The most beautiful valleys of the Aosta Valley

Going to the mountains in the Aosta Valley means going to meet the giants of the Alps. All these peaks at over 4000 meters above sea level that surround the valley. It is also the encounter with a very particular history of a valley that is both strategically important for road communications that the Romans built a city there to control access to the Alpine passes and so landlocked that today it preserves a dialect and traditions that are unique in Italy. Let's go and discover the Aosta Valley.

What to remember about the Aosta Valley?

The first thing you notice when you travel through the Aosta Valley is that they speak French. The names of the villages, streets and surnames will be familiar to you. And yet the Aosta Valley is in Italy, and if it weren't for the Mont Blanc tunnel to access it from Chamonix, the detour via the Piedmont would be very long, especially in winter, this valley is so landlocked.

It is therefore upwards that you must look up to see the main natural treasures. You will then discover a concentration of mountains over 4000m above sea level. Mont Blanc, Matterhorn, Monte Rosa and Gran Paradiso surround this small valley where a river flows that is sufficiently rough to be able to practice rafting. Probably one of the rare regions of the Alps to be surrounded by massifs culminating at over 4000m above sea level on three sides.

The Aosta Valley is organized around the Dora Baltea, the river that flows through the central valley, where the main historical sites are located: Aosta and the castles. The fourteen side valleys distributed to the north and south of this central valley provide access to all the best for your mountain activities.

The major mountain resorts of the Aosta Valley

Among the spots not to be missed, Courmayeur you discover the Italian side of Mont Blanc. Nothing to do with the snow slides, rounded domes, and glacial breakthroughs that you are used to seeing on the French side. On this side, it is an imposing mineral wall that blocks your horizon. Striking and grandiose. With a little step back on the road between Morgex and Courmayeur, you can admire the giant. The village of Courmayeur, very picturesque with its stone walls and slate roofs, is also a renowned ski center and a luxurious resort in all seasons. Needless to say, the hikes around Courmayeur cross sites with splendid landscapes, overlooking the Mont Blanc massif.

From here you can experience a cable car ride that drops you off in Chamonix having flown over the glaciers of the Mont Blanc massif.

Regarding the Matterhorn, better known by its familiar silhouette as you can see it from Zermatt, its appearance, on the Italian side is also very different. Illuminated by the sun, it is a pyramid that you discover from Breuil Cervinia, the ski resort that has developed at its feet. The ski area shared with that of Zermatt is also accessible in summer, because up there you can ski on the glacier for a summer ski session in the company of international champions who come to train there to keep fit in the off-season.

You marvel at more bucolic landscapes of glaciers hanging above forested valley floors as you watch the sparkling snows of Monte Rosa glisten in the valley floor of Gressoney ou of Ayas and those of the Gran Paradiso at the bottom of that of Cogne. These high valleys bear witness to the history of the inhabitants of the Alps. The valleys at the foot of Monte Rosa are inhabited by the descendants of the Walser people, Germanic speakers, with wooden buildings. The atmosphere is different from that of the Franco-Provençal valleys of the rest of the Aosta Valley.

A Cogne, mining activity was fundamental. Men at the mine and women at the spindle. Miners and lacemakers. Roughness and finesse coexist in dream landscapes.

In winter you can experience a great cross-border skiing session at La Thuile which offers you a common domain with La rosière in France, over the Petit Saint Bernard pass.

The hidden gems of the Aosta Valley

In all these renowned mountain resorts, ski lifts open in summer and winter provide access to the world of the high mountains for spectacular hikes, but for those who prefer the atmosphere of old towns nestled in the depths of valleys where vigorous torrents flow, the two villages and the hamlets that complement them will be more than enough to live a real mountain experience.

This is the case of other more intimate valleys, such as Valsavarenche, Valgrisenche and Val de Rhêmes at the gateway to the Gran Paradiso National Park, as well as Val Ferret at the foot of the Mont Blanc which allow a respectful discovery of the alpine environment. Nordic sports possible, but no alpine skiing.

North of Aosta, the Grand Saint Bernard road which provides access to Valais, as well as the nearby Valpelline, cross wilder regions less transformed by tourism. Bathed in sunshine, these valleys hide one of the best-preserved treasures of the Aosta Valley gastronomic tradition: St Rhémy en Bosses ham. The real Aosta ham.

To stock up on images and panoramas, don't miss the most beautiful viewpoint from the heights of the Pila resort, easily accessible from Aosta by cable car. The Alps are yours to see. You will be amazed.

But the Aosta Valley is not just a succession of high-altitude alpine valleys. The central valley also offers some great reasons to stay.

Castles and thermal baths in the Aosta Valley

Don't hesitate to enjoy a relaxation session at the Saint Vincent or Pré Saint Didier thermal baths after going back in time to the Roman Empire while discovering the city of Aosta, between Piedmontese architecture and Roman remains in very good condition.

Finally, castles Placed at strategic points in the valley, they contribute to giving this region a fairytale feel. Each of them has a specific appearance, reflecting its former use as a defensive fortress or pleasure castle: Bard, Aymavilles, Fénis, Sarre, Castel Savoia, etc.

Easy to access, close to the border, you are transported by a lifestyle that is ultimately Italian but in a context that reminds you of nearby Savoy, with its traditions and gastronomy. Finally, on closer inspection, it is neither Italy nor Savoy, it is the Aosta Valley spirit that reigns here.

A small alpine world as we like to imagine them. A city in a large glacial valley, fourteen side valleys that feed the river that crosses the entire region, an ancient history and living traditions that continue to this day, and breathtaking landscapes.

The authentic mountain in the heart of the highest massifs of the Alpine chain.

Activities not to be missed in the Aosta Valley

The visitfrom Aosta and its Roman remains. Even better if it is during the Saint Ours fair, at the end of January.
The visit of castles of Fénis, of Bard, of Sarriod de la Tour, of Bard, of Savoie, etc…
A relaxing break at thermal baths from Saint Vincent
A panoramic view of the valley from Pila
The Italian side of Mont Blanc by taking the Skyway, up to the Helbronner point, and even beyond to the Aiguille du Midi.
A stroll in the larch forests from Val Ferret in autumn
A hike to the Lac Bleu near Breuil-Cervinia in which the Matterhorn is reflected
A silent walk in Chamois, in Valtournenche, a car-free village, inhabited year-round.
The magnificent landscapes that can be seen from Cogne, gateway to the natural park of Grand Paradis.
The relaxing calm of Valsavarenche or Valgrisenche. Ideal for detox vacation!
Le village Medieval from Etroubles on the road to the Grand Saint Bernard
Culture Walser in Val d'Ayas or in the valley of Gressoney, at the foot of Monte Rosa.
La hikes to Lake Arpy from La Thuile, with a sumptuous view of the Mont Blanc range.

Discovering the Aosta Valley on video

The best webcams in the Aosta Valley

(click on the name of the village)

Courmayeur: in the heart of Mont Blanc, on the Helbronner point! Spectacular…
La Thuile: from the top of the slopes, view of Mont Blanc, the village below and the main peaks of the Aosta Valley.
Rhemes Notre Dame: a charming village at the foot of the Granta Parey.
valsavarenche: A change of scenery and poetry in front of your screen…
Pila: splendid view of the ski area of this resort from a balcony above Aosta
Pila: from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn, all the peaks of the north of the Aosta Valley are visible
Breuil Cervinia: discover the Matterhorn, Italian side, in the foreground.
Gressoney St Jean: from this webcam, discover the Gressoney valley and Monte Rosa which blocks one end.