Thursday, December 29, 2016

Christmas in Valle d'Aosta

For Christmas, this year we decided on a short break in our usual hotel in the Valle d’Aosta. No boring cooking to do and most of all no washing up afterwards on Christmas day.

As well as eating we visited a few places in search of some elusive Christmas snow. We had to go quite high to find some.
Saint Nicolas, Aosta

Saint Nicolas, Aosta

Saint Nicolas, Aosta

Saint Nicolas, Aosta
Val Ferret under Monte Bianco was spectacular as always on a nice clear day. The snow-covered road had been usefully compacted to form a footpath/Nordic ski track where snow shoes were unnecessary. The sublime Monte Bianco is always a powerful sight.
Monte Bianco, Aosta

Monte Bianco, Aosta

Monte Bianco, Aosta

Val Ferret, Aosta

Monte Bianco, Aosta

Brenval Glacier, Aosta

Val Ferret, Aosta
 
Val Ferret, Aosta
 
 
 
We stopped off at Courmayeur a trendy ski resort. The big thing here this year seems to be test drives in expensive cars. Gabry was let loose on a frozen test track in an Alfa Romeo Giulietta. Next year I might be tempted to try out that nice Jaguar F type that I saw.

Saint Nicolas has some wonderful views of the valley from the Belvedere.
Saint Nicolas, Aosta

Saint Nicolas, Aosta

Saint Nicolas, Aosta
Rhèmes Notre Dame is perhaps my favourite valley in the Region. I drove the car as far as I could up the valley and then had a good walk up to the farmhouse where we usually park. There was plenty of snow and I even saw some Chamois in the distance. Here again they had formed a footpath/Ski track which made walking easier.
Rhèmes Notre Dame, Aosta

Rhèmes Notre Dame, Aosta

Rhèmes Notre Dame, Aosta

Rhèmes Notre Dame, Aosta

Rhèmes Notre Dame, Aosta

Rhèmes Notre Dame, Aosta

Rhèmes Notre Dame, Aosta

Rhèmes Notre Dame, Aosta

Rhèmes Notre Dame, Aosta

Rhèmes Notre Dame, Aosta

Rhèmes Notre Dame, Aosta

Rhèmes Notre Dame, Aosta

Rhèmes Notre Dame, Aosta

Rhèmes Notre Dame, Aosta

Rhèmes Notre Dame, Aosta

Near Cogne we discovered a new place high above the valley. From Gimillan one has an almost aerial view of the Cogne Valley. A spectacular place with an old village which I will explore next time we are here.
Gimillan, Aosta

Gimillan, Aosta

Gimillan, Aosta

Gimillan, Aosta
 Down in the bottom of the valley we managed to catch the brief time when the valley is not is shadow in winter. The path that leads from Valontey up the valley towards the Gran Paradiso range is another of our favourite walks.

Cogne, Aosta

Cogne, Aosta

Cogne, Aosta

Cogne, Aosta

Cogne, Aosta
 

 

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