La Dolce Vita

Living the sweet life in Italy’s Aosta Valley

- Mattias Fredriksson

On the sunny side of the Mont Blanc massif, by the cozy village of Entrèves, Italy, the Aosta Valley spreads south into the rolling meadows north of Turin. Skiers and snowboarders visit the region for its well-known ski resorts—Champoluc, Gressoney, La Thuile or Chamonix on the French side of the 11.6-kilometer Mont Blanc Tunnel. But in recent years, the buzz about mountain biking in the valley has grown. Between the panini sandwiches made with fresh buffalo mozzarella, the exemplary coffee around every corner, centuries-old castles, friendly residents and a growing trail system, riders from around the world can experience la dolce vita in Valle d’Aosta.

The city of Aosta is located about halfway down the central valley. Surrounded by mountains, it’s one of the biggest cities in the Alps, home to 36,000 residents including mountain people, artists, creatives, business people, students and more. The Cogne Acciai Speciali steel factory is the city’s biggest employer, but tourism is an important business, as well. This blend creates a pleasant atmosphere, different from that of mountain towns where it’s all about tourism. In Aosta, daily life carries on regardless of the conditions in the mountains. That is part of Aosta’s charm.