Champorcher: The Off-the-Radar Valley of Larches and Alpine Lakes

Champorcher is the only one of the great Aosta Valley side valleys that has no outlet toward France or Switzerland. It is a dead-end valley in the geographic sense: you enter and exit from the same side. This configuration has preserved it from transit traffic, commerce, and the tourist speculation that has changed the face of more accessible valleys. Fewer than three hundred residents, no major ski facilities, no five-star hotels.

The Village and Its Castle

The village of Champorcher (1,430 m) preserves a network of cobblestone lanes, stone fountains, and houses with larch-wood balconies blackened by time. Above the village rises the Château de Ville, a medieval tower that once controlled the mountain territory. The interior is open for visits during certain summer periods with a municipal guide. The fourteenth-century parish church of Sant'Egidio houses votive frescoes recalling the epidemics and avalanches that have marked the community's history.

High-Altitude Lakes and Mont Avic Park

The valley borders the Mont Avic Natural Park, a protected area of about 5,800 hectares characterized by glacial lakes, peat bogs, and Scots pine forests. Lago di Loie (2,272 m), reachable in about three hours' walk from the village, is one of the most striking: slate-colored waters, reflections of red serpentinite rocks, no man-made structure within sight. In season, you can count barely a few dozen hikers per day.

Food and Accommodation

Local agritourisms serve boudin — Valdostan blood sausage with beetroot — and mocetta, dried and spiced chamois or ibex meat. Local dairy products include Toma di Champorcher, a semi-fat cheese with yellow paste and rough rind. A few guesthouses and B&Bs round out the accommodation options, with prices significantly lower than more popular valleys. The ideal months are June through September.