Twice to date and will go again (Aosta (Aosta Valley))

Member Name: Plymyphil

Product:	Aosta (Aosta Valley)
Date:	29/11/03 (39 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Enticing, Beautiful, Magnificent mountains

Disadvantages: Euro pricing

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Three years ago I took a summer chalet holiday near Chamonix in France. Part of
the reason for the choice of location was the possibility of visiting Switzerland and Italy during the same holiday. Unfortunately, our trip then was shortly after the tragic Mont Blanc tunnel accident and the only routes into Italy were far longer, but arguably more scenic.

And so it was, having breakfasted in France and enjoyed lunch in Martigny in Switzerland, that after many hours travel we dropped through the St. Bernard tunnel and on into the Aosta valley. The Aosta valley is a stunning gateway to northern Italy. The backdrop of the Mont Blanc massif, or Monte Bianco as it is called in Italy, spits the road out over viaducts literally hundreds of metres from the ground. Somehow the road feels far narrower when the drop each side is so great.

In a baking August the snowcapped Monte Bianco is stunning but as you progress down the Aosta valley the mountains just can't quite reach the summer snowline. Haphazard fencing stuck out from mountains at peculiar angles is however a stark reminder of the hostility of this environment in winter months. The fence segments, I later learned, protect the valley below from avalanche by supporting the weight of the snow on the mountainside above.

Aosta itself is a large town of around 150,000 inhabitants and is situated about thirty minutes drive from Monte Bianco. The surrounding villages and farmsteads have a distinctly Italian look. Slate roof tiles sit on top of totally individual houses, most with a warm terracotta finish. The Italian appearance definitely continues in to Aosta but in a more modern and less characterful manner.

My first trip to Aosta was short but enticing. We parked centrally and enjoyed true Italian ice cream in the dying heat of the day. The experience was brief but entrancing. The grey sculpted statue
s and impressive façade of the municipal buildings contrasted delightfully with the smaller friendlier shops. No high street chains here.


My Italian is very limited. I have two completely useless chat-up lines:
"Your eyes are as green as emeralds", and
"Your eyes are as blue as the sky". Useless in Italy where all female eyes are dark and mysterious. My limited Italian wasn't a problem here though as everybody made a friendly welcome in Italian, stilted English and welcoming hand gestures. I took away a magic memory of one stall owner who proudly announced "Ah, English! I speak English. Pork -NHS!"

And so, as darkness closed into the valley and I began the long drive back to Chamonix I promised myself I would return.

This summer, with the advantage of the Mont Blanc tunnel now reopened, I returned to Aosta. I made the decision to spend half a day in the town and then continue down the Aosta valley. The morning in Aosta was superb. The warmth of the welcome continued and browsing the shops was a delight. A word of warning for the wise - the streets radiate the hear of the day and most shops have no air conditioning. All shops sizzled in the August heat. Lunch was a delightfully relaxed affair in one of the dozens of pavement cafes. Pizza was sold by the slice and accompanied by cold bottled beer. Prices seem a little expensive but I don't think that is Aosta or even Italy, it is an effect I noticed across Eurozone.

As the afternoon heat burnt down, we retired to the reasonable comfort of the car air-conditioning and continued a little further down the Aosta valley. Barely half an hour out of Aosta we spotted the most tremendous Italian castle to the right of the road so pulled off into a small town called Finis. This was the highlight of the trip. The castle stood on a hill which was high enough to make it feel like an effort but not so high that we gave up. The wall around the
base of the castle was covered in little lizards who at the tiniest sign of movement vanished in seconds into gaps between the stones, leaving just their snout out in the sunshine until the danger of holidaymakers and their intrusive cameras had passed.

Finis itself is well worth a visit if you are in the Aosta valley. It is a small town living that somehow seems so much more relaxed than Aosta itself. The shops close for over two hours in the middle of the day and the small town square is filled with small fountains and cool water at which it is positively encouraged visitors wipe faces and hands to cool down.

Overall, Aosta is a superb place to visit. If you do not have the time or inclination to go further into Italy or you just want the mountainous region to be your base Aosta is a great place. It has character, Italian charm and the most amazing backdrop ever. Next time I go I may even travel by cable car from Chamonix to Courmayeur and come in that way. The highest cable car possibly in the world and the best views of Mont Blanc on the way in - yes - that's the way I'll visit next time.

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