What most visitors to the Gran Paradiso National Park area never realise is that its highest peak is just one of the countless fabulous summits in the region. Discover a wild mountain hut and 2 of these "lesser" summits in a peaceful valley.
LessAs a base for ski touring it does not come much better than the Val di Rhêmes and the Rifugio Benevelo. There are no cable cars and although the area is popular in springtime it never feels crowded. There is always a good welcome from the locals in the variety of cafés in the picturesque Rhêmes-Notre-Dame before you skin to the hut. It is essential to contact the Refuge in advance to make a booking as it tends to get busier at weekends.
A fine ski touring peak that is hard to beat, long but never really steep and with a skin-to summit. The summit is on the Italian/French border and it is (rightly) popular. It is glaciated but you are unlikely to see or encounter crevasses. However as it is a glacier, carry the appropriate equipment and know how to use it.
With a summit right on the border between Italy and France this glaciated peak makes a fantastic ski touring objective from the Benevelo hut. It is long and mostly easy angled and will often hold great snow due to its north facing aspect. It is a great viewpoint over towards the peaks of the Vanoise further afield.