St Bernard's pass in the Alps (Great St Bernard Pass)

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Great St Bernard Pass
Date:	28/08/07 (248 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A route between Italy and Switzerland

Disadvantages: Busy its quicker to go through the mountain tunnel

When we were on holiday in Italy we were not very far away from the borders with Switzerland. We were near the grand St Bernard’s pass, so one day we had to visit and pop into Switzerland just to look and say we had been there really. There is also a petit Saint Bernard’s pass this is between France and Italy

This pass in the ALPS between Switzerland and Italy had been used for many years since before 800 BC. Tribe’s people and traders used this pass to take their wares for sale and Armies used this pass for their troops. Its possible Hannibal and his elephants passed this way also Julius Cesar too,
Napoleon led his army of 40,000 troops over the pass into Italy in may1800,


Saint Bernard of Methon
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During the 900’s it became a treacherous place for travellers as Huns and Saracens rampaged terrorising travellers stealing and hurting them.
Bernard of Menthon was the Archbishop of nearby Aosta. Bernard travelled the area spreading the word of god He tended the victim’s injuries and was the overseer of the construction of a hospice on the pass. This hospice was a welcome refuge for travellers giving pilgrims free shelter and food. In 1923 he was given the title patron saint of the Alps by Pope Pius XI. I am not sure when the pass took his name.

St Bernard dogs
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The Saint Bernard dog is named after Bernard of Methon. The dog has been kept and bred at the St Bernard pass since the C17. At first maybe used as a guard dog, and then its aptitude for sensing avalanches and rescuing people buried in the snow. The Brandy cask is I am afraid a romantic addition painted in an 1820 painting by Sir Edwin Landseer in 1820. I think that St Bernard’s dogs are still bred by monks at the hospice now ,although I am not sure, we certainly saw none on the mountainside.

Our journey to the pass
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We left Aosta and taking the road ss20 marked Saint Bernard’s pass. We passed through and by several small villages/small towns we stopped at one and I bought some bread and ham for lunch.
There is a quick way to Switzerland a tunnel goes through the mountain. There is a toll. The pass now is mostly used by tourist traffic
The road we were traversing is closed from October till June due to the snow making it impassable.
When we were travelling along this road it was quite busy there were some roadworks. The scenery was terrific the mountains giving it that wow factor
We spotted the Saint Bernard’s hospice and the custom point just above the lac between the mountain peaks Mont Mort and Pic de Drona

The border pass
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The height of the pass at the border is 2469 m. We did not stop at first because it looked too crowded. We passed through the customs passports ready, we did not need to show them.

Into Switzerland and back again
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We then continued a little way in to Switzerland. (I wanted to tell everyone I have been there.) We only traveled couple of miles if that and stoppedby the side of the road where there is a sign of Napoleons hat, we only had a short stroll here as it was snowy yes we were in the snow, not much but it was slippery. We stopped and looked at the view of another lake and the road winding down into Switzerland. We looked at the flora and found a few orchids. There were a few butterflies flying even though we were at the snow level hubby identified them, if any other butterfly nut wants to know which ones they were let me know I will ask him for his record sheet .
There is a foot path/route here if we were keen we could have walked it... But instead we sat and ate our Italian bread and ham for lunch.

The borders pass again
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There is a little parking along side the road which has been widened for parking bays. We found a space. No way could I go to this pass and not stop
There is now a museum telling the history of the hospice gives stories of some rescues. However it was very busy and we did not go in preferring to be outside. The hospice is in fact in buildings both sides of the road with a bridge joining them

Shopping

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Hubby stood by the side of the lake in France while I just had to look in the shops. There were only 2 or it might have been 3. These shops were selling tourist knick-knacks! Surprised? I wasn’t there were maps and books for sale postcards, honeys and jams. There were trinkets and toys.

I found what I was looking for it was one of those little tubes with pictures of cows and sheep on it when you turn it upside down it goes baaa or moo. I really do not know what they are called can anyone help me? , I had one of these when I was a nipper given to me by my rich aunt and uncle after their holiday to Switzerland... {Now, now you young things foreign holidays were not common when I was a child 50 years ago}. I bough this as I thought my grand children would find it fun I also bought one for work for my special needs kids a cause and reaction toy, the little boy I am thinking off will love it .
I did not spend too much money honest darling.
We then got in the car and slowly wended our way back through the Alps and to the town of Aosta again. The road was still busy.

The end of the day
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This had not been a very demanding day, hubby still unwell and although the view from the pass not spectacular the mountains views on the way up were. I am glad we did this journey. I would have liked to have looked round the museum but did not as it was busy and hubby was not keen. If you are going to either Switzerland or Italy near her I would definably recommend making the effort to go over the mountain pas

Summary: The pass in the Alps where St Bernard dogs were bred