Sentiero Attrezzato Francesco e Giuditta Gatti

Overview

The Sentiero Attrezzato Gatti, traced along the southern flank of Mont de la Brenva, is a moderately difficult route set in an alpine landscape of exceptional scenic beauty. Framed by the majestic walls of the Mont Blanc massif, it leads to the vast natural terrace of the Belvedere, offering a 360-degree panorama of the surrounding peaks and glaciers.

Approach

The starting point is the upper station of the La Palud cable car, above Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley. From the square, take a gently ascending trail that skirts the Saussurea Botanical Garden, then turn left at the first junction. The well-marked path continues at altitude, traversing the steep grassy slopes of the mountainside, heading toward the moraine of the Toula Glacier. The terrain opens into a broad hanging basin, where the trail becomes more exposed. You'll cross a short rocky section equipped with a fixed chain, which precedes arrival at a panoramic ledge with a bench: here the via ferrata formally begins. The approach takes about 30 minutes from the cable car station.

Via Ferrata

The equipped route begins with a descent along the eastern side of Mont de la Brenva, an airy, vertical stretch that drops down rock slabs and gullies. The passages are quite steep and the exposure is significant, but the continuous presence of a fixed rope and a Grade III abseil chain ensures safety and smooth progression. The pace is immediately demanding, with a sharp change in elevation. You then continue with a long traverse, a series of ups and downs across ledges and rocky ribs, always assisted by steel cables and stirrups installed mainly on the right side of the route. This horizontal development, though technical, offers breathing room and allows you to appreciate the surroundings. Next, you cross an unstable field of scree (talus debris), following the yellow waymarks, before resuming a determined ascent toward the rock formations of the Brenva. Arrival at the Belvedere (2300 m) marks the climax of the excursion, reachable in about 1 hour and 30 minutes from the start of the ferrata. The view is majestic, encompassing the Brenva Glacier, Mont Blanc, Mont Blanc de Courmayeur, Aiguille Blanche, Aiguille Noire, and the Dames Anglaises.

Descent

The return follows the ascent route in reverse. The descent, which requires particular care on the exposed sections and the initial abseil, takes an estimated 1 hour and 30 minutes from the Belvedere, bringing the total duration of the excursion to about 3 hours and 45 minutes.

Useful Notes

The view from the Belvedere of Mont de la Brenva is considered among the most spectacular in the Western Alps, the main reason to tackle this equipped trail, which is neither overly difficult nor particularly long. For planning, it is recommended to use dedicated cartography for the Mont Blanc area. Fit hikers can combine this ferrata, if tackled early in the morning, with the Ferrata Casimiro, reachable in about an hour by car. The Courmayeur area offers numerous other options for equipped itineraries, such as the Sentiero Attrezzato to Rifugio Dalmazzi, the one to Bivacco Boccalatte, or the Ferrata to Rifugio Monzino.