How to drive the unpaved road to Traforo del Menouve?

The Traforo del Menouve (Menouve Tunnel) is an unfinished tunnel between Italy and Switzerland, located in the Menouve Valley (Aosta Valley) at an elevation of 2.429m (7,969ft) above sea level.

Traforo del Menouve

What’s the Traforo del Menouve?

It was an ambitious cross-border tunnel project started in 1856 to connect the Great St Bernard Valley with Switzerland. The construction was abandoned just a year later, in 1857, due to financial problems and technical issues. Today, it is not an operational tunnel: all that remains is the entrance portal at an elevation of around 2,350 meters and a short, partially collapsed, flooded excavated section.

Is the road to Traforo del Menouve unpaved?

Set high in the northwestern, the road to the tunnel is totally unpaved, with rocks and loose gravel. A 4x4 vehicle is required. It offers stunning views, virtually no traffic, and is 100% rideable as long as you have good fitness.

How long is the road to Traforo del Menouve?

Starting from Aosta, you head up on asphalt along gentle, comfortable gradients for just over 15 km until you reach Étroubles. Just before Saint-Oyen, turn right, following the signs for the Menouve Valley. From there, you get 4 km of easy asphalt before the road turns into a dirt track. The first 6 km of gravel are in excellent condition with moderate slopes, taking you up to the Troucadette mountain pasture. After Troucadette, the terrain deteriorates and the steepness ramps up for the final 4 km. Keep pushing until you reach the Tza Neuva mountain pasture; shortly before arriving, if you look down to your right at the end of the track, you will see the structures marking the entrance to the uncompleted tunnel.
Pic: Davide Ferrero

 

 

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