Punta Charmontane, from the Valle di Clavalité car park
Edited by:
Massimo Martini
Updated at: 23/06/2026
Access
Road directions
Leave the [A5] motorway at the Nus junction and continue for 220m (0.22km). At the roundabout, take the second exit and join the towards Fénis, continuing for 500m (0.72km) until the next roundabout, where you should again take the second exit. Keep right towards Località Chez Sapin and turn into it after 199m (0.92km). Continue along Località Chez Croiset for 500m (1.42km) and along Località Chez Machet for 300m (1.72km). After 160m (1.88km), turn right onto Frazione Cors, continue straight on for 99m (1.98km), then continue along Barche for 240m (2.22km) and along Località Miseregne for 400m (2.62km). Turn right to stay on the ‘Località Miseregne’ road and continue for 220m (2.84km). Turn left and drive the remaining 9.6km (12.4km) to the car park, situated on the right.
Car park
At the end of the road is the free 🅿️ car park in the Clavalité Valley, the starting point of the route.
Access by public transport
To reach the starting point of the route, you will need a private vehicle, as the Clavalité Valley is not served by public transport.
Distance and walking time
🕒 Walking time: 24 minutes
📏 Distance: 12.4 km
GPS navigation
Important information
The directions provided were verified on the date the route was mapped. Before setting off, we recommend checking for any changes to the route or road conditions. For up-to-date information, please consult Google Maps or Apple Maps.
Introduction
Ascent to Punta Charmontane (2,680 m), on the ridge that forms the western boundary of the Val Clavalité, separating it from the Valle di Ponton, with the return via the same route taken on the ascent. The route starts from the car park at the valley floor and ascends the entire valley along path , passing through three distinct environments in succession: the larch forest of the lower valley, the grasslands and mountain pastures of the middle section — including the Petit Bellalanaz mountain pasture at 2,246m — and the open terrain at high altitude above 2,300m.
A panoramic plateau in the lower valley offers views of Punta Tersiva, Becca di Vio and Mont Rafray: it is one of the few points where the landscape opens out before narrowing again amongst the woodland. From the junction for the summit, the track leaves the signposted path and climbs diagonally up the western slope of the ridge: it becomes indistinct in places, requiring active navigation, and crosses scree that is slippery in places, two saddles and a tower-like outcrop that must be bypassed. The environment is harsh due to the altitude and terrain; the difficulty, which is more perceived than objective, requires familiarity with uneven ground and a sure footing in the final section.
This route should be tackled in late summer, when the high-altitude slopes are free of snow.
Description
0h00' 0.00km From the Valle di Clavalité car park, take the dirt track that climbs up the valley. The first section winds through a cool larch forest (Larix decidua), with a few barely noticeable ups and downs. Next, a left-hand bend leads to a short downhill stretch to a vantage point offering views of Punta Tersiva, Becca di Vio, Mont Rafray, the plateau and the small lake below. A little further on, after passing a small votive chapel on the left, you come to a fork marked by a signpost (1,513m), in the hamlet of Robioz.
0h05' 0.30km Take the dirt track on the left which, after a gentle climb, passes through the houses of Robioz until it reaches a beautiful meadow, a prelude to the hamlet of Le Chapieux (1,545m), where a signpost marks thejunction with path coming from the Marqueron car park.
0h15' 0.79km Keep to the right, passing along the edge of the houses, and, near a wooden drinking trough 💧, take the path which immediately leads into the dense larch forest. The gradient becomes steep almost immediately and you gain altitude quickly, whilst sporadic panoramic views of the central valley open up through the trees. Continue the ascent, keeping to the left, until you reach the junction with paths and coming from Marqueron.
0h50' 1.84 km Keep to the right, heading east-south-east, until the woodland begins to thin out, giving way to a mosaic of pasture, rhododendrons (Rhododendron ferrugineum), junipers (Juniperus communis subsp. nana) and scattered larch trees (Larix decidua) and Swiss stone pines (Pinus cembra) and a few solitary birch trees (Betula pendula). The ascent alternates between steeper and gentler sections; in the background, the distant peaks of the Alps can be seen. After a left-hand bend, the path continues in a fairly straight line, alternating between short wooded sections and grassy stretches, with a brief flat section, until it reaches the small valley that precedes a scree slope and the fork leading to the Petit Ballalanaz mountain pasture.
[1h50’T2] 3.41km Descend to the left, reaching the lowest point of a grassy basin, then head towards the nearby Petit Ballalanaz mountain pasture (2,246m). Continue along the path, which climbs gently at first and then becomes steeper, until you reach the barely visible junction for Punta Charmontane (2,341m).
2h15' 4.07 km Follow a faint path to the left which ascends diagonally up the western slope of the rocky ridge leading from Col Bellalanaz to the summit. The track is lost in places; follow the logical line of ascent, cutting across the hillside – initially grassy, then consisting of scree, and slippery in places – until you reach a first saddle overlooking the Ponton valley. Continue by skirting the rocky tower to the left to reach a second saddle. Keep to the left again on the Val Clavalité side, leaving a rocky bastion to your right, and proceed over uneven terrain, veering to the right to return to the ridge. With the summit visible ahead, tackle a steep, narrow path – slippery in places – to reach the summit of Punta Charmontane, marked by a cairn (2,680m) [2h30’T3] 5.38 km (1,158 m ascent) (19 m descent).
The return journey follows the same route taken on the ascent 2h00' 5.38 km (19 m elevation gain) (1,158 m elevation loss).