Pont - hike below Gran Paradiso 21 km

Hike starting from the large parking lot in Pont (1960 m) at the end of the Valsavarenche valley. From here you cross the bridge and follow the marked track 1 to the Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele II at 2775 m. This track first follows the valley for about 1 km and then ascends steeply out of the valley to the Rifugio, where you could stay the night and where there is also a bar-restaurant. There is a small lake there and after circling it you can continue towards the edge of a glacier (Ghiacciaio di Moncorvé). The track towards this glacier is not officially marked, but at some points indicated by stacked stones. However, not all is indicated, and the track more or less disappears closer to the glacier. Here you walk on rocks polished by the retreating glacier and sometimes on remaining snow. Watch out for melting snow, loose rocks etc. I did not go further than the edge of the glacier, and then returned to the Rifugio. From there you follow the marked path towards Rifugio F. Chabod (track 1A/8B). This part of the trail keeps you at about the same altitude (+/- about 200 m). After about 5 km from the Rifugio Vittoria Emanuele II this trail joins a trail from the valley, and it is here you turn left towards the valley, rather than climbing to the Rifugio F. Chabod. You descend to the valley at Terre/Teurry, where there is a bridge to come back to the road. From here, I walked back along the asphalt road to Ponte, but if you have some more time you could look for small trails on the other side of the river back to Pont. Also, there is a bus stop at Terre, and if you are by bus you can take the bus from here rather than go back to Pont.
There are restaurants, a camping and a small supermarket in Pont. The trail is entirely within the Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso, and you have great views along the entire route, as well as the chance to see alpine wildlife (chamois, marmots, etc.). The trail was inspired by but not the same as walk 25 in the german book " Rother Wanderführer: Aosta tal. Die schönsten Tal- und Höhenwanderungen" by Johannes Führer (appropriate name..).
Hiking time 2 hours from Pont to the Rifugio, 1.40 hours for the return trip from the Rifugio to the edge of the glacier, 1.40 hours from the Rifugio to where you turn left down to the valley, 1.15 hours for going down to Terre, and half an hour for the walk along the asphalt road back to Pont.