Bienvenue Moto

Beyond the clichés

Who said that the best route between two points is always the shortest? Sometimes just look a little further, to discover that the taste of a trip is first of all in living up to fund the way, to know places that are unknown to the less attentive tourists, to have fun between curves and bends on breathtaking views. And those who love the bike know well that. That's why the Department of Tourism of the Autonomous Region of Aosta Valley has created BIENVENUE MOTO: eighteen fantastic itineraries in our valleys, of various lengths and variously demanding. A fascinating mototour to ride all in an exciting holiday or to enjoy in the weekend, from April to October, choosing from time to time the path that inspires most, with the knowledge that you can count on a qualified network of hotels, restaurants, camping, agritourisms and mechanicals that can offer, always, an efficient and high level service.

Aosta Valley

Mountain sensations

The inebriating scent of rhododendron, the sun, the pleasant climate, dry and windy, the spectacle of glaciers, the warmth of hospitality and friendship ... This is the Aosta Valley that is awaiting you, with its extraordinary heritage made of a unique environment, a great tradition, a culture attached to their origins but always open to new: the ideal land for a large mototour. BIENVENUE MOTO was designed and built by motorcyclists to offer the Valley in all its beauty, to help you discover even the most hidden places. Sixteen routes in the Central Valley and in lateral valleys, plus two that will connect all points of departure along the entire valley and on the local road, about 1200 km overall, safe roads, strong gradients, exciting routes... And then, of course, the goals: you have a lot of choice, from history to nature, from art to tradition.

Mototour

1 - Pont-Saint-Martin / Gressoney-la-Trinité
2 - Pont-Saint-Martin / Bard / Verrès / Issogne
3 - Pont-Saint-Martin / Champorcher
4 - Pont-Saint-Martin / Fénis / Saint-Marcel / Plout
5 - Pont-Saint-Martin / Torgnon / Saint-Barthélemy / Nus
6 - Pont-Saint-Martin / Col di Joux / Saint-Vincent / Verrès
7 - Verrès / Champoluc / Saint-Vincent
8 - Saint-Christophe / Pila / Cogne
9 - Aosta / Diga di Place Moulin
10 - Aosta / Allein / Gran San Bernardo
11 - Aosta / Route des Salasses / Saint-Nicolas / Planaval
12 - Saint-Pierre / Valsavarenche
13 - Saint-Pierre / Val di Rhemes
14 - Saint-Pierre / Valgrisenche
15 - Morgex / Colle San Carlo / Piccolo San Bernardo
16 - Morgex / Val Ferret / Val Veny
17 - Autostrada A5 (Pont-Saint-Martin / Courmayeur)
18 - SS 26 (Pont-Saint-Martin / Courmayeur)

Chemin des Artisans: workshops discovering

Aosta Valley is characterized by roads and paths that lead to unique places in the world. Reaching the end of the trail is certainly a great satisfaction, but we must not neglect the charm of stages, and discover hidden corners that surround unique aspects of tradition and culture of this valley.
IVAT offers a particular route, whose stages are studios of local artisans. "Le Chemin des Artisans" is a path that will help you to discover the fascinating world of craft, with a guide of exception, the craftsman himself. Each stage is a journey through the “savoir faire”, creativity, working techniques and materials.
Le Chemin, born officially in 2006, now consists of 36 stages.
www.ivat.org - info@ivat.org

Route des Vins: the landscape of vineyards

La “Route des Vins” is a tourist route that promotes and enhances the wine territory of Aosta Valley , spreading the culture of quality in wine, making direct contact with the manufacturer consumers. A unique opportunity to discover the peculiarities of the territory: for each area, for each wine grower there is a particular system of cultivation, production and aging of wine, of "interpretation" of the territory. On Route cooperative cellars and private producers have made networking with stakeholders hotel and catering for a qualitative improvement of tourist offer.
www.regione.vda.it (Agriculture Section) - rdvins@gmail.com

Itinéraires des fromages: the secrets of Fontina

“Les Itinéraires des fromages” will reveal all the secrets of cheese production with a path that winds between farms, pastures, dairies and warehouses meeting women and men that work with passion. Walking through each stage you will attend all phases of processing milk from milking to seasoning in often fascinating environments rich in history, and you will taste the renowned Fontina PDO, the Aosta Valley “Fromadzo PDO” and others dairy products, fresh and seasoned. Come, and you will discover the warmth of welcome, the quality and the age-old tradition of our cheese!
www.itinerairesdesfromages.com - info@itinerairesdesfromages.com

Monte Bianco, the eight wonder of the world

For many, Monte Bianco is simply the highest mountain in Europe. Its 4,810 m certainly confirm its undisputed supremacy. But in reality, Monte Bianco is far more than this with regard to records, history and nature. Monte Bianco's history is unparalleled and over the years its has been an inert onlooker and the aim and object of many ventures and many challenges. The birth of mountaineering (Monte Bianco was first climbed by Jacques Balmat (a 24-year old - crystal-digger) and by Michel Gabriel Paccard, (a 29-year old - medical officer) and was probably one of the first attempts at climbing these mountains. Monte Bianco can be experience using suitable equipment and an expert guide: feel the snow crunch under the climbing irons and see the play of colours and lights on the snow while proceeding towards the mountain peak (from either the Italian or French side). The emotions that can be felt on the roof of Europe, when going up on the cableway are equally suggestive (the “tour du Mont Blanc”: Courmayeur – Punta Helbronner – Aguilles de Midi - Chamonix) and being able to stop at various levels to admire the view, the Saussurea botanic garden and the crystal exhibition.

Matterhorn, the perfect mountain

Someone once described it as "the most noble rock in Europe”, while others consider it the mountain par excellence. When we find ourselves before the image of Matterhorn and we admire its rocky form, it is immediately apparent that the shape of this mountain is highly reminiscent of the mental image of a mountain that we have all had since childhood and that we still have today, at least in part. If we were asked to sketch a mountain, many of us would draw a perfect pyramid with a large base that is solidly planted on the ground with a slender peak rising toward the sky. Matterhorn is exactly that. With a very pronounced pyramidal form, it stands isolated from the rest of the mountain chain, majestically dominating the towns of Breuil-Cervinia in Italy and Zermatt in Switzerland. Matterhorn (4,478 m) was first climbed from the Swiss side on 14 July 1865 by Edward Whymper (and other roped climbers, four of whom tragically lost their lives during the descent) and was again climbed, a few days later from the Italian side, by an all Italian climbing team, led by Jean-Antoine Carrel. Now the ideal destination for skiers the world over, it forms one of the most colossal complexes in Europe and it couldn't have been any other way.

Record Monte Rosa

There are those who attribute the name of this peak to more or less anomalous atmospheric events. There are many rose-tinted versions that "paint" the snow at sunrise and sunset and there are those who sustain that a strong gust of desert wind covered the snow with a veil of sand giving the massif its colour. More simply, one certain explanation is given in a way that often occurs in language. "Rouese" is the true origin of the name Monte Rosa. This terms means glacier in "Patois", an ancient language spoken by the people of the surrounding areas. Monte Rosa is part of the Alps mountain range Pennines which it undisputedly masters from the height of its 4,634 metres, reached from Punta Dufour. In the entire alpine arch, Monte Rosa is exceeded in height only by the 4,808 metres of the Monte Bianco. In addition to being the highest of the Pennine Alps, this massif holds other Guinness world records, records that we sincerely believe will be hard to break. Monte Rosa's east slope is in fact the highest in the Alps. La Silbersattel (Silver Saddle) is the hill that, with its 4,517 metres, separates Punta Dufour from Punta Nordend: it is the highest in the Alps. Even in respect of it "mass" it has no rivals. In fact Monte Rosa is considered (it is more than 4,000 metres high) the largest mountain by virtue of its huge mass.

Gran Paradiso, a 4,000 m mountain, made in Italy

Never has a name been so spot on. Gran Paradiso, the Italian giant and keeper of the National Park by the same name, is a true spectacle of Nature. A mountain entirely situated on Italian land, providing views of the sea from a height of 4,061 metres. The peak's Valle de Cogne slope is truly terrifying: a colossal rockface with a drop of approximately 700 m, emerging from a glacier, the name of which is in itself indicative: Tribolazione (Tribulation)! The mountain is "easier" to climb from the "Vittorio Emanuele" Refuge. The Refuge, which is reached via an easy track commencing from the village of Pont di Valsavarenche, is a good starting point for reaching the peak. But these are challenges that only expert professional can conquer. Everyone else can experience the privilege of walking along the Park's footpaths and admire this monument of nature in all its majestic beauty. Cogne and Valnontey and Valsavarenche are the best points for admiring the mountain and the Park's flora and fauna.