Upper Aosta Valley

<< Aosta Valley

The upper part of the Aosta Valley, located west of Aosta, features some of the most prominent and beautiful mountains of all the Alps. This area includes Valdigne, the first section of the valley crossed by the Dora Baltea river, and the highest peak in the Alps, Mont Blanc. In the southwest of the region is the large Gran Paradiso National Park, while the northern valleys climb toward the Great St Bernard Pass. This western half of the Aosta Valley houses several popular ski resort and a gorgeous natural environment.

Courmayeur

Courmayeur is a small town in Aosta Valley, located right at the foot of Mont Blanc. Thanks to its spectacular position, the village is a very popular tourist destination and ski resort, among the busiest and most important ones in the Alps. Courmayeur is linked with Chamonix, in France, through the Mont Blanc Tunnel.

✪ Skyway Monte Bianco

Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) is the highest mountain of the Alps and Western Europe, located at the border between Italy and France. The cable car linking the Italian side of the mountain with the top is called Skyway Monte Bianco. It starts with the base station in the village of Entrèves, and it stops at the midstation of Pavillion, before reaching the top at Punta Helbronner/Pointe Helbronner, at 3,462 meters above sea level. From there, a breathtaking view of all the surrounding mountains and valleys can be enjoyed. A second cable car connects this station with the Aiguille du Midi peak on the French side of Mont Blanc.

Alpine Botanical Garden Saussurea

The Alpine Botanical Garden Saussurea (Giardino Botanico Alpino Saussurea/Jardin Botanique Alpin Saussurea) is the highest alpine botanical garden in Europe, located at 2,173 meters above sea level just outside the Pavillion station of Skyway Monte Bianco. The garden hosts hundreds of species of the typical alpine flora of Mont Blanc and other mountain regions around the world.

Museo Alpino Duca degli Abruzzi/Musée Alpin Duc des Abruzzes

The Museo Alpino Duca degli Abruzzi/Musée Alpin Duc des Abruzzes is a museum in the center of Courmayeur. The museum hosts a rich exhibit dedicated to the history of mountain guides and mountaineering on Mont Blanc and around the world.

Cogne

Cogne is a small town located in a valley south of Aosta, at the foot of Gran Paradiso, one of the tallest peaks of the Alps. The hamlet is a tourist destination thanks to the beautiful natural environment that surrounds it.

✪ Gran Paradiso/Grand Paradis

Gran Paradiso/Grand Paradis is one of the highest mountains of the Alps, located between the municipalities of Cogne and Valsavarenche, at the border between Aosta Valley and Piedmont. The peak is at the center of a large national park, the oldest one in Italy, which is famous for its stunningly beautiful environment.

Paradisia Alpine Botanical Garden

The Paradisia Alpine Botanical Garden Saussurea (Giardino Botanico Alpino Paradisia/Jardin Botanique Alpin Paradisia) is a botanical garden located near Cogne, in the Gran Paradiso National Park. The garden houses a wide variety of species of plants from the Alps and other mountain regions around the world.

Aymavilles

Aymavilles is a small town located in a valley southwest of Aosta. It is known for hosting a few historic attractions.

Aymavilles Castle

The Aymavilles Castle (Castello di Aymavilles/Château d’Aymavilles) is a 13th-century manor house that dominates the village of Aymavilles. Originally built as a fortification, it was reworked a few times, gaining its current rococo appearence in the 18th century. The castle now serves as a museum.

Pont d’Aël

Pont d’Aël is a Roman aqueduct and bridge located south of Aymavilles, built in 3 BCE to supply water to Augusta Praetoria Salassorum, now Aosta. Today it stands as one of the best preserved Roman bridges in the area and it is a hiking destination.

Saint-Pierre

Saint-Pierre is a town in Aosta Valley, located west of Aosta. Since the Middle Ages, it has been the site of important castles.

Saint-Pierre Castle

The Saint-Pierre Castle (Castello di Saint-Pierre/Château de Saint-Pierre) is an imposing medieval castle and one of the most famous manors of Aosta Valley. Erected in the Late Middle Ages, it has been the residence of various noble families. In the 19th century the castle was heavily reworked, gaining its current appearance. Now it hosts the Regional Museum of Natural Sciences of Aosta Valley (Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali della Valle d’Aosta/Musée Régional de Sciences Naturelles de la Vallée d’Aoste), which houses a rich exhibit on the local natural environment.

Sarre

Sarre is a small town in Aosta Valley, located just west of Aosta. It is best known for its historic castle, but it also hosts a few more ancient buildings.

Sarre Castle

The Sarre Castle (Castello di Sarre/Château de Sarre) is a large manor originally erected during the Middle Ages but heavily reworked in the 18th and 19th century. After the Italian unification the castle became a residence of the Savoy family, and now it serves as a museum.