Winter in the Valle di Gran San Bernardo

san bernardo carnival

Rachael Martin arrives in Aosta’s ‘cold valley’ just in time for carnival, as well as taking advantage of the snowy weather to explore the region Photos by Rachael Martin unless otherwise stated   It’s carnival time on a cold February morning in the Great St Bernard Valley in northern Italy’s Aosta Valley region. I’m in […]

Valle di Gran San Bernardo travel guide

Rachael Martin explores the best places to eat and stay in this peaceful corner of northern Italy, tucked away among the mountains of the Valle d’Aosta… Photos by Rachael Martin unless otherwise stated Where to eat and stay Prosciutteria Sous Le Pont de Bosses An excellent bar, restaurant and prosciutteria – that is, a place […]

Slow travel in the Valle d’Aosta

Valle D'Aosta

The Great St Bernard Valley in the Valle d’Aosta links Italy with Switzerland. Rachael Martin discovers why it’s the ideal place to unwind… Photos by Rachael Martin unless otherwise stated   The Valle di Gran San Bernardo, or Great St Bernard Valley, with its high mountain peaks and characteristic villages such as Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses and Étroubles, […]

Viewpoint: transhumance in Aosta

The transhumance of livestock in Italy is a tradition that dates back centuries, even millennia…   Transhumance, the act of moving livestock ‘across ground’ to new pastures, has been practised in Italy – and other parts of the world – for longer than anyone can remember. Recently, Italy, supported by Austria and Greece, asked to […]

48 Hours in Valle d’Aosta

Valle d’Aosta is now part of Italy, but it hasn’t always been. Chris Allsop travels to Italy’s smallest region and discovers a valley beloved of kings, popes, and – of course – skiers… There’s something of the hidden kingdom about the Valle D’Aosta, like an Italian Bhutan (but with a lot more ski lifts). Entering […]