Guide of Valle d'Aosta, Italy

Valle D'Aosta, Italy

A vertical region, you might say. And not just in the physical sense, for the many high peaks that surround it (including Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe at 4,807 metres), Valle d'Aosta but also for the surprising concentration, in a region of such reduced dimensions, of so many natural splendours, so many monuments, so much precious historic and artistic heritage.

Aosta, the regional capital and the only province of the Valley, is a city rich in history. Traces of the ancient Augusta Pretoria (its Roman-time name) can easily be seen, such as the great Arch of Augustus (25 B.C.) and the Roman Theatre. For Aosta the Middle Ages were anything but dark: as an important centre for trade with France and Switzerland, the city enjoyed a long period of prosperity. It is no coincidence that the beautiful Cathedral and the Church of St. Ursus date back to the earlier Middle Ages.

Other medieval monuments lie at the feet of the city: the castle of Fénis and the castle of Issogne, whose unusually rich frescoes and architecture confirm the prosperity of that time.

The natural landscapes of the Valle d'Aosta are fabulous. From the imposing peaks of Mont Blanc to the fascinating harshness of Cervino (4,478 metres), from the spectacular Monte Rosa (named after the pink colour that its glaciers take on at certain times) to the Gran Paradiso, the high peak at the centre of a huge Natural Park of the same name.

Valle d'Aosta can be said to be the Palace of "Her Majesty the Snow": with the highest, the most famous and most beautiful mountains in the Alps, winter sports are natural gifts here. You can do something different every day of your holiday: downhill ski, cross-country, ski-touring, snowboard, fun carving, heliski, ice-climbing...

Monterosa Ski. It is one of the Europe's skiing masterpieces: the skiing area covers over 200 kilometres of snow, with 56 runs served by 42 lifts.

Dominated by the pyramid of Monte Zerbion and the imposing Ussel castle, Saint-Vincent is an elegant tourist resort, with top European-level hotels. It is the fashionable heart of Aosta Valley with one of the biggest Casinos in Europe: the Casino de la Vallée.

Courmayer offers the best opportunities for shopping, entertainment, bars and cafÎs, restura">taurants, but also the mountain atmosphere of its little streets, or the undisputed charm of its typical villages such as Dolonne and EtrÎves. The skiing area has 100 kilometres of downhill runs, easy and difficult alike. Some pistes are famous for their amazing length, others because they host famous competitions, yet others are ideal for snowboard or telemark; at Dolonne you can also sky by night.

Below the Matterhorn's splendid silhouette, Brueil-Cervinia is a world-famous skiing resort. Its skiing area with over 150 kilometre slopes is one of the biggest in the Alps and you can ski all day without ever doing one run twice. Snowboard enthusiasts will find their paradise in Breuil-Cervinia's Snow-Park. When visiting this area you cannot miss Chamois that is the only village in Aosta Valley inaccessible by car. You can reach it by cable car in a spectacular leap of 800m from the fraction of Buisson.

La Thuile is part of an international skiing area, linked to the runs of La Rosiére in Savoy by the same ski-lifts and skipass. There are over 150 km of runs, some intermediate level, others idea for the more expert skiers: one of the Alps' biggest and highest skiing areas. In winter the Little St. Bernard road is transformed into a spectacular downhill run, with numerous refreshment points which can even be reached in the evenings by motor sledge.

Contents courtesy of: ENIT, National Italian Tourist Board