25th. August, Olomont, 1356m – Rey – Champillon, 2057m – Rifugio Champillon, 2430m – Col Champillon, 2709m – Praillas – St.Oyen, 1373m. (ca 8 h.) Hotel Mont Velan.

We had a rest day in Aosta viewing the town which is the capital of the small department of the same name. Piemont to the South and most other departments of Italy are much larger. One advantage for me of this stay was that I could have the batterie of my brand new digital camera recharged at a photography shop. I had not realised that it would expire so quickly. In the late afternoon we took a bus to Olomont which lies in a side valley of the Vapelline. By doing so we omitted the stage of the Alta Via between Close and Olomont (Rey).

Leaving the Hotel Olomont early we joined the path which climbs steeply mostly through forest until it reaches the Alp Champillon. From here the view on the North side is dominated by the Grand Combin and Mont Gelé, which had already lost much of its glaciation. There was a fine new refuge under construction and a year later it would have been possible to stay there. The rest of the climb to the Col Champillon is less steep with Mont Blanc and later the Grand Jorasses coming into view. To the South across the Aosta Valley the massive of the Grand Paradiso dominates the scene. The long ascent is followed by an equally long descent down into the Grand St.Bernard Valley at St.Oyen, where we stayed at the pleasant Hotel Mont Velan.