A crossroads between Italy, Switzerland and France, Aosta, founded by the Romans, formerly belonged to the States of Savoy. Both the city and its region reveal a rich artistic heritage while cultivating the sweetness of life, even when it is cold.
Day 1
9 o’clock. Winter dolce vita
For more than two thousand years we have been strolling along what is today the main pedestrian street of Aosta, called “Jean-Baptiste-de-Tillier” in its liveliest part. (1)heir to the decumanus, the east-west axis of Roman cities. From the place where it crosses the cardo, the north-south axis, two paths once left, one leading to Valais (Switzerland), to the north, via the Grand-Saint-Bernard pass (2469 meters), and the other heading towards Savoy, to the west, via the Petit-Saint-Bernard pass (2188 meters). The city has remained a lively crossroads: on the ground floor of the neoclassical style buildings, where administrations are located, the well-stocked shops attract attention and customers. From cappuccino time to spritz time, under awnings that protect from the cold wind coming down from the mountains, we never stop chatting. It’s la dolce vita, despite the rigor of the Alpine winter.
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