30/06/2018
DO you know Italy?
Aosta Valley (It. Valle d'Aosta) is a mountainous region in northwestern Italy bordered by France and Switzerland. Covering an area of 3,263 km2 (1,260 sq mi), that corresponds to 3/4 of the urban area of Los Angeles or to an area little larger than Paris, it is the smallest region in Italy, and also the least populous with about 130,000 inhabitants.
Valle d'Aosta has large areas of protected nature and nature reserves where some rare species of flora and fauna can be found. It also boasts the presence of the two highest mountains in Europe: Monte Bianco at 4810 m (15,780 ft), and Monte Rosa at 4634 m ( 15203 ft).
Starting from the period of Emperor Augustus 25 B.C., five centuries of Roman civilization left majestic signs in the area. Many traces remain of the ‘Road to the Gauls’ consular road carved in stone by the Romans to open a way for the army through Great Saint Bernard to German territories and Britain. At some points, the Road to the Gauls was particularly difficult to follow due to the territorial features of the valley. By-passing the obstacles the Romans put into practice stunning engineering skills realizing imposing megalithic substructures. Where instead the road met the hard mountain, cuts were made in the rock.
Some surprisingly well-conserved Roman bridges still exist in the region such as that of Pont-Saint-Martin and the bridge on the Buthier in Aosta, the capital city the region, the imperial town and a gateway to the Alps. The Roman heritage can be identified in its town layout, as well as in the city walls and in the most important buildings.
In terms of international circulation, the Dora river valley, that crosses the region, was part of the network of the imperial roads, integrating the northern direction with the road to the Summus Pœninus, the Great Saint Bernard, that skirted along the glacial lake from above, still today existing, and the direction of Lyon, in France, with the Little St. Bernard, already active in the Augustan age. At the Alpis Graia pass, the traveler could find refreshment and rest in the mansiones or address a prayer to the deities.
On our days, Aosta Valley is famous for the castles that were constructed between the 12th and 14th centuries. Historical, political and geographic reasons made the region the center of important commercial routes, which brought wealth to the local noble families allowing them to realize high artistic level buildings. Featuring tall towers, each castle is visible to another so that the series of castles represented an efficient lookout and signaling system that stretched for several hundred miles from Turin to Martigny in France. A message was transmitted with flags during the day and with fire during the night, and it took only three hours for it to go from one city to the other.
There are about 150 medieval buildings, including castles, tours, and fortified houses. Some of the castles and stronghold are open to public and worth a guided tour. You can visit the inside of the castles of Fénis, Issogne, Verrès, Ussel (Chatillon), Sarriod de la Tour (Saint-Pierre), Sarre and the Castel Savoia di Gressoney.
The Alps are an important presence in Aosta Valley. Museums such as The Alps Museum tell us about the mountains lived and transformed by man, while La Maison des Anciens Remèdes proposes a journey through the world of medicinal plants where the curative traditions of our ancestors overlap with modern scientific knowledge. Each plant is unique and has a fascinating structure to discover. Thirty-eight main plants are described, from the most common to the rarest, the most mysterious and those most popular in local culture. An itinerary allows visitors to learn and understand about these plants, and how the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits are used.
Aosta Valley is a land of upper mountain pastures, where cows are nourished by fragrant herbs giving the milk a truly unique flavor. With dedication and art, people make their contribution to obtain food products that have long been the pride of the "mountain people": the cheese, Fontina, Fromazdo, Gressoney toma and Seras just to mention some. As well as, genuinely tasty caprino cheese produced from goat’s milk.
Salted pork meat in different versions is served on wooden plates in the restaurants, as per the tradition of the region. Among the most famous ones are Jambon de Bosses ham and Lard d’Arnad made by an ancient seasoning method.
Apples are the most cultivated fruit together with pears maturing in rather large orchards in the fresh Alpine air. Delicious sign of autumn are the chestnuts, often dried to be used during the entire year. Highly valued, with unmistakable taste, are the walnuts, a true delicacy to be used in the preparation of sweets or combined with local cheeses.
Stopping in the vineyards along one of the itineraries of the Route des Vins - wine trail will help to know and appreciate the local wines. Various ways of working the vineyard, the diverse vineyard zones made up of little parcels alternating with the Alpine rocks and the native vineyards telling the story of the territory, explain the colors and the fragrances of the wines. The curious traveler will find cooperative cellars and private wine growers for charming stops to explore how the colors blend with the secrets of the masters, and to share the stories of the wine growers by tasting their extreme wines, and taking away with you the fragrance of the Mountain DOC wines par excellence.
Trekking in Aosta Valley August 26 - September 2, 2018. To participate, contact us!
Trekking in Aosta Valley from the Great St. Bernard at the Swiss border
