Pila, Italy – Above Aosta Clouds

Taking the Pila Cable Car from Aosta one can have a marvelous day trip above the clouds. At over six thousands feet in elevation, Pila sits over Aosta and the valley like an eagle’s nest.

Pila – Pila Cable Car – Tickets For Two

For a modest round trip fee of 7€/person, you can take the 15-20 minute ride on the cable car and enjoy a ride up the mountainside and the Aosta Valley.  The cable car takes you over the small towns on the other side of the Dora Bàltea river from Aosta, where you can see the bucolic farms and vineyards from above.

Our Cable Car Ride And Day In Pila

Since there really isn’t much else to tell, a few short series of photographs is all that it takes to enjoy this wonderful day adventure, enjoy!

The Way Up

The Ski Resort

The Way Down

One Last Video

Aosta, Italy – A Gargantuan Hike

After a long day of bus rides and cable cars, it was time for some hiking. Nothing hard for our age,  but moderate enough, just to get the legs to ache and the bones to complain a little.

Aosta – Gargantua Nature Reserve Hike – Panorama from other end

Having purchased a subscription to AllTrails, we had time before we left Turin to plan several hikes, of varying difficulty. Since the weather was so nice, we went for a scenic hike and chose Gargantua Hill.[1]Though technically any heap of rock and dirt may be called a hill, this is actually a glacial moraine,  deposited thousands of years ago when the glaciers from the last Ice Age left this valley.

Map – Our Route

The hike was rather simple, leave our hotel, use the tunnel to go under the rail station, walk across the Pont Suaz bridge and walk the neighborhoods until we reached the hill, then ascend it.

We brought plenty of water, and were happy that we did, because it was pretty warm, perhaps in the middle 80s (about 28/29C). I also wore a hat part of the way, which helped to shade the sun beating down on me, so one can say – wearing a hat is good advise.

Gargantua Nature Preserve

The hill is part of the Riserva Naturale de Gargantua, or Gargantua Nature Preserver, and is some 150m, or 450 feet, in elevation. It has several trails on either side, most of which can be used to ascend and descend it. The one we chose was from the vineyard side to the east, with an approach from where it joins with the mountain. This was slightly easier than a direct approach,  since it afforded us the use of the farming roads a third of the way up.

The hill is mostly porous dirt, rocks and stones, therefore it does not hold water very well and was severely dry due to this year’s climatic conditions in Italy. The dirt was very loose and without proper foot gear, one could easily slip in it.

Aosta – Gargantua Nature Reserve Hike – Panorama on top of hill – 150m (450ft) above valley

The summit provides impressive views of the entire Aosta Valley, with an excellent view of Aosta to the east.

Aosta – Gargantua Nature Reserve Hike – Valle d’Aosta to the east

There are also several monuments and other artifacts on the top, including a score of music, a cross and some signs (which I did not translate).

The hike down was a bit more interesting than the ascent, since it was from the end of the hill that sticks out into the valley. Therefore, it was a bit steeper and more treacherous. There were several places that we had to be careful, but luckily there were always enough rocks on which we could purchase a grip.

That does it for our day hike in Aosta. In all, it totaled about 7.5 miles and some 450ft in ascent and descent, and about three and a half hours to hike. We went straight to a restaurant, since we had been out since 9:30AM and did not want the restaurants closing while we were dropping our things off at the hotel. All in all,  a very gratifying September day of hiking in Aosta. Go Hike!

Aosta – Gargantua Nature Reserve Hike – Panorama with mountains

References

References
1 Though technically any heap of rock and dirt may be called a hill, this is actually a glacial moraine,  deposited thousands of years ago when the glaciers from the last Ice Age left this valley.

Courmayeur, Italy – Way To The Sky

The Skyway and Monte Bianco

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Erick at the Saussurea Alpine Botanical Garden

Some 33km from Aosta, or about one hour by bus, is the small ski hamlet of Courmayeur and the starting point of our day journey to Pont Helbronner (Helbronner Point) and Monte Bianco, or Mont Blanc.

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – Tickets For Two

Courmayeur

A quaint little ski hamlet that offers a traditional Italian, Swiss and French Alpine feel. The town is built to withstand the snows that most likely visit this region every winter season. Luckily,  we visited when the weather was a bit more mild and pleasant.

Or primary reason for being here was taking the Skyway Monte Bianco and visiting the mountain across from Mont Blanc, in order to get some good photographs of it and the valley of glaciers that it creates.

Helbronner and Mont Blanc

Once you board the cable car you ascend rapidly to the intermediate stop of where the Saussurea Alpine Botanical Gardens are, where you can stretch you legs and your soul.

There are many things you can do here besides enjoy the cafe or bar. There are hiking trails all over the mountain, and within a few minutes you can be totally alone, hiking a few minutes up any of the trails. If not to discover,  perchance to enjoy a different view of the mountain side, which in these parts, is steep enough to tax anyone’s endurance.

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Pont Helbronner

Courmayeur – The Skyway Monte Bianco – View From Cable Car – Mont and Glacier du Géant

A singular place to visit to enjoy the almost lunar landscape of this Alpine geography. Aside from occasional dyspepsia and dizziness that this altitude might cause, the visitor is welcomed to an almost surreal landscape once exiting the cable car and ascending the stairs to the observation deck.

Restaurants

Brasserie la Padella Pizzeria

A normal pizzeria and brasserie by any Italian standards, as a stop for lunch it fit the bill nicely. We enjoyed a quick lunch of pasta, salad, water, wine and coffee with very pleasant service as an added bonus. There is nothing to complain about here, the staff is well versed in taking orders and serving food quite promptly.

Aosta, Italy – Alpine Roman Stronghold

Located about two hours north of Turin by train and down a very large valley, is the small city of Aosta (pronounced: Ahh’osta). It is a cute little city of about thirty-five thousands inhabitants and a former ancient Roman military outpost.

Aosta – From Gargantua

We had planned a short trip for Aosta some time ago,  hoping to go there during the hot summer month of July, but we were busy. So, we adjusted our plans to September and glad we did. The valley can be as hot as the Po Valley in  summer and can also have wild swings in weather. So, along with the fact that we had additional plans for Mont Blanc, we prepared both ways, and perhaps in the end packed a bit too heavily.

The Valley

It is located in the Aosta Valley of the same name and is the capital of one of the autonomous regions in Italy. It can be found at the confluence of the rivers Dora Baltea, which starts at the foot of Mont Blanc, and the Buthier, which starts at the foot of the Grandes Murailles glacier and the Valpelline valley.

The City

The city is an ancient Roman enclave and military output,  that was supported by the Roman Empire and an important Roman presences in the first century, guarding the northern pass from barbarians. Augustus Caesar is displayed throughout the city in many bronzes and other forms of statue.

Aosta – Tickets For Two – Archeological Sites Aosta

If you are going to do any meaningful investigation of this city, you must enjoy its many archeological sites. In order to do so, a visit to the information center is needed, its by the Praetorian Gate (or triple bridge), and for a modest 8€/person, you can purchase tickets to all of the important venues in town.

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Roman Arch Of Augustus

The enormous Arch of Augustus was built in 25 BCE to commemorate Augustus Caesar’s victory over the Salassis.

Located by the Pietra di Aosta bridge, which goes over the Buthier river, it is a large arch that contains a cross inside.

The Roman Theater

Another important site is the Roman Theater. Apparently in the early 1900s there were several structures built against the entrance, using it as one wall in their buildings. When the government decided that it was an important archeological site, these buildings were raised to prepare the site for excavations.

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The Roman Wall and Towers

The city is encircled by a Roman Wall and several towers, four of which mark each corner of the rectangle that is made by the walls.

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Collegiate Church of Sant-Orso

The Collegiate Church of Sant-Orso contains both the Church of Sant-Orso and the Cloister.

Aosta – Bell Tower and front of the Church of Sant Orso

Romanesque Cloister of Sant-Orso

A fine example of Romanesque art and cloister architecture the Cloister of Saint Orso.

Aosta – Arches and Columns inside of the Cloister of Sant Orso

Almost every column lining the portico inside the cloister has a unique sculpted capital, depicting strange images of times forgotten. Some of the columns have multiple pillars abutting their capitals, making them even stranger and perhaps more difficult to understand by researchers.

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Paleo-Christian Church Of Sant Lorenzo

Of special interest is the small, paleo-christian Church of Saint Lorenzo. An archeological site in its own right, the old church has actually been excavate underneath the existing church of the same name, Church of Sant Lorenzo.

The Cryptoportico

No one actually knows what the Cryptoportico was used for,  it is only known that it was a large rectangular structure with a corresponding lighted basement. It has been conjectured that the layout hints at its use as a marketplace and the cellar as a storage place for grain and other commodities. Unfortunately the slide show provided in the cellar is provided only in Italian, but that appears to only have explained the archeological  details of the excavation and not necessarily its intended use.

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Restaurants

Caffe Nazionale

Its claim to fame ostensibly is that it’s the oldest cafe in Aosta. Aside from its coffee being overpriced, its outside seating suffering from the hot sun (no umbrellas) and it only having one staff member taking orders, its coffee and brioche are good. However, when I can purchase two Capucinos and two Brioches of the same or better quality right next to my hotel at half the price, it is definitely not worth it! However, if you want a seat in the Piazza Emile Chanoux to eat breakfast, then it is perhaps one of your only options.

Aosta – Caffe Nazionale – Piazza Emile Chanoux

Ristorante Aldente

A very good restaurant, offering  both inside and outside seating, is Aldente.

Aosta – Ristorante Aldente

They have a full wine list, with a concentration on local and regional wines, so a great place to try something new. The menu has all the local favorites, consisting of a blend of Italian and French cuisines. A great place to eat for a special evening, or just to relax and enjoy great food.

House O Break

A fantastic place for lunch or dinner. We ate here twice, since they have a varied menu with many local specialties at very good prices.

PubBurger

Nothing special, but dying for something different we went to a burger chain here called PubBurger. The burgers are actually pretty good, but the buns are a bit hard, unlike the ones in the States. The quantity of French Fries too was a bit on the small side, considering it is a burger place, but I didn’t complain because the size of the burger was HUGE!