The Valle d’Aosta in North-Western Italy is Italy’s smallest region. Bordering on France in the West,  it shares linguistic traits with the Alpine areas across the border. In the South the region borders on Piedmont and in the North on Switzerland.
As one of the Italian regions with special status, Valle d’Aosta enjoys farreaching administrative and legislative autonomy.
The region displays a typically Alpine climate with harsh winters and pleasant summers. The climate in the central valley along the Dora Baltea river tends to be milder. Snowfall is abundant in winter, rainfall is moderate during the rest of the year.
The Valle d’Aosta is a mountainous region criss-crossed by deep mountain valleys.The main, central valley divides the region into two parts; from there, smaller valleys extend North and South into the mountain ranges and provide numerous well-known tourist destinations both for the summer and winter.
The Valle d’Aosta is unquestionably a winter sports’ paradise. Some of Europe’s highest peaks with the Mont Blanc, the Monte Rosa, the Matterhorn and the Grand Paradiso can be accessed from here. The region has 900 km of dwonhill ski runs and 300 km of cross-country courses. Ski resorts ranging from the young and flashy to the family-friendly abound: Courmayeur, Cervinia, Champoluc, Cogne, Gressoney, La Thuile and Pila. 
The region’s particular treasure is the Gran Paradiso Natural Park, the region’s preferred destination for hiking, mountaineering and ecological tourism. Since over hundred years, many protected animal species thrive here including the marmot and the capricorn. They can be watched today against a breathtaking background of snow-clad peaks, glaciers and valleys dotted with ancient castles and forts.