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Discover
Val d’Aosta without leaving home
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us in ski heaven as we take a journey through the
Val d'Aosta. Seeing is believing |
 Val
d’Aosta is Italy's most three-dimensional
region. With a total area of just 3,262 km2
and an average height above sea level of 2,000
metres, it holds the joint record of being Italy's
smallest and highest region. Many of its most famous
peaks surge past the 4,000 metre-mark, with
Monte Bianco topping the lot at a staggering
4,807 m and Monte Rosa (4,685), The Matterhorn
(4,478) and Gran Paradiso (4,061) as close
runners-up.
Now Val d'Aosta has come up trumps in a fourth dimension:
it boasts the highest density of webcams in Italy.
Thanks to local government initiative you can make
a virtual visit to the region with more than 22
potential stopovers. Take this journey through Italy's
own time-worn north-west passage tracing the steps
of all those who have crossed these Alps into France
and Switzerland since the time of Neolithic man.
There is a wide choice of webcams,
each one offering high-quality crystal-clear (weather
permitting) images and frequent updates.
Climb every mountain
We advise you to start your virtual journey
at 3,462 metres, right in the heart of Monte Bianco,
at Punta
Helbronner. Step into this magical world and
become one of the tourists stepping off the ski-lift,
their breath taken by this stunning
view over the Italian, Swiss and French Alps.
Time stands still as you register peak after peak
from Monte Bianco to Aiguille Blanche
and Dente del Gigante to Grandes Jorasses.
For many skiers the picturesque town of Courmayeur
has long been synonymous with Monte Bianco. Now
you can check out the slopes
for snow or crowding before you wax down your skis
or hop on your snowboard.
Then off you go further down the valley towards
the charming little town of Arpy
where cross-country skiers can choose from runs
of varying difficulty.
Eastern promise
Your journey now takes you north-east towards
Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses, the last stop
in the Gran San Bernardo Valley and the ideal place
to view the stunning slopes of Saint-Rhemy-Crevacol.
Further east again let your gaze fall on one of
Italy's most famous ski resorts, Breuil-Cervinia.
At 2,000 m above sea-level and with over 212
kms of run, including a 10 km all-year run on
the Ventina glacier, the resort offers some of Europe's
best skiing - as well as some examples of its ugliest
architecture. Cross-border enthusiasts will delight
in swooshing to and from the Swiss resort of Zermatt.
Now it's south-southeast towards Valtournenche
- a veritable paradise for off-piste enthusiasts
- and then on to Gressoney
Saint-Jean. In Gressoney stop for a moment to
take in the cross-country runs: 25 beautiful kms
through pine forest and over breathtaking glaciers.
Apres-ski
After a long day admiring the slopes it's time to
proceed towards Entrèves, just outside
Courmayeur, where you can tuck in to virtual feast
of local goodies including a goblet of steaming
grolla at La
Maison de Filippo. If you prefer to stay in
town then we suggest a sojourn at the Hotel
Lo Scoiattolo, right in the centre of Courmayeur
while the Cadran Solair restaurant (tel:
+39-0165-844609) in via Roma provides good-value
local cuisine.
If instead you're in the Matterhorn area
and don't mind spending a bit more then we recommend
the Hermitage restaurant (tel: +39-0166-948998).
Vegetarians and fans of good old-fashioning cooking
will love Il Capriccio in Valtournenche
(tel: +39-0166-949060).
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| by
FRANCESCO
TUTINO |
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Jan.
24th, 2002
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THE SURVIVOR'S 
