Location: Val de Bagnes, above Ferret and La Fouly
Description: magnificent hike with a large drop in height on the border of Switzerland and Italy
Total length: 16 km
Walking time: approx. 6 hours
Elevation: +/- 1’200 meters
Altitude: between 1,644 and 2,711 meters,
National hiking map 1: 50’000: 292 Courmayeur
Best period: June to September
Difficulty : T3
Departure
From the Le Clou / Les Granges bus stop (between La Fouly and Ferret), head towards La Fouly for 200 meters and follow the indications to Gîte de la Léchère by an unpaved carriage road located downstream of the main road. From the Léchère gîte, follow Petit col de Ferret. After a short climb, the route crosses the pastures of La Léchère above and animal tracks can obscure the path. The Léchère stables above are the main management. From the stables the path is well marked (red and white signage) and heads south towards the Petit Col de Ferret.
Route
Once at the Petit col de Ferret, near the Swiss / Italian border marker, take the direction of the Grand col de Ferret by a slightly vertiginous path which runs along the ridges of Chantonnet and Tête de Ferret. 300 meters before the Grand Col de Ferret, start the climb towards the Tête de Ferret. From the Grand Col de Ferret follow Ferret, la Fouly by an easy path that runs along the foothills of La Dotse. From the La Peule gîte, the starting point can be reached via Planproz or Ferret.
Useful information
Very busy hike in summer season. There is no particular difficulty except the section between the Petit and the Grand Col de Ferret which can cause problems for people suffering from vertigo. In the event of heavy snowfall, this last section must be taken with the greatest caution, in which case an ice ax and crampons are not superfluous. Magnificent panorama of the surrounding peaks.