On foot to Chamois, the car-free village
Arrive in Chamois the way people used to: on foot, among larches and summer pastures. The village has no roads for cars and can only be reached by cable car or on foot.
- Difficulty
- E Hiking
- Length
- 4.9 km
- Elevation gain
- +460 m / −190 m
- Time
- 2.5 hours
- Route
- Point to point
- Altitude
- 1518–1944 m
- Season
- Summer Autumn
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The story
Chamois is the only municipality in Italy that cannot be reached by car: the village chose to stay without a road, linked to the valley floor by cable car. In the village you get around on foot and goods come up in the cabin.
Why go
Because walking into a car-free village, with the Matterhorn at the head of the valley, is something you won't forget.
Practical information
- Start
- Paquier (Valtournenche)
- Finish
- Chamois; return by cable car to Buisson
- Best time
- May–October
- Parking
- Car parks in Paquier and at the Buisson cable car station.
- By public transport
- Valtournenche bus from Châtillon; Buisson–Chamois cable car.
- Water
- Fountains in Chamois.
- Shade
- Larch woods in the first part.
- Huts and refreshments
- Cafés and restaurants in Chamois.
- With children
- Yes.
Weather at the start
The forecast for the next 7 days at this spot: sky, temperatures, rain and wind.
Forecast by Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), from the models of national weather services. Your browser downloads it directly from Open-Meteo, and only when you ask. In the mountains and at sea the weather changes quickly: check the official forecast as well before you set off.
What to see on the route and nearby
More hikes in Aosta Valley
- 1Rifugio Vittorio Sella from ValnonteyE 10.1 km · +900 m · 5–6 hours · out and back
- 2★ Lago di Loie from LillazE 7.1 km · +810 m · 4 hours · out and back
- 3Rifugio Bonatti in Val FerretE 2.9 km · +320 m · 2–2.5 hours · out and back
- 4★ Ru MarseillerT 11.5 km · +510 m · 3–3.5 hours · point to point
- 5★ Lago di Miserin and Finestra di ChamporcherE 13 km · +720 m · 4–5 hours · out and back
- 7★ Rifugio Oriondé and Croce CarrelEE 9.5 km · +880 m · 5 hours · out and back
- 8Rutor Waterfalls and Rifugio Deffeyes from La ThuileE 10.4 km · +880 m · 5–5.5 hours round trip · out and back
- 9Lago Blu, the Matterhorn's mirrorT 3.3 km · +20 m · 1 hour round trip · out and back
- 10Rifugio Elisabetta and Lac Combal in Val VenyE 12.4 km · +560 m · 4.5–5 hours round trip · out and back
- 11★ Lago d'Arpy from Colle San CarloT 6.4 km · +130 m · 1.5–2 hours round trip · out and back
Routes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via Waymarked Trails and BRouter; elevations from a digital terrain model. Times and elevation gains are indicative: waymarks on the ground and closure orders always take precedence.