"Valley of Hidden Surprises" Top 5 Page for this destination Valle d'Aosta by firechick

Valle d'Aosta Travel Guide: 215 reviews and 457 photos

Valle D'Aosta view on the way down from Vertosan

This valley is on the other side of the Mt Blanc tunnel from where we live. I have a separate page for the town of Aosta itself. But the smaller villages and hidden valleys are not all listed as locations on VT so this 'generic' page will have to do for the smaller towns in the Valle D'Aosta.

We tend to do day trips here several times a year, and pick a different spot each time. This page should grow over the years as we discover more hidden gems.

This valley is more narrow than the Chamonix valley, and more dry. There are vineyards and farms here. The famous Courmayeur ski area is also here. There are many old castles as well as Roman ruins dotting the landscape.

This area was not always part of Italy - it was originally part of the Kingdom/Duchy of Savoie (Savoy) (along with Chamonix and Geneva), which was an independent country since the 1100s with it's own royalty - the Duke of Savoy. The area went back and forth from French to Swiss to Italian over the centuries and really only settled into it's present state after the 2 world wars.

Many people here speak French as well as Italian, and even the Italian is peppered with French words.

Last visit to Valle d'Aosta: Oct 2003
Intro Updated Oct 23, 2003
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Reviews (10)

Relaxing at Pré-Saint-Didier Thermal Spa Things to Do (3)

After skiing at one of the Aosta valley resorts such as Champoluc, La Thuile or Courmayeur what better way to end your... more travel advice

Hiking in Val Ferret Things to Do (3)

Up the hill to the north west of Courmayeur is the beautiful Val Ferret. This long hanging valley has a small but fast... more travel advice

Easy hiking in beautiful Val Ferret Favorites (1)

You can take a bus or drive into Val Ferret for quite a lot of its length. It is a long flat 'hanging valley' above... more travel advice

Pedestrian zone - Mtn Guides House - Valle d'Aosta

Great Atmosphere in Courmayeur Center Nightlife (1)

Bar Roma is a great place for apres ski or anytime. There is a great buffet of food which is laid out for cocktail hour,... more travel advice

Off The Beaten Path (1)
Bataille des Reines in Vertosan Italy
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Travelogues (2)

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Comments (4)

Manara Jan 21, 2009 at 11:21 AM Report Abuse

Very interesting and informative page!
rocco1 Mar 5, 2006 at 2:30 PM Report Abuse

go ahead, good pages on Valle d'Aosta, write more!
JLBG Sep 25, 2005 at 7:47 PM Report Abuse

I always wanted to visit Val d'Aoste but till now have only driven across! Too bad! I guess it is too close from home! Your combat de Reine travelogue is excellent, thanks for sharing!
Aurorae Nov 28, 2004 at 2:09 PM Report Abuse

Great start! This place is full of endless sources of inspiration. I almost made it to Chamonix, but the cable was closed, it will reopne on December 5th! So maybe next time i'll get to see your side of the Alps, and your town. ;)