained surface towards the Alpe di Viou, situated at an altitude of 2100 meters and reachable after about 6 km with an average gradient of 10%. Only the last stretch of the route is slightly more challenging, but still very manageable.

For the return trip, take trail 105 starting from the ruins of Alpe di Viou. Initially, the trail is steep and challenging, but then it opens up into a beautiful panoramic traverse that crosses the forest road again. The path becomes progressively less technical as you descend, with trail 105 crossing the forest road several times before reaching Blavy.

From Blavy, briefly retrace the downhill asphalt before taking a right turn back onto trail 105, which is now easier and ends near a hairpin bend noted earlier. The downhill route continues on a wide and smooth trail until reaching the Porossan-Tramouail district, where it connects with the Ru Pompillard road for about 2.5 km to Baravex.

To return to the starting point at the sports center, the route follows the Ru Champapom dirt trail, which offers breathtaking panoramic views of the valley carved by the Burthier stream. The trail can be reached by descending from Baravex on a paved road leading to the Closellinaz district.