The best running trails around La Thuile

A typical Aosta Valley village nestled in the mountains, a crossroads for Colle San Carlo, the Piccolo San Bernardo, and Pré-Saint-Didier. A little trivia: it was here that, at the end of the Second World War, a partisan brigade and a small republican brigade, putting aside all hatred, jointly opposed De Gaulle's attempt to annex the Aosta Valley to France.

The “Peylet” pine forest in La Thuile is not just a picnic area, it is the heart of the town. A suggestive place, an environment where you can relax and be lulled by the sweet and ancient song of the waters of the Dora del Rutor, the chirping of birds and the squeaking of countless squirrels. Inside it is possible to walk in complete safety, stop at the 52 tables scattered around the area and for the more curious you can stop at various information panels that tell the story of the flora and fauna of the place. 2 and a half hectares, with 14 waste collection points where you can have a perfect relaxing and regenerating picnic

From Maison Berton we head to Entrèves. This position – between the Rutor and Dora di Verney streams – has given the hamlet its name. In fact, Entrèves means “between the waters”. Saint Barbara is the patron saint of the neo-Gothic chapel in this hamlet. The Saint was venerated by the inhabitants who attributed to her the merit of having spared the village the disastrous fire of 1794, which instead involved and destroyed the other centers. The current construction dates back to about a hundred years later (1876). The statue of the Saint is placed on the wooden altar together with Saint Joseph, as it is depicted on one of the five canvases that surround the altar itself. Noteworthy is the painting by Vauterin with the martyrdom of Saint Erasmus. The sculptural Pietà from the 18th century, which is located in the sacristy of the parish church, also comes from the Entrèves chapel. This beautiful chapel underwent a major restoration in 2011 by the Alpine group of La Thuile.

A marvel.

Starting point for many excursions, including the one to the Rutor Waterfalls. Large free parking.

Very pretty hamlet from where the path to the waterfalls starts

La Thuile is one of the largest municipalities in the Aosta Valley; it is located in Valdigne, an area whose name derives from "Vallis Digna" which describes a valley worthy of being colonized for its magnificent exposure at the foot of Mont Blanc but above all worthy of the highest consideration because it was the main connection route with Narbonensis Gaul. At 1450 meters above sea level La Thuile is a mountain village with just over 800 inhabitants (less than seven per square kilometre) which become many more thanks to its strong tourist vocation: in winter it is an international ski resort with slopes reaching the Little Saint Bernard Pass and La Rosiére and in summer it is a place for nature walks, bike excursions and outdoor activities. You can admire the Rutor Glacier (the third largest in the Aosta Valley) with the Rutorine waterfalls with 3 rock falls, discover the mining past linked to the extraction of silver first and then anthracite, find old seventeenth-century entrenchments or admire glimpses of the Mont Blanc massif. In the midst of so much nature, the traditions of a mountain culture rich in values also stand out: food and wine, craftsmanship (The Maison Musée Berton - maisonberton.it - is the ideal place to discover it through a private collection in a private villa now transformed into a house museum) , local products such as Fontina - fontina-dop.it -.

The final part of the path that reconnects with the path taken to climb.