Rafting in the Aosta Valley

The Dora Baltea, the Colorado of Europe

Rafting in Nepal, the Himalayas, Patagonia, names that make us dream.
True, the Himalayas are definitely the mecca of rafting and river sports, the unspoilt nature and infinite spaces offered by Patagonia are incomparable... but we are talking about our region, which has nothing to envy from the rest of the world, quite the contrary.

Thanks to the generous glaciers of the Mont Blanc Massif, the Dora Baltea provides an immense water supply, so much so that it was christened the 'Colorado of Europe' by the Americans, who initiated us into rafting in 1986.
The greatest flow begins in June and continues until mid to late September.

Since the early 1990s, every year from June to September, the Dora Baltea has been the scene of exciting descents of rafting, kayakhydrospeed and other river activities.

Hundreds of passionate tourists, sportsmen and experts come from all over the world to 'play' or train in the Colorado rapids of Europe.

It doesn't matter what medium you use: be it raft, canoe, the tandem kayak (topo duo) or other, the Dora Baltea offers possibilities truly for all tastes and levels.

There are routes rafting for families and childrenfor adrenalin-seeking sportsmen, even some for your own bachelorette/bachelorette party rafting, companies offering rafting as a company bonus and team building.

Those who have never tried 'going for rivers' find it hard to understand why they are so successful.
River rafting, and rafting in particular, is a wonderful game and is within everyone's reach! ...from 7 to 70 years. It is a way to experience unspoilt nature with a touch of adventure.

Let us not be frightened by false advertisements that speak of 'extreme sport' or by the idea of the superman of D'Annunzio's memory: if one follows a few simple rules, the river can provide unique moments.
All you have to do is respect nature, love peace and quiet, be humble towards an entity as big as the river; and if you are inexperienced, you can rely on professional guides from the Rafting and Canoeing Centres.
The Aosta Valley has a tradition of rafting guides of international calibre.

√ Attention! - For your security always check that the centre and the guides you use are officially recognised by the F.I.Raft (Italian Rafting Federation).

But what are the most interesting places and routes for rafting?

For rafting, the route goes from Pré Saint Didier to Sarre. A short theoretical-practical lesson and... off we go! with the infamous 'Rapide delle Fontine' at Pré Saint Didier, and then sliding into the silence of the natural oasis of La Salle, in the Marais reserve, where you can admire the majesty of the hawks, the eagles (with a bit of luck, you may even see the bearded vulture), the sinuosity of the herons, the mother mallard with her young... all in the magnificent setting of Mont Blanc, the Grivola and other lesser-known but no less beautiful mountains.

For the more experienced, it is possible to navigate the rapids of La Salle, while beginners are advised to get out of the water and embark further downstream, in the exciting rapids of Santa Barbara. A shower under the imposing waterfalls of Lenteney and on to Runaz, where everyone, beginners and experts alike, must stop in the Equilivaz pine forest.

Beyond this point, in fact, the river narrows into a narrow gorge, creating two frightening jumps, which are not navigable but are nevertheless a sight to behold. It is therefore important to go only if accompanied by a guide.

Downstream of the jumps, for the more sporty, the canyon continues through the Runaz and Avise gorges.
Together with the Rapide delle Fontine, these two gorges represent the 'Mecca' of European rafting!
The 'living water', so called friendly by the guides, at these points does not allow you to raise your head and look around, except for a few moments. Here the river flows between two vertical walls of 150-200 metres and the only access is by water.
The only sign of human presence is an ancient stone bridge covered in ivy, whose shoots hang down to the water.

A second bridge of more recent construction marks the end of the larger rapids, after which the river drops pleasantly into the Enfer gorge.
The walls here are gentler and covered by the dense terracing of the vineyards of the excellent and rare DOC wine called 'Enfer'.

One more small gorge at the village of Mecosse and the river then widens to show the amphitheatre of peaks of the Grand Paradis community.
The view of the Sarriod de la Tour, Saint Pierre and Sarre castles marks the end of the adventure. In this section, in fact, a barrage borrows water for the production of electricity.

To descend the Dora Baltea by rafting is to be in good company, it is a journey into unspoilt nature, it is a taste of exploration and adventure, but above all it is an opportunity to see a unique Valle d'Aosta from a completely new point of view, even for those of us who live there... in short, it is 'andar per Fiumi' (going by rivers).

See you in the River!
David Alemanni