Guide to the Aosta Valley towns of Cogne & Courmayeur and the Val Maira in Piedmont

Our unique Mountain Active summer holiday and short break programme features Cogne, Courmayeur and the Val Maira- some of the most beautiful Alpine areas of Italy.

Enjoy the breathtaking high mountain scenery around Mont Blanc or the Gran Paradiso, or marvel at the stunning, natural ambience of the Val Maira, still largely undiscovered by the foreign tourist.

The hotels, all personally selected for our Mountain Active holidays, offer distinct Italian character with excellent standards of accommodation, food and service.

Our comprehensive Echo Travel Information Pack provides well researched itineraries and will give you all the guidance and local information that you need to make the most of your precious time in Italy.

This will include our up to date guide to your holiday destination with maps, detailed local information and sightseeing itineraries, as well as indications as to the best places to eat and drink.

Cogne

Cogne is a picturesque Alpine town on the border of the Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy’s foremost National Park, created in 1922.

The park spans a vast area of mountain territory rising from 1,534m on the valley floor to 4,0410m at the summit of the Gran Paradiso itself. It is an area of outstanding natural beauty with dramatic peaks and glaciers, extensive Alpine meadows and forests, and a huge range of Alpine flora. The park is also prized for its chamois, golden eagles, ptarmigan, marmots and rare butterflies.

Cogne is an ideal base for walkers, allowing easy access to some of the area’s most beautiful scenery and wild flowers.

Relax around the village, take a stroll up the Val Nontey, visit the Lillaz waterfalls, or try an altogether more challenging walk with the aim of reaching your first 4000m peak. There are numerous walks for all tastes and abilities, and our holiday information pack will offer some suggested itineraries.

Not to be missed is the Botanic garden which contains a large collection of Alpine plants.

The hotels of Cogne provide a high standard of service and hospitality, many of them having been in the same families for generations.

The village also boasts many excellent restaurants.

The wonderful Hotel Bellevue (Relais & Chateau) is renowned not only for its Michelin starred restaurant, but also for its antiques and objets d’arte.

Courmayeur

Courmayeur is a chic Italian town with Mont Blanc as a back drop.

The extensive mountain area offers a huge range of walking options on well marked paths. Leisurely walks in the unspoiled valleys of Val Veny and Val Ferret provide magnificent views over the rocky south face of Mont Blanc, the glaciers and the spectacular peaks of Grandes Jorasses and Aiguille Noir.

During the summer months a 90 minute cable car ride will take you over the Mont Blanc Massif itself, from where the views are simply stunning.

The thermal baths in Pre St Didier are not to be missed. Situated just 3km from Courmayeur, they offer a range of indoor and outdoor spa pools and treatments in unique surroundings with views towards Mont Blanc.

Courmayeur offers a wide range of holiday accommodation options with some excellent hotels in the outlying historic hamlet of Entreves, as well as in central Courmayeur.

The hotels selected for our Courmayeur summer holidays provide high levels of comfort as well as excellent food.

Nature Guides and Alpine Guides may be booked via the Aosta Valley Tourist Offices for specific or more demanding mountain excursions.

Val Maira

The Val Maira offers a totally unspoiled Alpine environment in a little known corner of south west Piedmont, not far from the French border.  Ancient stone hamlets, clear mountain rivers, lush meadows and some spectacular scenery make for a quite unique mountain experience.

The network of old military roads, which date from the early 20th century, makes getting around by mountain bike or on foot very easy.  There are more than 700km of trails to explore and the Val Maira is host to a superb range of Alpine flora and fauna.

The valley offers a full range of routes with challenges for all levels of walkers and mountain bikers, from the novice to the most experienced. 

Road cyclists will enjoy the challenge of reaching high altitude passes that often feature in the Giro d'Italia cycling race.

The Pensione Ceaglio provides a comfortable and relaxing base for your holiday in the Val Maira with newly refurbished accommodation, good food and a range of facilities to meet the needs of walkers and cyclists.