The Tailly Lakes and the Val d'Otro: the Valsesia that stays wild

In Alagna Valsesia, the last village of the upper Sesia Valley, the roads end and the real mountain begins. We are at around 1,190 metres, right beneath the southern face of Monte Rosa, in a village founded centuries ago by the Walser, the people of Germanic origin who settled these high pastures around the massif. While many head straight for the lifts and the most photographed peaks, here you need only turn your back on the valley floor to find silence again.

The Val d'Otro

The route climbs towards the Val d'Otro, a side valley that opens just above the village. It is a world apart: steep meadows, cottages of stone and wood, wooden fountains and Walser hamlets where time seems to slow. Along the climb, water is everywhere, gathered in narrow gorges and carved among smoothed rocks, with small waterfalls you come upon almost by chance when leaving the main paths.

The glacial lakes

Higher up you reach the glacial lakes, set among moraines and scree at the foot of the ridges. The two Tailly Lakes, the best known in the valley, lie above 2,300 metres: the lower basin is deep and sometimes retains sheets of ice even in summer. They are mirrors of dark water, ringed by rock and sparse high-altitude pasture, where the wind and the sound of water are often the only sounds.

The loop and the effort

The loop demands trained legs and a full day: significant elevation gains, stretches over scree, and weather that changes quickly. It is best to set off early, carry water supplies and warm layers, and respect the pastures, cottages and grazing animals. Much of the area falls within the Alta Valsesia Natural Park, a protected zone to be crossed with a light step.

When to go

Walking is at its best from late June to September, when the snow has withdrawn from the high trails. Alagna remains a worthy alternative to the more crowded Alpine resorts: you come here to walk and to listen, not for the crowds. Leave your car in the village, sleep in a Walser cottage and give the Valsesia the time it deserves.

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