Gran Paradisio, Val de Cogne, Italy

The Val de Cogne is a side valley of the Aosta Valley in Italy.
It extends over part of the Gran Paradisio National Park, and includes the summit of the same name.

The Val de Cogne opens and divides into four minor valleys: Valnontey to the south, the valley of Grauson to the north, the valley of Urtier and the Valeille to the east.

The Valnontey is the name of a side valley of the Val de Cogne, but also the name of a hamlet (located at 1’666 meters above sea level), and is fully part of the Gran Paradiso National Park.
The photos below were taken during my hike along the torrent also called Valnontey.

Waterfall in Gran Paradisio park, Grand Loson torrent
F11, 1/30 sec, 70 mm, ISO250, Canon EOS 7D

Chamois in Gran Paradisio national park, Italy
F6.3, 1/500 sec, 600 mm, ISO1250, Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Valnontey torrent in Val de Cogne, Italy
F13, 1/160 sec, 19 mm, ISO200, Canon EOS 7D

Hinking in Val de Cogne, Italy, along Valnontey torrent
F9, 1/800 sec, 53 mm, ISO500, Canon EOS 7D

Valnontey torrent in Val de Cogne, Italy
F13, 1/320 sec, 45 mm, ISO400, Canon EOS 7D

Waterfall and cliffs in Italy, Gran Paradisio National Park
F8, 1/800 sec, 150 mm, ISO1000, Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Valnontey river a the feet of the Mount Gran Paradisio
F11, 1/130 sec, 17 mm, ISO200, Canon EOS 7D

Chamois in Val de Cogne, Gran Paradisio, Wildlife inItaly
F6.3, 1/200 sec, 600 mm, ISO500, Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Forest in Italy at the Gran Paradisio National Park
F10, 1/250 sec, 200 mm, ISO250, Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Incredible scenery in Italy at the Gran Paradisio National Park, Val de Cogne area
F13, 1/100 sec, 70 mm, ISO500, Canon EOS 7D

Waterfalls are everywhere at this time of the year, due to snow melting
F6.3, 1/640 sec, 350 mm, ISO800, Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Val de Cogne, snow covering trails
F13, 1/40 sec, 17 mm, ISO200, Canon EOS 7D

Valnontey hiking trails along the river, Italy
F13, 1/50 sec, 49 mm, ISO200, Canon EOS 7D

The set of torrents making up the upper Cogne Valley converge to the Grand Eyvia river, which flows into the Dora Baltea near Aymavilles.
The Val de Cogne has recently faced two floods: the first one in 1993 and the second one in 2000, the largest, on October 15, with 400 mm of rain which caused landslides throughout the valley.

Near the hamlet of Valnontey is the Paradisia Alpine Botanical Garden, home to more than 1000 species of the Alps and other mountain groups from around the world.

During my hike, I had the pleasure of crossing the path of some chamois and marmots, that could be photographed without being scared.
It must be said that I have not encountered many people at this time of the year in this area of the Gran Paradisio National Park.

Valnontey, hiking in Val de Cogne, Italy
F9, 1/200 sec, 17 mm, ISO400, Canon EOS 7D

Many waterfalls due to the melting snow in the mountains, Gran Paradisio Park
F11, 1/400 sec, 270 mm, ISO1000, Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Chamois in Gran Paradisio, Wildlife in Italy
F6.3, 1/500 sec, 481 mm, ISO500, Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Pine trees on mountain ridge, hinking on a cloudy day
F13, 1/500 sec, 200 mm, ISO250, Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Valnontey, cloudy mountains in Val de Cogne
F13, 1/2500 sec, 49 mm, ISO400, Canon EOS 7D

Icefield and snow-capped mountains in Gran Paradisio Park
F11, 1/6400 sec, 200 mm, ISO1000, Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Valnontey, torrent ending with a waterfall, Cogne, Italy
F16, 1/50 sec, 210 mm, ISO100, Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Valnontey Chamois, Wildlife in Gran Paradisio Park
F6.3, 1/400 sec, 499 mm, ISO1000, Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Pine forest in the rain, hiking in Italy
F11, 1/640 sec, 210 mm, ISO640, Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Mountain ridge in the mist, Val de Cogne
F11, 1/2500 sec, 221 mm, ISO640, Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Mountain in the clouds, Gran Paradisio, Italy
F11, 1/500 sec, 200 mm, ISO640, Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Waterfall above forest, hiking Gran Paradisio National Park
F11, 1/500 sec, 240 mm, ISO640, Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Valnontey, Val de Cogne, dramatic light through the mist
F11, 1/2000 sec, 210 mm, ISO640, Canon EOS 7D Mark II

I hope you liked my photos of the Val de Cogne in the Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy. Maybe it will motivate you to go hiking on some of its amazing trails.
The pictures serie illustrate my hike in the Valnontey Valley, along its torrent of the same name.