Though Valtournenche is primarily associated with the Matterhorn, probably the most beautiful mountain in the world, it is enchanting in itself and equipped for accommodating visitors from all over the world.

You leave the main valley along the wide road from Châtillon and enter Valtournenche skirting alongside the Marmore torrent.  At this point, you are surrounded by wild vegetation with green strips running between huge rocks.  Yet 7 kilometres further on, you come to Antey-Saint-André, which is a popular summer resort, especially with children and old people, on account of its mild climate.  Of course, there are many good hotels. Here, in the wide plain of Antey-Saint-André, you get your first glimpse of the majestic Matterhorn, if it is not covered over.  At this point, the road branches off to La Magdeleine, a small commune with ski facilities, and Torgnon, and a popular holiday resort with open meadows and sunny walks.  Torgnon is also a very nice winter resort.

The road then runs through a charming forest from Mongnod to the Colle di San Pantaleone.  On the way down the hill, you get a wonderful view of the upper Dora Valley and pass through the communes of Saint-Denis and Verrayes before reaching the lower valley at Chambave. Leaving Antey-Saint-André and continuing along the Valtournenche, you come to Buisson, where a cable car will quickly take you up to Chamois, one of the highest communes in Italy.  Here, you can really enjoy the quiet of the mountains, for there is no roadway for cars.  There is also a chair lift to take you up to Lake Lod.

After two steep climbs broken by a flat stretch along the Maen Dam, the Valtournenche road brings you to the main town in the Valtournenche commune.  This is the home of the Matterhorn’s guides and a busy holiday resort with ample sports facilities.  Many mountain walks and outings start out from here.  One sight worth mentioning is the “gouffre des Busserailles” which is a gorge cut into the rock by the Marmore torrent.

As the road winds up towards Breuil-Cervinia, the vegetation becomes thinner and is typical of the upper mountain regions.  In the wide glen at the foot of the giant Matterhorn, you can see the famous resort started in 1937 when the first roadway was brought through to the village and the first cable car was built.  Breuil-Cervinia owes its reputation to its being the starting point for many famous climbs up the Matterhorn and other nearby peaks but it is even more famous as an international skiing resort.  It has some of the best ski facilities in the world providing long breathtaking descents, which have to be tried to be believed.You can ski all year round because in the summer, the facilities on Plateau Rosa are kept open.  The world famous KL competition, a time trial over 1 km for the world speed record, is organized here. But you do not only have to ski in the shadow of the Matterhorn.  There are all the activities you would expect from an internationally famous skiing resort worthy of the name.