Valpelline

Following the road from Aosta to the Great St Bernard Pass, after a few kilometres you will find a detour to the right that leads to Valpelline. It is an initially wide valley that gradually becomes narrower and more picturesque before stopping at the border between Italy and Switzerland.

In the absence of large Alpine ski resorts, Valpelline has staked everything on alternative sports tourism. In winter, the town is popular for cross-country skiing and ski mountaineering; in summer, it is a privileged starting point for discovering some high alpine peaks, such as the peaks of the Grand Combin and the Dent d'Heren.

At the bottom of the valley, the Place Moulin Dam, with its spectacular artificial lake bordered by centuries-old larch forests, is worth a full day of exploration.

Finally, you cannot leave Valpelline without having tasted the local specialty: seupa à la valpellinentze, based on cabbage, stale white bread, bacon butter and Fontina PDO cheese.